ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY BLOG | INVENTIONS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

sI could remember back to 1964 at the New York's World Fair being transfixed as I spoke to my mother an father and was able to see them on the video phone in the ATT Pavilion. It sure has taken a long time for the idea of video calls to take hold. But if there is one prediction which...

I have always been a big fan of the digital pen technology and have witnessed the growth of this market over the past 8 years with the release of such products as the Livescribe Pulse Smartpen and PaperShow for Teachers. Using a digital pen and digital paper makes the solutions come...

I find myself spending more times these days creating and putting up more  information on the web for both the classes the I teach and the workshops that I facilitate. As a result, I am always looking for tools that will make it easier for me to accomplish these goals. I spend...

Rebit has to be one of the easiest ways to back up your PC. I have had the opportunity to use Rebit on my laptop and it works as advertised. Rebit not only backs up your files but it also backups your applications and system. This is a great gift for the holidays! BrianRebit’s Holiday Specials Bring “Ridiculously Simple” Discounts on PC BackupAll Software,...

As more and more teachers have begun to use PaperShow for Teachers in the classroom I wanted to share this tip for creating quick grammar and cloze technique activities. Using the interactive paper that comes with PaperShow for Teachers gives you the freedom to create activities...

As much as interactive whiteboards pervade the classroom landscape it is amazing what you can do with PaperShow for Teachers to get students involved and engaged in the classroom instruction. PaperShow for Teachers provides a great vehicle for students to actively record their ideas...

Adobe Acrobat remains one of the best kept secrets in the software industry. While many users, use the ubiquitous Adobe Acrobat Reader to open, print and display files on the web- many are unaware of the engine that makes this all happen. I have been fortunate enough to be provided...

As I try to move more and more of my work to the cloud I keep going back to one application time and time again and that is Comapping. Comapping is a simple and easy to use mind mapping application that runs within the browser and gives me access to my maps from anywhere that I have access to the web. I should note up front, that Comapping has really...

I recently came across this new informational  mashup service that is in beta called Qwiki which automatically creates a video complete with audio on a topic of your choice. The service is very engaging and I thought would be an ideal way for students to get an overview on a...

Join me on Monday November 29th at 10 am EST for a free demonstration of PaperShow for Teachers.Find out how this innovative presentation tool can be used in the classroom, boardroom, or for webinars. Click here to sign up.PaperShow for Teachers is a cost effective tool to spice...

It just came to my attention that Matchware has announced MindView 4 which is chock full of new and exciting features. One of the hallmarks of this release is collaboration and the ability to share your MindView 4 maps in a shared workspace.This feature will certainly herald in new...

It is hard to imagine my world without books yet for many students this is their reality. From a young age I could always remember my love for reading. For many, reading is a very personal and solitary activity. But things are about to change. You see it is now possible using eReaders...

In a previous post I shared my experiences using the Kindle 3 which to date is probably the best selling eReader in the marketplace. I'm sure that the Kindle 3 will be on top of the list for gifts this holiday season with nearly every big box store carrying it. One of the reasons...

I know it might seem like a little thing, but not having a carrying case for my IPEVO Point 2 View USB Document Camera at times really got in the way of carrying it with me. Since I have been using the IPEVO Point 2 View Document Camera I have kept it in the original box was somewhat...

Wow if only they had used Ginger to check the spelling! In any case-I just got into Phoenix yesterday where I will be helping out at the Ginger Booth at the 60th Annual International Dyslexia Association Conference. It was great meeting and talking with all of the educators who had...

During the course of a week, I am spending more and more of my time working with teachers, providing them with professional development on various assistive technologies that can be implemented in the classroom. For many of the teachers that I work with this is their first encounter...

For someone who has been in the field of assistive technology for over 25 years it is really very exciting to see how far technology has come to assist students with special needs. For as long as I have been in the field, I know just how important it is for special education students...

I was talking with my wife and daughter, who are both musicians about PaperShow for Teachers and how it could be used in the music classroom, when it dawned on me how great this could be for writing music on staffs that everyone could see. In order to accomplish this with PaperShow...

A couple of weeks a go I had the opportunity to work with a student who was having difficulty in the area of fine motor skills and decided to bring my iPad along. I had downloaded a number of apps to trial with the student but was counting on using the  iWriteWords app to see...

For many students with learning disabilities, taking notes can be a daunting task. In classrooms where teachers are providing in-class support having access to PaperShow for Teachers can be invaluable. PaperShow for Teachers is a digital pen and paper technology that allows teachers...

When I first learned about AnyBook Reader from Franklin I knew I had to get my hands on it and give it a test run. The idea behind AnyBook Reader is very straightforward. Pick a book any book, activate one of the provided stickers, record the page, and then let your child hear your...

Easily Create, Review and Share Compelling Documents with Greater Productivity Across OrganizationsSAN JOSE, Calif., — Oct. 18, 2010 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today introduced the Adobe® Acrobat® X software family – Acrobat X, Reader® X, the Acrobat X Suite and new...

Once I saw that the Kindle 3 with WiFi was launched for $139 dollars I had to get my hands on it to test it out. Early reviews of the Kindle 3 were stellar praising Amazon for the redesign and the feature set in such a  small and lightweight package. Many of the reviewers praised...

Today I learned of an exciting synergy between Livescribe Desktop Software and Evernote. Ever since I got my iPad I find that I  been using Evernote more and more to store my notes and ideas. Working with the iPad makes you think about your workflow and having access to your...

As a presenter I know that there are going to be times when I need to share the URL's of web sites or other reference materials that my participants will need to go to. It certainly is a lot easier when this information is readily available and I don't have to spend the time...

Every one in awhile I like to use Wordle to highlight what I am blogging about. Here is the latest Word...

I am always on the prowl for new and innovative products that can make a difference in the life of students in our schools. This past summer I came across a new software product called Builder™ Research Paper Edition from Mead which is intended to help students in the planning and...