Merry Christmas!

I just want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Executive Function Skills at Work (and School)

The Center on Technology and Disability (https://www.ctdinstitute.org/)(CTD) has a wonderful library of family and student supports that include both low and high tech options.  They have paired with the PACER Center (https://www.pacer.org/), Champions for Children with Disabilities, to create a quick guide of Executive Functioning tools and strategies to help at work (and at school).
According to the description on the website:
"This step-by-step guide provides an overview of tools and strategies for executive function skills used in the work place such as time management, motivation, following directions, organizing work space and information, remembering appointments and tasks, and focus and attention."
Click on the link on the right of the screen (see image below) for the PDF download to see what this guide has to offer.

4 “Crazy” Ways to Inspire Your Uninspired Student Readers

For students that read below grade level, especially if they are significantly below grade level, reading is a chore. Many of these students have become uninspired to read, with good cause. We have to work to help heal their relationship with books and reading by providing alternative opportunities.

The Bookshare Blog often has great posts and the one titled 4 “Crazy” Ways to Inspire Your Uninspired Student Readers from November 5, 2018 is no different. Please take the time to read the short post and watch the 4 short embedded videos. I think they will inspire you as well.

4 “Crazy” Ways to Inspire Your Uninspired Student Readers
(http://bookshareblog.wpengine.com/2018/11/4-crazy-ways-to-inspire-your-uninspired-student-readers-video/)

And remember, 

Read in whichever way is best for you!

Seeing AI

Seeing AI is a talking camera app for the blind, built by Microsoft.

According to the app description:
Seeing AI is a free app that narrates the world around you. Designed for the blind and low vision community, this ongoing research project harnesses the power of AI to open up the visual world and describe nearby people, text and objects.

Among some of the options offered through the app:
• Speak short text as soon as it appears in front of the camera
• Capture a printed page while recognizing the text and original formatting
• Scan barcodes to provide product information
• Read people’s faces, providing an estimate of their age, gender, and emotions. Also allows you to save faces for easier recognition in the future.
• Hear an overall description of a room
• Recognize currency
• Identify colors
• Read handwritten text

Check out tutorials with this YouTube playlist: http://aka.ms/SeeingAIPlaylist

Visit http://SeeingAI.com for more details

Get the app in the Apple App Store for your iPhone iPad or iPod Touch running iOS 10.0 or later.

EDU in 90

Google for Education has created a video series called EDU in 90.  Each episode is under 4 minutes in length and focuses on product updates, new programs, and helpful resources for the classroom.   New episodes are released three times a month and are important topics for educators, administrators, and school leaders.

The videos are available on the Google for Education YouTube Channel (https://goo.gl/HzLhdx).

Subscribe to the Google for Education YouTube channel so don't miss an episode!

A Teacher's View of Assistive Technology

The Center on Technology and Disability 

In this video, teachers of students with a variety of learning needs and challenges discuss ways in which assistive technology can help. The teachers in the video provide examples of low-tech and high-tech tools that can be easily integrated into a classroom environment.

A Teacher's View of Assistive Technology 
(https://www.ctdinstitute.org/library/2018-06-07/teachers-view-assistive-technology)

Included in the the above link is an  option to watch the video in Spanish.

Assistive Technology and the IEP - Tips for General Education Teachers

Last week I posted a short video from The Center on Technology and Disability (https://www.ctdinstitute.org) and Chris Bugaj (https://attipscast.com/) defining Assistive Technology Devices, Assistive Technology Services and Assistive Technology Consideration. This week I have another resource to share from the CTD.

Assistive Technology and the IEP - Tips for General Education Teachers (https://www.ctdinstitute.org/library/2017-11-13/assistive-technology-and-iep-tips-general-ed-teachers) is a one page infographic with steps a general education teacher should take to help with the IEP process.  This infographic is a good reminder for special education teachers and staff as well.

Please print the infographic, linked above, as a reminder for yourself or to share with other staff in your building or district.