There are a lot of new start-up companies on the web that are bring us Web 2.0 functionality at little or no cost. With more training opportunities being available on the web companies are trying to carve out space on the web for content and desktop sharing. One interesting software application that runs within a browser can be found at Vyew. Vyew is a service that will allow you to share your files, pictures, maps, as well as your desktop using any standard browser. Individuals who are hosting a session can set up their presentation ahead of time and then invite users to share their Vyewbooks with the information. The Vyew service offers users the capability to annotate on the screen as well as the ability to chat once guests are logged into the Vyew room. Hosts can upload Powerpoint, Word, and PDF documents to their Vyewbook so that viewers can have access them during a web conference. I found the environment very easy to navigate and while Vyew is a application that is constantly being upgraded it has proven to work well. Vyew also offer free conference call numbers for those who need to talk one another. Vyew also offers desktop sharing so that you can demonstrate applications on your computer. While not as full featured as dedicated sharing applications Vyew will allow you to demonstrate any application that you have on your computer screen. I am amazed that applications like this reside on the web at no cost to the user. Considering the features and the functionality I think that you will find Vyew
one site you will want to visit. Let me know what you think once you have had a chance to use Vyew.

Skype just released version 3.0 for Windows which adds some really nice features. While the Skype interface has remained the same they have made it easier to access many of the audio and sound features without having to go into the pull down menus. One of the new features which is really cool is the ability to share a whiteboard with the person that you are connected to. From a drop down menu you can select Do More and see a host of new extentions that you have access to. The whiteboard is a really nice feature and each person's pen color is different so that you know who is writing what. The first time you select one of the add-ons it downloads it to your computer and then once you use it it invites your guest to open it up. There is also the capability of recording your audio session as well as an add-on for sharing documents. Try it out you will be glad you did. The new Skype architecture is sure to get developers thinking about other applications that can be integrated into the Skype. If you haven't done so go to Skype and download the latest version you will be glad you did. Skype continues to break new ground for educators as figure out how to use this application in the work that we do. Skype makes it possible to do global projects with minimal costs. I would be interested in finding out how you are using Skype in the classroom.

Google has so many services these days that it is hard to keep up with them all. However, one of their new services is called Google Alerts which allows you to create a customized search on a particular topic of your choice. Just go to www.google.com/alerts and register for the service. After you register you can create an alert and Google will then deliver to your email address a list of URL's that have your search keyword in it. You can determine how often you would like Google to deliver these alerts. This service is helpful if you are tracking companies, products or services on the web. Give it a try and let me know what you think about the service. I for one find it to be helpful to track different technologies and applications.

In my effort to find tools that are both fun and engaging to use, one that stands out is Visual Thesaurus. Visual Thesaurus is like no other thesaurus you have ever used. Just type a word into the text box and watch as an animated web is drawn with your word in the center with related words connected to it. Different colored links depict synonyms or antonyms and students can click on any word to see another whole set of related words. Just hover your mouse over the word and the definition appears. It is easy to drag the definition to Microsoft Word if you need to capture it for a written assignment. Students can try out Visual Thesaurus at ThinkMap. Give it a try on the web and let me know what you think!

I have been using Mindjet MindManager 6 for the last 6 months and find it to be an indespensible tool for teaching and preparing my classes. Having information in a visual mind map is a great way to get an overview of what is being presented. Mindjet MindManager 6 seamlessley integrates with Microsoft Office and is wonderful tool as a repository of links, documents, spreadsheets, RSS feeds, Outlook task, and Outlook appointments. With so much going on it is nice to know that I can open one document and get a snapshot of all the material in one location. Mindjet MindManager 6 is a very powerful tool that you will find easy to use and is great as a presentation tool as well. If you are interested in taking mind maps to the next level then look no further than Mindjet MindManager 6.

With so much going on all the time it is nice to know that Rminder is there in a pinch to remind me of upcoming appointments and meetings. Rminder is a free Internet service that allows you to schedule Rminder to call your phone at a designated time to tell you about an upcoming appointment or an event. It is easy to use and set up and works as stated on the web site. Give it a try! Think of all your students who could use a little reminder every now and then.

As I scour the Internet for new applications I am amazed by all of the new Web 2.0 developments and can only imagine what the future holds. A lot of venture capital is now being invested in some of these new companies looking for the next Google. In my travels I came across this wonderfully crafted site that has aggregated new and upcoming Web 2.0 companies. Take a look at www.go2web20.net to get a sense of what is happening on the Web 2.0 front.

If you haven't already used it Google has integrated Writely and their Spreadsheet application on the web. This is just a glimpse of what is possible-just imagine access to a word processor and spreadsheet wherever you are. Just add a text to speech and their you have it a talking word processor over the web. Better yet, you can collaborate on your documents by giving others permission to share your documents. I

In the drawing realm you could access Gliffy and have at your disposal an easy to use drawing and design application . It is easy to create flow charts and simple diagrams using the application on the web.

These are just a couple of applications that give you a glimpse of what is to happen as the Internet gets faster. Just for fun go to Springdoo and send someone a audio or video email. The future is exciting as more and more companies begin to weave their applications on the web.

One of the highlights of going to conferences like Closing the Gap is having a chance to sit down with your colleagues and find out how they are using various technologies to meet the needs of students with disabilities. At closing the Gap I had a chance to chat with Lucy, Brian, Nora, Kirk, and David and was just amazed at how they are using technology.

Some of my colleagues have some wonderful blogs which should be of interest to use.

Lucy Gray is an Apple Distinguished Educator from Chicago and has some wonderful ideas about using technology with students. Lucy's blog can be found at: http://elemenous.typepad.com/weblog/2006/10/friday_5_found_.html

Brian W. Wojcik, Nora Bardi, Kirk Behnke, and Dave Hohulin did a presentation about

Blogs, Wiki's, Webcasts, Etc. - New Tools for Students with Disabilities at

Closing the Gap which you should find interesting. Here is their link:
http://closingthegap.wikispaces.com/

Just yesterday I had the opportunity to try out video conferencing over Skype with my graduate class in assistive technology. Deb Barrows from Crick Software was gracious enough to come on-line using the video feature found in Skype. For the most part it worked out great-we are having some bandwidth issues on the campus which should be remedied shortly but every once in awhile Deb's voice would break up and go in and out. This was partially fixed by turning off the video stream. Everyone in the class was able to see her as we spoke about Clicker 5 and the just announced Clicker Paint programs. After a short introduction, Deb set up a GotoMeeting session and we were able to share Deb's computer desktop. Deb walked us through creating a Clicker 5 ebook which went extremely well and then she introduced everyone to Clicker Paint. I think that everyone was generally very excited to use this technology and have someone come into the classroom using the Skype setup. Having access to these technologies can transform classrooms and I hope that my graduate students whom themselves are teachers will take the risks and give these technologies a try in their classrooms. Think about all the exciting ways you could use simple video-conferencing in your classrooms. I know that there are a lot of eager teachers who are looking to use these technologies and what a great way to do link classrooms across town or across the continent. Take a look at the iSighted web site for ways to hook up with other teachers who are using webs cams in their classrooms.

Today I was working with a middle school student trying to put together a system of tools that could work for him at home. As much I would like to find tools that give students the most coverage for what they need, it often comes down to looking at several different pieces of software to do the trick. Working with the middle school student who has difficulty getting started with writing book reports and essays, it was apparent that looking at programs like Inspiration and Draft:Builder would be great starting points. I showed the student the programs and had him try it out so that I could get his feedback. After using the programs he thought that Draft:Builder could do the trick for him. We next took a look how Dragon Naturally Speaking could integrate with Draft:Builder and I had the student dictate into a Draft:Builder Note-which worked quite well. Between Draft:Builder and Dragon Naturally Speaking we had a real winning combination to support this students writing. I guess if there is a lesson to be learned sometime you need to think out of the box and mix and match your AT.

I am exhausted just getting in from Newark Airport and having spent the week at Closing the Gap. Having a chance to walk the Exhibit Hall and spending lots of time talking to other assistive technology specialists is invigorating. If anything, everyone pushes themselves to the limit and tries to squeeze out every minute learning and talking about our experiences in the field. Having walked the Exhibit Hall, there was lots of new assistive technologies displayed but there were no really big announcements to speak of. Crick Software showed Clicker Paint which I am sure that you will enjoy using with your students, it integrates with Clicker 5 and is truly accessible by mouse, switch or any other access method. Clicker Paint can also be used as a stand alone paint application, It will be a great addition to Clicker 5 when it is released in January. John Crick has done some outstanding programming to make the Clicker Paint a truly accessible tool. Also look for a free upgrade to Clicker 5 in the next couple of weeks. TextHelp released Read & Write Gold on a USB Flash drive which now brings true portability to their full featured assistive technology suite. Likewise, Don Johnston was showing off their recently released Incite videos which is a great way for teachers to help provide students with the background information they need when accessing the curriculum. For teacher working with students with more severe disabilities, SoftTouch just announced the release of Test Me Score Me 2.0 which is a wonderful tool for teachers to have at their disposal for alternate assessment. The program is easy to set up and use and keeps a running record of the students performance. Teachers can use graphics, sound, text and select from many access methods. If you need to design alternate assessment for your students with moderatge to severe disabilites then Take a look at Test Me Score Me 2.0.

I'm sitting here checking my email and waiting for the festivities to start this evening. From 5pm - 8 pm the Exhibit Hall opens for a preview of the latest hardware and software. It is very exciting to be able to catch up with my colleagues in the field to find out what they are up to. I'll let you know what happens and keep you posted.

It is that time of year again when I make the annual pilgrimage to the Minneapolis , MN for the 2006 Closing the Gap Conference. If you have never been to this conference it is a lot of fun. It is a chance to connect with other educators in the field of assistive technology and to share our stories of working with students, teachers, and families. With hundreds of lectures, workshops and presentation it can be a little overwhelming but for seasoned Closing the Gappers we have a good handle on how to pace ourselves. Tomorrow night the Exhibit Hall opens for us to preview what is new and soon to be released products. I am always on the prowl for the next great assistive technology tool or software application. I know that Don Johnston will be showing their newly released videos called Incite and Crick Software will be showing off their new Clicker Paint program. Can't wait to see them in actions. I will be presenting on Thursday morning and again on Saturday on using Mac OSX and the accessibility features. Keep tuned in to the blog as I report on some of the highlights of the 2006 Closing the Gap Conference.

Mimio Interactive is truly a revolutionary piece of hardware that can really transform the the way teachers instruct in the classroom. The mimio Xi, is a small bar that is affixed to a standard whiteboard. In conjunction with a computer, projector and the mimioStudio software that comes with the mimio Interactive you can turn any standard whiteboard into an interactive whiteboard with all of the functionality that one would expect from a dedicated interactive whiteboard. Using state of the art technology you are able to bring in digital pictures, control your PowerPoint presentation, and design activites in front of the class using the very intuitive mimioStudio software. Using the stylus as a mouse teachers can digitally write their notes within the mimio Studio notebook and save them for future use. At the end of the class period it is easy to print out the notes and distribute them to the students that need them. Better yet you can bring in picture backgrounds and clip art from the gallery's within mimioStudio to build exciting and rich lessons. Imagine being able to project on the screen the Periodic Table and then have students come up and highlight all of the noble gases with the mimio Mouse stylus. With mimioStudio, teachers can annotate the web site by highlighting and using the digital pens which are automatically saved to the Markup file within mimioStudio. It is a great way to save the information and review it for another time. All of the individual pages within mimioStudio are saved and teachers can quickly jump around the pages by going into the Thumbnail view. Simply double clicking on the thumbnail will bring you to the page. mimio Mimio Interactive allows teacher to create highly interactive lessons to engage students in the learning process. Teachers can also link websites from within the Mimio Studio notebook and be out on the web in seconds. mimio Interactive is available for Windows and Mac OS X. If you are looking for a way to transform your teaching in the classroom then you owe it to yourself to take a look at mimio Interactive-you will be amazed by its features, price and functionality.

Skype has become an indispensable tool for me in the work that I do. Skype is available for just about every platform and allows members to speak to one another using voice over internet protocol from your computer with a standard microphone. Membership is free and between now and the end of the year you can call landlines and cell phones in the US for free from Skype. Setting things up is fast just download the software from Skype. Once downloaded register your name and you should be off and running. This past summer Skype added the ability to make video phone calls from your computer using inexpensive webcams and this week they released a new beta for the Macintosh that allows Mac users to use their iSight cameras for video calls. Skype users can now video conference with anyone who has an account and it no longer matters if you are running Mac OSX or Windows. Try it out and let me know what your think? Think about the professional development opportunities and reaching out outside your school district for expertise.

I just recently did a quick video call with a friend of mine from Crick Software while she was doing a training in Florida. It was great being able to share with the group how I am using Clicker 5 in the work that I am doing. Thanks Deb!

If you are looking for a creative way to write using the Internet take a look at Writely.com. Within your browser you will have access to a word processor and a collaborative tool that will allow you to share your documents with others that you designate. Take a look at Writely and let me know what you think.

Some educators are rather surprised when viewing my video: Assistive Technology: A Way to Differentiate Instruction for Students with Disabilities that assistive technology needs to be considered for students with high incidence disabilities. In the video I had the opportunity to capture teachers, administrators and students as they are using assistive technology and its importance in their school day. You will find the testimonials to be very moving and learn why these technologies are so important.

Take a look at a new and very interesting application called InspireData from the Inpsiration Company that was released this summer. For the full review go to LD Resources

Enjoy

Brian