Greeley-Evans School District 6
School District
Assistive Technology (SWAAAC)
Mission Statement:
The Greeley-Evans School District 6 Assistive technology Team supports universally designed instructional intervention strategies, tools, and training to maximize learning outcomes and decrease educational barriers of students with disabilities.
Purpose:
The Assistive Technology Team will:
- Assess students assistive technology needs
- Recommend tools and strategies that support student performance
- Provide training opportunities and ongoing support for students, families and staff
- Maintain current knowledge in best practice strategies, tools and services
Definition:
"Assistive Technology device" means any item, piece of equipment or product system whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of a child with a disability. (IDEIA 2004)
Assistive Technology (AT) is any tool that helps a person with a disability function more effectively in the performance of activities at home, school, work or play. For some students with disabilities AT is an avenue that will provide a student with another means to perform school-related tasks and participate in the school environment. Depending on the needs of the individual, AT support, services or devices may provide equal access to the curriculum and enable the student to communicate with their peers as well as participate fully in the educational setting.
Team Members
Hannah Moffitt
Assistive Technology Specialist
970-348-1880
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
- Communication
- Literacy
- Study Skills
- iPad, iTouch, iPhone
- Android Tablets
- Free Downloads
- iPad and iPhone Apps
- Android Apps
- Resources
Communication
Definition:
The imparting or interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information by speech, writing, or signs.
Speech Generating Devices:
- GO TALK is a lightweight and portable assistive technology device designed for even the youngest of users. Go Talks provide sound with volume control, easy sequential recording, quick level erase, built-in overlay storage, record lock, and level lock. Go Talks can be used to initiate conversations, support daily activities, talk on the telephone, tell personal anecdotes, practice speaking and articulation, give instructions, and participate in small group instruction.
- This COMMUNICATION BUILDER is equipped with 5 easy to change frames, which allow you to refine communication choices as the person develops new skills. Record your own messages with the simplest push of a button, Light, durable and easy to carry with a built in handle. Frames included are 1,2,4, 8 and 16 window options. Re-recording is required when you change window frames. Total recording time is 300 seconds.
- BIG MACK SWITCH: Record any message directly into this powerful single message tool and press its large activation surface for crystal-clear, single message playback. Students with visual disabilities and those who require a larger activation surface will have no problem connecting with Big Mack Large, 5 inch activation surface as they connect with teachers, classmates and the world around them.
- AUGMENTATIVE COMMUNICATION DEVICES are also known as speech generating devices. These are electronic device systems used to supplement or replace speech or writing for individuals with severe speech impairments enabling them to verbally communicate their needs. AAC devices also allow individuals to become active participants in communication interactions.
- IPAD WITH COMMUNICATION APPLICATION: There are multiple applications to enable the iPad to be used as a communication device. Some of those include, but are not limited to: Proloquo2Go, assistive chat, quick talk aac, go talk now, touch chat with word power, words for life (LAMP), sono flex lite, sono flex, my choice boards, and my first aac. District 6 currently has Proloquo2Go available.
Picture and Icon Communication:
- PECS: The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is a type of Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC) originally developed for children with autism. The primary purpose of PECS is to teach individuals to initiate communication. Individuals are taught to initiate by handing a picture to a communication partner in exchange for a desired item. PECS allows individuals to communicate by using pictures instead of, or in conjunction with, speech. PECS provides a functional outlet of expression for individuals who otherwise have difficulty communicating. It is used to initiate conversation and to communicate wants or needs to another person. It may be used with young children but has also successfully been taught to adults with similar communication needs. Often it is used with individuals on the autism spectrum and in theory that if we increase their ability to communicate their behavior tends to lesson.
- BOARDMAKER is a design program that lets you make and adapt curriculum materials for students who need symbols. You can create talking books, behavior supports, schedules, reward chats, and practice lessons. Boardmaker activities are used in the inclusive classroom, special education classroom, speech therapy sessions, out in the community and at home.
Websites for Augmentative Communication:
Literacy
Kurzweil
KURZWEIL 3000 is the premier reading, writing, and learning software for students with dyslexia, attention deficit disorder, or other learning difficulties, including physical impairments or language learning needs. It allows students with print disabilities to have grade level texts and materials to be read to them by the computer enabling hem to learn content and meet district standards.
Kurzweil has the following features:
- Support for fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, writing, study skills, and TEST TAKING.
- A single user interface containing all the tools necessary for academic success.
- Access to all major digital file formats and printed materials.
- Allows for individualized instruction as learners can move at their own pace with materials that serve their individual needs.
- Easy-to-use tools for teachers to customize and implement instructional supports.
- Support for all Response to Intervention (RTI) tiers of instruction, special education and multi-tiered classrooms.
- A program anchored upon the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
SOLO
This program integrates the following components: Read out Loud, Write Out Loud, Draft Builder and Co-Writer. The PACKAGE builds skills across the entire reading and writing continuum including reading, writing planning, organizing, revising and editing.
- Read: Out Loud: Read Strategically for Comprehension
- The meaning of text does not reside in the words on the page. Meaning is constructed in the mind of the reader. Auditory support alone is not sufficient for your students to construct meaning. They need to learn and practice effective research-based strategies. Read: Out Loud includes research-based reading comprehension strategy guides so readers can gain true understanding of concepts in social studies, science and language arts.
- Write: Out Loud: Motivates Students to Compose, Revise and Edit Independently
- Research shows that struggling writers typically do not write enough to effectively communicate their message. After they finish composing, their revisions and edits have little impact on the text. Write: Out Loud is a program that improves your students' writing through simple and purposeful supports so they can write more and self-assess their work.
- Draft: Builder: Build Planning, Organizing, and Draft-Writing Strategies
- For struggling writers, transforming thoughts into purposeful and coherent writing can be daunting. They often lack critical strategies such as collecting information, analyzing relevant ideas and organizing them into writing. Researchers from the Education Development Center (EDC) partnered with Don Johnston Incorporated to solve these needs of struggling writers. Using well established research, they developed Draft: Builder - a powerful planning, organizing and draft writing program that steps students through the writing process.
- Co: Writer: Empower Written Self Expression and Vocabulary
- Most students' thoughts are much richer than words and sentences they create. For students who struggle to translate ideas into writing, Co: Writer's linguistic Word Prediction, Flex Spell, Topic Dictionaries and vocabulary supports narrow the gap between thoughts and written words. The result is that students can effectively express their ideas in writing, improve spelling and create coherent sentences.
- Word Q/Speak Q
- WORDQ+SPEAKQ works with all popular writing programs such as Microsoft Word and can be integrated with tools including touchscreen, on-screen keyboard and adaptive mouse devices. It reads back what the user has typed, makes helpful word suggestions, and enables users to proofread and edit their own work by reading back misspelled words and punctuation exactly as typed. WordQ+SpeakQ is especially helpful for those who find writing to be a challenge. Children with dyslexia, ADD or ADHD. Clients with autism, aphasia and trauma or those with limited movement. Each user can create a personalized profile, complete with language settings and saved progress. It offers a multi-sensory approach to sentence composition and expression.
- Dragon Naturally Speaking
- Homework and written assignments can be a frustrating and time-consuming task for students with learning disabilities and their parents. A student that can communicate eloquently verbally may not be able to translate that content to writing based on the mechanical challenges associated with typing and spelling. But dragon understands what you say and how you say it. Simply speak words and they appear on the screen. Dragon also reads back your transcribed text to you and can read aloud other text such as homework instructions or incoming email. Speech recognition software is increasingly becoming a productivity tool for students of all abilities.
- Improve core skills for students of all abilities
- Provide greater independence for students with physical disabilities
- Level the playing field for students with learning disabilities
- NUANCE.COM
- Homework and written assignments can be a frustrating and time-consuming task for students with learning disabilities and their parents. A student that can communicate eloquently verbally may not be able to translate that content to writing based on the mechanical challenges associated with typing and spelling. But dragon understands what you say and how you say it. Simply speak words and they appear on the screen. Dragon also reads back your transcribed text to you and can read aloud other text such as homework instructions or incoming email. Speech recognition software is increasingly becoming a productivity tool for students of all abilities.
- Kidspiration
- Using visual thinking methodologies, KIDSPIRATION provides a cross-curricular visual workspace for K-5 learners. Students combine pictures, text, numbers and spoken words to develop vocabulary, word recognition, reading for comprehension, writing and critical thinking skills. Kidspiration works the way students think and learn and the way teachers teach. As students make visual connections, they build fundamental skills in reading, writing, math, science and social studies. Kidspiration offers activities in all curriculum areas, so students use visual learning naturally and confidently. Kidspiration helps students:
- Develop strong thinking skills
- Strengthen reading and writing skills
- Build conceptual understanding in math
- Using visual thinking methodologies, KIDSPIRATION provides a cross-curricular visual workspace for K-5 learners. Students combine pictures, text, numbers and spoken words to develop vocabulary, word recognition, reading for comprehension, writing and critical thinking skills. Kidspiration works the way students think and learn and the way teachers teach. As students make visual connections, they build fundamental skills in reading, writing, math, science and social studies. Kidspiration offers activities in all curriculum areas, so students use visual learning naturally and confidently. Kidspiration helps students:
- Inspiration
- In INSPIRATION, you think and learn visually. Inspiration allows you to create a picture of your ideas and concepts in the form of diagram or mind map. It also provides an integrated outlining environment for developing your ideas into organized written documents. Inspiration stimulates both visual and linear thinking to deepen understanding of concepts, increase memory retention, develop organization skills and tap creativity. Inspiration has four environments: Diagram View, Map View, Outline View and Presentation Manager.
- Diagram View: Use Diagram View to create diagrams that show the relationships between ideas or concepts.
- Map View: Use Map View to create mind maps, building branches of associated topics around a central idea.
- Outline View: Use Outline View to create outlines of your ideas or to organize and write reports.
- Presentation Manager: When you have developed your content in the form of a diagram, mind map or outline, use Presentation Manager to create a presentation.
- In Inspiration, you can also create many types of graphic organizers. It doesn't matter if you're comparing literary novels, looking at cause and effect or developing your understanding of a complex concept. The kind of diagram or mind map you create in Inspiration depends on the idea you want to develop. The following are some of the different types of graphic organizers you can easily build using Inspiration: Concept Map, Idea Map, Mind Map, Story Board and Web.
- In INSPIRATION, you think and learn visually. Inspiration allows you to create a picture of your ideas and concepts in the form of diagram or mind map. It also provides an integrated outlining environment for developing your ideas into organized written documents. Inspiration stimulates both visual and linear thinking to deepen understanding of concepts, increase memory retention, develop organization skills and tap creativity. Inspiration has four environments: Diagram View, Map View, Outline View and Presentation Manager.
- Intellitools
- INTELLITOOLS is accessible software that supports early learning in the area of reading, writing and mathematics. It supports different learning styles to engage, motivate, and involve students - incorporating text, graphics, animation, onscreen manipulation, speech output, recorded sounds, and are fully accessible through IntelliKeys, our alternative access keyboard and switches. We publish curriculum content in the areas of early literacy, reading, writing, and mathematics and incorporate standards into the design phase covering national standards as well as selected state standards. Embedded tools in the Intellitools software help assess the cognitive level of students with the ability to track student performance.
- Clicker 5
- CLICKER is a reading and writing tool that helps students of all abilities to achieve rapid and permanent gains in their levels of reading and writing. Based on the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Clicker offers a range of both curriculum and accessibility support to meet individual needs within the Individualized Education Program (IEP).
- At the top of the screen is a word processor called 'Clicker Writer'. At the bottom of the screen is the 'Clicker Grid'. This has 'cells' containing letters, words or phrases that you can click on, to send them into Clicker Writer - so children can write sentences without actually writing or using the keyboard.
- Clicker 5 comes with realistic speech, so you can hear the words before you write. Simply click on any word with the right-hand mouse button (or Control-click on it if you're using a Mac). Clicker Writer can also speak letters, words or sentences to you as you write. It even highlights the text as it's spoken.
- Clicker 5 also comes with hihgly detailed pictures to illustrate common words, and you can use your own pictures too. You can have pictures in the Clicker Grid and click on them to send them into Clicker Writer, so you can write with pictures as well as words. Pictures can appear instantly in cells when you type into them. Pictures can also appear instantly as you type into Clicker Writer.
- All Clicker Grids can be operated with simple switches, so people who cannot use a mouse or keyboard can also use Clicker. It helps people of all abilities to write - and because Clicker 5's pop-up grids are switch accessible, anyone can create a talking book.
- CLICKER is a reading and writing tool that helps students of all abilities to achieve rapid and permanent gains in their levels of reading and writing. Based on the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Clicker offers a range of both curriculum and accessibility support to meet individual needs within the Individualized Education Program (IEP).
Symbol Based Writing
- PIXWRITER: Students write by selecting pictures and word buttons while built in speech gives them immediate feedback on their selections. To create picture keyboards, teachers type words and pictures are automatically inserted. Teachers can also create talking documents for early reading experiences.
- Writing with Symbols: Writing with Symbols is a versatile program that helps teachers give students the early writing experiences that are essential to literary development. Students learn to communicate, read and write, with the same symbol set. Create picture word stories for students to read, or create word and symbol displays students can use to write. Speech feedback emphasizes the connection between words and symbols and a talking word processor connects spoken words with written words.
Study Skills
- Buddy Notes: Students who have reading and writing difficulty often have a hard time capturing classroom information in their ntoes. Buddy notes or teacher notes can allow a student to lsiten and comprehend the oral classroom materials and have a written copy of the material to use for later study.
- Teacher Notes: This includes copies fo the ntoes the classroom teacher gives as he/she is lecturing and the information placed on the board/overhead/projector.
- Mobile Devices: Such as iPhone, iTouch, or other cellular options for keeping assignments and calendars.
- Guided Notes: This is similar to the teacher ntoes, but key words are left out so as the student follows along with the lecture, he/she must fill in what has been left out. This helps the student to keep up with note taking, but also keeps them involved in the learning process.
- SOLO: This program integrates the following components: Read: Out Loud, Write: Out Loud, Draft: Builder and Co: Writer. The package builds skills across the entire reading and writing continuum including reading, writing planning, organizing, revising and editing.
- Read: Out Loud: Read Strategically for Comprehension
- The meaning of text does not reside in the words on the page. Meaning is constructed in the mind of the reader. Auditory support alone is not sufficient for your students to construct meaning. They need to learn and practice effective research-based strategies. Read: Out Loud includes research-based reading comprehension strategy guides so readers can gain true understanding of concepts in social studies, science and language arts.
- Write: Out Loud: Motivates Students to Compose, Revise and Edit Independently
- Research shows that struggling writers typically do not write enough to effectively communicate their message. After they finish composing, their revisions and edits have little impact on the text. Write: Out Loud is a program that improves your students' writing through simple and purposeful supports so they can write more and self-assess their work.
- Draft: Builder: Build Planning, Organizing, and Draft-Writing Strategies
- For struggling writers, transforming thoughts into purposeful and coherent writing can be daunting. They often lack critical strategies such as collecting information, analyzing relevant ideas and organizing them into writing. Researchers from the Education Development Center (EDC) partnered with Don Johnston Incorporated to solve these needs of struggling writers. Using well established research, they developed Draft: Builder - a powerful planning, organizing and draft writing program that steps students through the writing process.
- Co: Writer: Empower Written Self Expression and Vocabulary
- Most students' thoughts are much richer than words and sentences they create. For students who struggle to translate ideas into writing, Co: Writer's linguistic Word Prediction, Flex Spell, Topic Dictionaries and vocabulary supports narrow the gap between thoughts and written words. The result is that students can effectively express their ideas in writing, improve spelling and create coherent sentences.
- Read: Out Loud: Read Strategically for Comprehension
-
KURZWEIL 3000 is the premier reading, writing, and learning software for students with dyslexia, attention deficit disorder, or other learning difficulties, including physical impairments or language learning needs. It allows students with print disabilities to have grade level texts and materials to be read to them by the computer enabling hem to learn content and meet district standards.
Kurzweil has the following features:
- Support for fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, writing, study skills, and TEST TAKING.
- A single user interface containing all the tools necessary for academic success.
- Access to all major digital file formats and printed materials.
- Allows for individualized instruction as learners can move at their own pace with materials that serve their individual needs.
- Easy-to-use tools for teachers to customize and implement instructional supports.
- Support for all Response to Intervention (RTI) tiers of instruction, special education and multi-tiered classrooms.
- A program anchored upon the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
iPad, iTouch, iPhone
- iPads: iPad inspires creativity and hands-on learning with features you won't find in any other educational tool - on a device that students really want to use. Powerful apps from the App Store like Tunes and iBooks let students engage with content in interactive ways, find informatino in an instant, and access an entire library wherever they go.
- iPhones: iPhone helps with on the go learning in a small size. These devices put thousands of apps and countless possibilities in your pocket.
- App Resources
Android Tablets
Free Downloads
iPad and iPhone Apps
This is a list we have found through various research on the internet and recommendations from staff. These apps ahve not been trial or tested by the District 6 AT Department. Some of these apps are free; others are paid.
- Baby Morning Shapes
- Baby Touch Shapes
- Baby Finger
- Frog Pad
- Notetaker
- Hands ON
- Zen Notes
- Sharks
- Category Carousel
- Social Express
- Assistive Chat
- Color & Shape
- Caboose Exp.
- iWrite Words
- Letter quiz
- My Name
- Trace Write
- Letter School
- Note Self
- Edmodo
- iWrite
- Light box
- BT Handwritingg
- Dexteria
- Farm Match
- Quick Office
- Free Books
- iTunes U
- POetry Magnets
- Docscan
- Dropbox
- Printer Pro
- Reminders
- ABC Tracing
- Google Drive
- Cloudon
- Notability
- Popplets
- iThoughts
- Inspiration Maps
- Idea Sketch
- iReward PIY 4
- VideoScience
- ScienceRAdio
- EMD PTE
- Math Ninja
- Mathmateer Free
- Math Drills
- Doodle Buddy
- Sparkle Fish
- Audiobooks
- Cooper
- Meet Millie
- Matrix Match
- Opposites
- Basic Skills Pre
- Match Animals Trainshapes
- Ban Yard
- Color Slaps
- My Choice Boards
- My First AAC
- Squeak My Voice
- Songify
- Singing Santa
- Morfo
- Dragon Dictation
- Ply Home Lite
- Talking Tom
- Box
- Reqall
- iScroll
- PicPlanner
- Emotions
- ASL Lite
- Kid Genius
- Pocket Pond
- Maze Free
- Glow Draw
- Animal Draw
- Scribblepress
- eCard
- iStudiez
- Classes Lite
- Site Words
- Times Tables
- Math Bingo
- Overdrive
- Quick Voice
- Monster Hunt
- Coin Math
- Sonoflex Lite
- Sonoflex
- Fun with Directions
- Buddy Bear
- Soty Wheel
- iSentences
- Kiddie Quesitons
- Tools for Students
- Writepad
- Keynote
- Making Sequences
- SayText
- DocScanner
- Snap2PDF
- Textgrabber
- FasterScan HD
- Tallywag
- Animals for Baby
- Baby Flashcards
- Vocabean lite
- Vocabean
- Tap to Do
- Spelling NOtebook
- Talk 4 Me
- Proloquo2Go
- Quickartic
- What Doesn't Belong
- Wh Questions
- Lets Name Things
- Sight Words
- Comparative Adjectives
- Concepts
- Injini
- Quick Talk AAC Go Talk Now
- Type on PDF
- Touch Chat with Word Power
- Words for Life (LAMP)
- Math
- Paper Port Notes
- Splash Top Remote
- Doceri
- Nearpod
- Join Me
- Prizmo
- ZoomReader
Android Apps
This is a list of Android Apps that we have found through various research on the internet and recommendations from staff. These apps have not been trial ro tested by the District 6 AT Department. Some of these apps are free; others are paid.
- Ivona Text-to-Speech HQ
- Classic Text to Speech Engine
- CereProc
- Loquendo TTS susan
- Google TTS
- SVOX Pico
- Samsung TTS
- Espeak
- AAC Speech Buddy
- Alexicom AAC for Android
- Gabby Tabs - AAC for Kids
- JABTalk
- AAC Speech Communicator
- Tap to Talk
- Voice4U
- Quick Talk
- Autism Xpress
- Webteam Apps
- First then Visual Schedule
- iPrompts - ASD Visual Support
- iReward Chart
- Live Skills Winner
- AutismSpeech DiegoSays
- Communication Helper
- DiscoverMyVoice
- Easy AAC
- E-mintza
- AugComm
- iToucan Talk
- Let's Talk!
- MyVoice Communication Aid
- My Voice My Words
- PictoDroid Lite
- Pictograms
- Quick Talk
- Sim/Nao
- Sono Flex/Lite
- Talkform
- TASUC Communication
- Touch and Go - Speak
- Touch-n-say
- Virtual TEC
- Vocal Slides
- Yes-No Your Way
- AgileAssyst
- AutiPlan
- Myprompts
- Scheduler for special needs
- TASUC Schedule/Lite
- U-Sync Video Scheduler
- LangLearner
- MessageTTS
- TapTalker
- Autism Series-Learn Feelings
- Cam's Developmental Preschool
- Facing Up all Smiles
- Understanding Body Lnaguage
- Calm Counter
- Handroid Widget
- Hidden Rules
- LIfe Skills Winner Pro/Lite
- iPractice verbs
- LearnFruit
- Pocket SLP - Artuculation
- R intensive
- Smarty-Speech Spanish
- The R App for Parents
- ABA Game - Same or Different
- Autism & PDD Problems
- Autism MindAwakener
- Autism/DTT Colors Full
- MotivAider
- Preference & Reinforcer
- See ME Go Potty
- Show Me Autism Series
- VizZle Player
- What is Today?
- ZacZoo/DTT/Autism
- EasyKidTokens
- IPraiseU
- Kid Start
- Reward Chart/Lite
- Win Stars
- Working4
- EasyKidTimer
- R+Remind
- Turn Taker
- visTimer
- Visual Auditory Timer/Pro
- Visual countdown Timer/Free
- Behavior STatus/Donate
- Behavior Tracker Pro
- SpEd Edition eCove Software
- The Habit Factor Gals Habits
- ATEC
- Autism Ed
- Autism-Spectrum Self-Diagnosis
- Preschool Assessments
- Wander ID