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CAST is a multifaceted organization with a singular ambition: Bust the barriers to learning that millions of people experience every day. We do this by helping educators and organizations apply insights from the learning sciences and leading-edge practices to educational design and implementation.

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CAST is a multifaceted organization with a singular ambition: Bust the barriers to learning that millions of people experience every day. We do this by helping educators and organizations apply insights from the learning sciences and leading-edge practices to educational design and implementation.

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Welcome

Welcome to the Tar Heel Reader, a collection of free, easy-to-read, and accessible books on a wide range of topics. Each book can be speech enabled and accessed using multiple interfaces, including touch screens, the IntelliKeys with custom overlays, and 1 to 3 switches. Click here to learn more about alternative access methods.

You may write your own books using pictures from the huge collection at Flickr or pictures you upload. All books should be complete, edited, and revised to the best of your ability before publishing them to the site. While you are working on them, please save them as drafts.

Note the little well icon in the upper left corner of the page; clicking it will allow you to access the main menu. You can also click the settings icon to change settings on some pages.

Your browser is unsupported. The site should work for finding and reading books but you will not have switch access or the ability to write books. We recommend that you upgrade to a modern browser or install Chrome Frame.
You are in Classic mode. You will not have access to all of the features of the site but it may work better on older computers and web browsers. Click this text to leave Classic mode.
Ready to get started?

This site is also available in other languages. To help with translation, contact us.

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Welcome to the Tar Heel Reader, a collection of free, easy-to-read, and accessible books on a wide range of topics. Each book can be speech enabled and accessed using multiple interfaces, including touch screens, the IntelliKeys with custom overlays, and 1 to 3 switches. Click here to learn more about alternative access methods.

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WRITING TOOLS
Teaching Elem Students to be Effective Writers
Alternative Pencils information: http://alternativepencils.weebly.com/alternative-pencils-in-action.html

Shared Predictable Chart Writing for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities-Ann Jacobson and Nichole Kertis: http://www.livebinders.com/edit/index/455015

Writing with Alternative Pencils: www.med.unc.edu/ahs/clds/products/available-for-purchase

Predictable Chart Writing
www.med.unc.edu/ahs/clds/resources/deaf-blind-model-classroom-resources/predictable-chart-writing
Emergent Writing Observation Inventory
http://www.med.unc.edu/ahs/clds/resources/deaf-blind-model-classroom-resources/Emerg%20Wrtg%20Obs%20Inventory.pdf/view
Dynamic Learning Maps Module on Emergent Writing
http://dlmpd.com/emergent-writing/
Blog on Symbol Supported Text
http://www.janefarrall.com/symbol-supported-text-does-it-really-help/
Invented Spelling in Kindergarten as a Predictor of Reading and Spelling in Grade 1
http://psycnet.apa.org/index.cfm?fa=buy.optionToBuy&uid=2016-43600-001
Literacy, Assistive Technology, and Students with Significant Disabilities
http://myecoach.com/online/resources/3916/Literacy,_Assistive_Technology_and_Students_with_Disabilities.pdf
Project Core: Predictable Chart Writing: Emphasizing Core Vocabulary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OecXNQkOEBk&feature=youtu.be
Project Core: Alphabet and Phonological Awareness: Integrating Core Vocabulary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nudVGc0ld7I&feature=youtu.be
Project Core: Independent Writing: An Instructional Routine that Supports Communication
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPHuHUZhh7Y&feature=youtu.be
McVay, Patti and Wilson, Heidi, Ideas, Samples, & Designs, Multnomah Education Service District Press, 11611 N.E. Ainsworth Circle, Portland, OR 97220.

Ablenet Action Dictionary, available on the app store or the Ablenet website https://www.ablenetinc.com/action-dictionary-epub OR https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/ablenets-action-dictionary/id571824316?mt=11

Choosing a Topic
https://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DBdul-_pco www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvPnMgl1zz0&list=PLocplddh5SSRBGRsR0tOFXIJd5wh6i89k&index=30
Writing-Emergent Writing

Alphabet Flip Chart Writing - Directions

Predictable Chart Writing - Directions

Writing with Alternative Pencils - website to order

Ablenet Action Dictionary - link to download in iTunes or PDF version

Creating a Word Fillable Form all versions -

PC OFFICE bitly.com/word2013fillableform

MAC OFFICE bitly.com/wordmacfillableform

Creating Fillable forms - PDF of directions for 2007/2010
PVC Supports - including eye gaze frame
Visual Guide using Legacy Tools - PDF

15 Minute Webinar that walks through the HOW TO - http://blogs.office.com/2014/02/10/office-15-min-webinar-creating-forms-in-word/

Writing Papers

Blue Line Paper Notebook WORD DOC

Math Grid 6 problem blocks per page PDF

Notebook Graph Alt Wider PDF
Communication Visual Support HH for teachers Top Ten Things Students wish teachers knew to support Learning - DHH Adapted Stories
Yellow Line Paper WORD DOC

Writing and Hearing Loss

FONT OPTIONS

APH Font - http://www.aph.org/products/aphont//

Free Open Source Dyslexia Font - http://opendyslexic.org/

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Indicating Letters with an Eye Gaze System – Literacy for Students with Cognitive Disabilities (video)

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Indicating Letters with an Eye Gaze System – Literacy for Students with Cognitive Disabilities (video)

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Indicating Letters with an Eye Gaze System - Literacy for Students with Cognitive Disabilities

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"DON'T LIMIT ME!"- Powerful message from Megan with Down Syndrome

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The Case Against Assistive Technology (video)

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The Case Against Assistive Technology (video)

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The meaning of TEAM. Together Everyone Achieves More ! 2.0 (Enhanced version)

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The meaning of TEAM. Together Everyone Achieves More. TEAM Is a group of people with various complementary skills, WORKING TOGETHER towards a common VISION. TEAM Members operate with a high degree of TRUST, accountability and interdependence. TEAM Members share authority and RESPONSIBILITY for self management. TEAM Members create synergy with strong sense of mutual COMMITMENT.

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Center on Technology and Disability (CTD)

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Understanding Assistive Technology: Simply Said

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This video offers a simple definition of Assistive Technology presented by PACER's Simon Technology Center. Assistive technology is any device that allows someone to do something they couldn't do otherwise. We invite you to share this video with your colleagues.

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AAC - Sink or Swim Example Activity Videos:

Intro to Sink Float and 1 turn (trimmed) from Elisa Wern on Vimeo.

SBS Story (trimmed) from Elisa Wern on Vimeo.

Intro to solid liquid gas and one turn from Elisa Wern on Vimeo.

101 Ways to Use a Sequential Message AAC Device to Access the Curriculum - PDF

101+ Ideas for Using the BIGmack or Other Single Message Communication Devices - PDF

SNUG: Spontaneous Novel Utterance Generation

Core Words Vocabulary

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AAC - Sink or Swim Example Activity Videos: Intro to Sink Float and 1 turn (trimmed) from Elisa Wern on Vimeo. SBS Story (trimmed) from Elisa Wern on Vimeo. Intro to solid liquid gas and one turn from Elisa Wern on Vimeo.

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Apps for Engagement - Handout

Apps for VI & DHH - Handout

Apps for Communication - Spectronics Website

AAC Apps List - Jane Farrall

Apps4Stages takes a research-based approach. The recommendations and information gathered is facilitated by the students and faculty of the Simmons College Assistive Technology and Master of Arts in Teaching Graduate Programs. Specific apps recommendations and tutorials are primarily contributed by students who are supervised. This is a very rich site with apps aligned with stages, tutorials, an app recommendation wheel, and providing a list of sites that specialize in specific types of apps in education. A very rich site!

Apple offers a pretty good listing of apps for educational purposes, broken down by subject matter, including a section on Accessibility. This site is worth exploring and should not be taken lightly.

AppleVis is a site discussing apps for students with Visual Impairments.

Apps for Autism - Apps for ASD iPod Touch Project is designed for children with Autism, broken down into categories, including quick and easy description and cost for each app makes it easy to find what you may be looking for.

Apps for Children with Special Needs (A4cwsn) is dedicated to serving children with special needs and the associated communities who work with them. Not only do they provide listings of recommended apps, by categories with descriptions, but A4cwsn has created videos to demonstrate how APPS that have been designed for children with special needs really work.

Apps for Education by Compiled by Carolann Cormier, MS, CCC-SLP, ATP is kept up-dated and broken down into categories. This is one of my favorite listings. Bookmark this one and you are pretty set.

Apps for Learning Social Skills - as this site states, "One of the three core symptoms for an autism spectrum disorder is social impairment. People on the autism spectrum learn by association rather than by observation. An iTunes app can be used as a teaching tool for the purpose of making associative connections (visual clues) by pictures or stories showing what social skills are supposed to look like so that the person with an autism spectrum disorder can learn (by visual association) and model (by imitation) these social skills in the context of real life social scenarios." This is an extensive listing of apps for developing social skills- worth exploring!

Apps for Literacy Support provided by Greg O'Connor, offers a wonderful listing which is provided by Spectronics. It is divided into apps for reading, writing, reference and organization/study skills.

Curious about the use of iPads with children on the spectrum? See more about the use of iPads and apps worth discussing on the Autism Programs and Supports posting. (Scroll to the bottom.)

Babies with iPads is a blog designed to document infants/toddlers with disabilities using an iPad to promote their development.

The Best iPhones 4 Kids apps has let us know that Apple has finally organized an 'Apps for Kids' category on the iTunes App Store. When you are in iTunes , look in the category section and you will see a section labeled, "Apps for Kids".

CALL Scotland has produced a 'wheel' of apps for learners with dyslexia, as an A3 poster that can be downloaded free. (Note that thay are based in Scotland, the links accompanying the apps are to the UK iTunes site, but it should still be easy to find apps that you may be interested in wherever you are.)

On your device when you go to the App Store icon, be sure to check out the Education category! Lots of great educational tools, learning apps and fun goodies are listed there for you to peruse.

On iEAR (Education Apps Review) be sure to look at the left column for whatever your interest in skill development might be!!!

EUSD iRead has provided some great lists broken down by subject matter with direct links provided. (Scroll down a little on their page to view.)

Explore the iKids Blog which discusses all the angles of those numerous apps designed for keeping your kids interested, entertained and involved.

Insignio is about "Bridging Apps - Bridging the gap between technology and people with disabilities." The site is broken down by category and provides reviews of apps.

Eric Sailers has published an extensive list of apps entitled, " iPhone and iPod touch Apps for (Special) Education " that is broken down into categories, including: Communication, Organization, Reading, Writing, Math, Music, Songs, Art, Games, and AT. This is a great listing to print out and take some time to explore.

KinderTown is an app that you download that will help you with finding and organizing the best educational apps for kids ages 3-6 years old.

Mobile Learning 4 Special Needs is a great site to stay in touch with. This is a place where people will share all those helpful hints and answers to any questions that you might have. "This site is brought to you by a group of Apple Distinguished Educators who focus on the inclusion of students with disabilities through the use of Apple technologies."

Moms with Apps is also an app, that includes a special needs section. Moms with Apps is a collaborative group of family-friendly developers seeking to promote quality apps for kids and families.

Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence has a list created by Heather Bridgeman on apps, broken down into categories, providing information that includes price, description and format. This is a nicely laid out listing.

One Place for Special Needs acts as a bridge between families that are looking for resources and professionals/organizations that offer programs and services to the disability community.

50 Resources for use in the Classroom can be invaluable in promoting more interactive classrooms and understanding how best to use and control the iPad in the classroom. This is a collection of tutorials, lesson plans and applications for educators to utilize.

SNapps4Kids stands for Special Needs Apps for Kids. They have broken down their listing into 3 categories: Device, Assistive Technology and Independent Apps.

SpedApps2 is a contributing wiki and is beautifully broken down by categories: communication and Language, Reading, Writing, Math, Science/Social Studies, Art/Creativity, Music, Games/Social, Motor, CVI, Accessibility and Data. They hope that people will use this site to make informed decisions before downloading.

This page does not have a title but is still rich in its resources. It is broken down by low vision, hearing, cognitive, mobility and communication with a final category discussing hardware and adaptations. If you can't find what you are looking for on this blog, take a look at the listings provided here.

Apps that can be used on an I-device to help develop visual skills necessary for learning and success in the classroom.

Information about Choosing Apps

Gayle Browser has developed a Mobile Tech Feature Match Chart. Her way of trying to help us through this decision making process is to "start with the tasks that the student needs to do and then discuss what features a tool would have if it was used to support student achievement for those tasks." From there you would look at and talk about the tools and the features needed to support the student's needs. Thank you, Gayle!

Jeanette Van Houten Rubric - PDF

A Quick Feature Matching Checklist by Lois Jean Brady, Speech Therapist.

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Apps for Engagement - Handout Apps for VI & DHH - Handout Apps for Communication - Spectronics Website AAC Apps List - Jane Farrall Apps4Stages takes a research-based approach. The recommendations and information gathered is facilitated by the students and faculty of the Simmons College Assistive Technology and Master of Arts in Teaching Graduate Programs. Specific apps recommendations and tutorials are primarily contributed by students who are supervised.

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Page not found – Jane Farrall Consulting

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Sorry, we could not find the page you are looking for.Please try using the search function.

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Spectronics - Inclusive Learning Technologies

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Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resource System

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FDLRS NEFEC is delighted to welcome Columbia, Hamilton, Lafayette, Madison and Suwannee counties to the FDLRS NEFEC family.

Do you have questions about your child's IEP? We are here to help! FDLRS NEFEC is proud to offer a series of short videos that takes you on a step-by-step orientation through each part of an IEP. These videos were created especially for parents.
Click here to request access to these awesome videos.

The Florida House of Representatives has partnered with Age of Learning to bring FREE access to its online digital library to EVERY Florida child, regardless of age, income, or reading level, from now through 12/31/2021. To take advantage of this initiative, all you need to do is click here to visit the Reading IQ website and create a free account. Happy reading!

Is your child receiving special education services? The Florida Department of Education is proud to provide access to Special Ed Connection ® at no cost to families of individuals with disabilities who are enrolled in special education programs. To request access to this valuable resource, please click here.

The Bureau for Exceptional Student Education (BESE) is excited to collaborate with FDLRS to bring the opportunity for Florida educators to participant in virtual FIEP trainings and for Florida parents to participate in FIEP overview webinars. Facilitated IEP meetings are a process through which trained individuals establish a common agenda and keep the meeting focused and moving forward.

Florida Educator FIEP Virtual Trainings: Please register today for one of the two available virtual trainings. Each session has a 35 participant maximum capacity.

July 12-15, 2021 (attendance is required for all dates and times)

August 16-20, 2021 (attendance is required for all dates and times)

Register Today!
Florida Parent FIEP Overview Webinars: Please register today for one of the three available dates. Each session has a 50 participant maximum capacity.

July 27, 2021 from 9:00am-10:30am, EST

July 29, 2021 from 9:00am-10:30am, EST

August 5, 2021 from 9:00am-10:30am, EST

Register Today!

The University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI) and the Florida Diagnostic & Learning Resources System (FDLRS) presented a statewide webinar for Literacy Coaches, Directors of Curriculum and Instruction, Reading Interventionists, and Reading Professional Developers. If you missed it or you would like to watch it again, you now have that opportunity! Check out the recording on our Recorded Webinars page.

Are you interested in learning more about assistive technology and how it can help your student? This short webinar provides some basic information about assistive technology and how it can help your child.
Assistive Technology for Parents Webinar

FDLRS NEFEC staff are happy to announce that we will be providing assistance virtually for any parent, teacher, caregiver, or school staff. You can contact Jessica Callaghan to set up your appointment.

Are you a parent of a student with significant cognitive disabilities and need some ideas on how to work with them at home? If so, this video will be a lifesaver. Tune in to get some ideas on how to address reading, math, gross motor, fine motor and life skills using things that you already have and doing things that you already do.
View Recording

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FDLRS NEFEC is delighted to welcome Columbia, Hamilton, Lafayette, Madison and Suwannee counties to the FDLRS NEFEC family. Do you have questions about your child's IEP? We are here to help! FDLRS NEFEC is proud to offer a series of short videos that takes you on a step-by-step orientation through each part of an IEP.

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JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser.

Download on the iBookstore and view on your iPad, iPhone (3G or later), iPod touch (2nd generation or later), or any other device that can view an ePub.

About This Product

The Action Dictionary is a reference guide to alternative solutions that support student actions when adaptations are required for communicating, moving, learning, and/or generally engaging in the classroom. The solutions and recommendations found in the Action Dictionary are designed for students with cognitive and physical challenges yet other students may benefit from these adaptations as well. The end result is universal design in action: Access for all students.

How it is Organized

Action words like SPEAK, LOOK, CHOOSE are key to both engaging and gauging how students are understanding the instruction being presented by educators. AbleNet has identified these various action words to create a dictionary that provides tools and techniques for different approaches to engaging students around a particular action. Each of these words is listed alphabetically in the Action Dictionary along with three or four assistive technology solutions designed to maximize learning and participation when adaptations are needed. For each action word, you will find a description, instructor directions, and how the student uses the technology. To locate an action word quickly, use the table of contents. For words that have similar meaning, you will find they have been cross-referenced to their counterparts in the table of contents.

Compatibility

Purchase and download on the iBookstore and view on your iPad, iPhone (3G or later), iPod touch (2nd generation or later), or any other device that can view an ePub.

iBooks, iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. iBookstore is a service mark of Apple Inc.

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Download on the iBookstore and view on your iPad, iPhone (3G or later), iPod touch (2nd generation or later), or any other device that can view an ePub.

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The Assistive Technology Kit includes a well-rounded assortment of assistive technology for switch access, computer/tablet access, communication, switch and communication device mounting, and activities.

The AbleNet Assistive Technology Kit is available for short-term loan or purchase.

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The Assistive Technology Kit includes a well-rounded assortment of assistive technology for switch access, computer/tablet access, communication, switch and communication device mounting, and activities. The AbleNet Assistive Technology Kit is available for short-term loan or purchase.

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This resource was funded through the Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services with IDEA Part B dollars. The information and resources are provided as a free awareness service to the educational community and do not reflect any specific endorsement by any parties involved.

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University of South Florida : Sign Up to Stay in Touch

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Exploring Technology and Learning Connections

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Exploring Technology and Learning Connections

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ATTO - http://atto.buffalo.edu/ . online resources and information on assistive technology for students with disabilities in elementary school settings.

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UDL and Technology-Putting it Together for Student Success

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UDL and Technology-Putting it Together for Student Success

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UDL and Technology -Putting It Together for student success- Removing Barriers

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UDL and Technology -Putting It Together for student success- Removing Barriers

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Assistive Technology Resources for Educators 10 Things Districts Should Know About Assistive Technology Accommodations for Statewide Assessments AT for Young Children OCALI Assistive Technology Modules on a variety of Topics PDA ESE Modules Exploring Assistive Technology Connections