Talking SMARTBoards & Much More! » Autism

Sharing Notebook 10 Ideas

anne marie — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 02:22:27 +0000

I had some time today to explore some of the new features in SMART Notebook 10 and thought I’d share some initial ideas/thoughts I came up with. I am very pleased and excited that some of the interactive options are image friendly– this feature makes a HUGE difference when creating lesson for my students who need visual supports/PECS to complete and be successful in participating in lessons. So if you want to check out some of my ideas click here: sharing-some-ideas.notebook

And if you have some ideas you’d like to share, I’d love to hear from you!

Symbol World

anne marie — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 22:46:22 +0000

“SymbolWorld is a website created by Widgit Software, dedicated to people who use symbols. It has material for all ages and includes personal contributions, stories and learning materials.” Symbol World has 4 main sections- My World, Stories, Learning and eLive.

“eLive is an on-line magazine within SymbolWorld especially for older readers.”

Symbol World is speech enabled with Browsealoud- you download Browsealoud and then hover over the symbols to have the words read. How cool!!

I have been a huge fan of this website and use in my classroom quite often for two very important reasons: 1. it saves me LOTS of time in preparing lessons that incorporate symbols (they do the work for me, for which I am very grateful!) and 2. the site is very user friendly and it is ALL FREE!! It also is great to use with the SMART Board. I would mention that because the site does not originate in the US some of the words that are coupled with the symbols are spelt differently. It definitely is worth a visit to this amazing site!

Clevy Keyboard

anne marie — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 01:29:47 +0000

I had the opportunity to see a Clevy Keyboard up close and persoanl this week– very cool– so I thought I’d share some information from the Ablenet website about this fun keyboard. The Cost is $99.00 and it is MAC and PC compatibe. “Clevy’s keys are four times bigger than those found on standard keyboards, which in turn allows for larger characters, making them easier to identify. To help students focus on writing and keyboarding skills, all unnecessary keys have been completely eliminated. You’ll also notice that the keys are arranged vertically – an innovation that compels good positioning of the hands, and can be particularly useful for individuals with low vision.” The description also indicates that the Clevy is 100 times stronger than a standard keyboard.

Best Buddies

anne marie — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 23:45:06 +0000

Our school chapter of Best Buddies is planning a Red Sox excursion to Fenway Park so I thought I’d take the opportunity to write about this unique and worthwhile organization. In case you haven’t heard about Best Buddies, it was founded in 1989 by Anthony Kennedy Shriver. “Best Buddies is a vibrant, international organization that has grown from one original chapter to more than 1,300 middle school, high school, and college campuses across the country and internationally. It is dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities by providing opportunities for one-to-one friendships and integrated employment.” There is also a component called e-Buddies. e-Buddies is dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities by providing opportunities for one-to-one e-mail friendships.” In the classroom this can be a motivating way to address objectives that typically are not student “favorites” such as reading and writing skills, not to mention developing social and computer skills by making technology fun! Another AWESOME feature is, thanks to a partnership between Best Buddies, America Online, (AOL) and Intellitools, you can access special IntelliKeys Overlays designed to make it easier for persons with disabilities to use AOL.

Andy and His Yellow Frisbee

anne marie — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 02:09:38 +0000

This book by Mary Thompson introduces young readers to Autism. The main character of this book is Andy, a boy with Autism who is fascinated with objects in motion. He spins things around him- coins, dinner plates, and at school, his yellow frisbee. This book brought back memories for me, as Andy and his spinning abilities reminded me of a young man I had in school when I first started teaching.

Walk Now for Autism

anne marie — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:49:11 +0000

“Walk Now for Autism, the nation’s largest grassroots autism walk program, is Autism Speaks’ signature fundraising and awareness event, taking place in communities across the United States, as well as in Canada and the United Kingdom. Powered by volunteers and families with loved ones on the autism spectrum, this successful grassroots fundraising effort not only generates vital funds for autism research but also raises awareness about the increasing prevalence of autism and the need for increased research funding to combat this complex disorder.”

Click on the calendar link to find out where and when this event will be taking place in your area. This is a wonderful, fun way to support a worthwhile cause.

First Signs.

anne marie — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 19:38:14 +0000

Today I want to share a website that is filled with a plethera of information and resources about the importance of early diagnosis and intervention when a child presents with signs of a developmental disorder. In their own words, “First Signs, Inc. is a national non-profit organization dedicated to educating parents and pediatric professionals about the early warning signs of autism and other developmental disorders.” The information First Signs provides is both extensive and worthwhile.

Better Living Through Technology

anne marie — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 17:08:35 +0000

A friend of mine who attened the CEC Conference in Boston this week passed along this dynamite website that is written with Special Educational Needs in mind and is overflowing with resources and ideas–Better Living Through Technology. This is a “non-commercial web site designed to promote the use of technology to help people with a range of disablities.” Definitely worth exploring.

Autism Fact Sheet

anne marie — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 12:59:07 +0000

“If I could snap my fingers and be nonautistic, I would not – because then I wouldn’t be me. Autism is part of who I am.” Temple Grandin
A few years ago a parent of an Autistic student of mine gave me a very helpful fact sheet on Autism from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. I found it to be very helpful as I began my journey to find out all I could about Autism. So if your journey is just beginning this might be a worthwhile place to start.

Autism the Musical

anne marie — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:03:12 +0000

If you haven’t yet watched the HBO Documentary, Autism the Musical, you should put it on your “to watch” list.

This is a “story of five autistic children, their families and the dynamic woman who leads them to defy expectations by writing, rehearsing and performing their own musical. An intimate portrait of these young people and their families as they struggle, and ultimately triumph, through the transformative power of theatre.”

Just some friendly advice– have some kleenex close by as you will be sure to experience a roller coaster of emotions.