Kim's News . . . .

Free Webinars from AIM: Accessible Instructional Materials - July 13th & August 10th

2010-07-06T09:22:00.000-07:00

I picked up this information off the NJ Cart listserv:

As promised after our successful free webinar series in May 2010, the National Center on AIM (Accessible Instructional Materials) is offering additional opportunities to extend your knowledge about accessible instructional materials. In addition to the AIM Basics webinar, we will be offering a "deep-dive" into the complexities of providing accessible instructional materials to students not certified as having a print disability under copyright law. See descriptions and dates below. Please share this information with your colleagues!
Which webinars are best for you?

• The AIM BASICS webinar is appropriate for all audiences and we strongly suggest it as a prerequisite for all other AIM Center webinars.

• The SYSTEM-LEVEL LEADERS SERIES is for SEA and LEA Leaders with responsibilities related to the development of SEA/LEA systems that ensure the provision of AIM in a timely manner.

• The STUDENT-LEVEL LEADERS SERIES is for educators, families, and others who are members of IEP teams and other decision-making teams.

Free AIM Webinar Series – July-August, 2010

AIM BASICS
Dates: July 13th from 1-2pm (EST), August 10th from 3-4pm (EST).
Topic: In the AIM Basics webinar, those with varied AIM-related interests and responsibilities will learn about and discuss the legal and practical issues related to the provision of print-based instructional materials in specialized formats. Main topics include: NIMAS and AIM in federal education statutes, AIM and copyright legislation, a brief overview of decision-making around the selection, acquisition, and use of accessible materials, and information about useful resources. Participation in an AIM Basics session is considered to be a prerequisite for the other webinars on targeted topics of high interest to particular stakeholders.
Presenter: Joy Zabala
Register for Tuesday, July 13: https://aim.ilinc.com/register/brbzjfx
Register for Tuesday, August 10: https://aim.ilinc.com/register/tvtbzrx

SYSTEM-LEVEL LEADERS SERIES
Consider the Possibilities: Ensuring the Provision of Accessible Materials to Students not Certified as Having a Print Disability under Copyright

Date: Tuesday, July 13th from 3-4pm (EST)
Topic: The NIMAC, Accessible Media Producers (AMPs), and some local production provide an increasingly robust means to support timely provision of print-based instructional materials in specialized formats to students who are served under IDEA 2004 AND certified as having a print disability as defined in copyright legislation. These sources, for the most part, are not available to students served under IDEA 2004 who do NOT have certified print disabilities but have been determined to unable to use print-based materials effectively. In this session, current sources of AIM for these students will be discussed and promising future trends will be explored.
Presenters: Joy Zabala, Skip Stahl, Chuck Hitchcock
Register: https://aim.ilinc.com/register/brbzjsx
STUDENT-LEVEL LEADERS SERIES
What's Fair and Unfair about the Fair Use Provision in Copyright?

Date: Tuesday, August 10th from 1-2pm (EST)
Topic: Educators often refer to the "Fair Use" limitation in copyright statute as a means to provide materials to students who cannot use print-based materials effectively; however, the term and the exclusion are often used without sufficient knowledge of the elements upon which "Fair Use" is based. In this session, we will introduce the four elements of "Fair Use" included in Section 107 of U. S. Copyright Code and discuss how those elements inform the permissions and limitations of Fair Use. This session makes no attempt to provide legal interpretation or advice, but rather is designed to provide information that raises the awareness of educators and families about these elements and how the elements may logically apply to thinking about the provision of instructional materials.
Presenters: Joy Zabala, Chuck Hitchcock
Register: https://aim.ilinc.com/register/wkvcftz
Note: Recordings of all webinars will be posted and available for later access on the AIM Center website.

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About the National Center on Accessible Instructional Materials
With funding from the U.S. Dept. of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, we are a national TA&D center that serves as a resource to state- and district-level educators, parents, publishers, conversion houses, accessible media producers, and others interested in learning more about and implementing AIM and NIMAS in accordance with the IDEA. Learn more about the AIM Center.

More great links from ISTE

2010-07-05T20:09:00.000-07:00

The following links were shared by a colleague (S.Sullivan):

New Resource for teaching Critical Thinking
http://critical-thinking.iste.wikispaces.net

50 more things to do with google maps
http://bit.ly/dsc6tU

Find global collaborative activities for elem students.
http://bit.ly/cTMEBd

Rumors about Google Apps for Ed?
http://ht.ly/25jFJ

Dr. Howie DiBlasiat: great resources, not only his Google insight today! http://www.toolsfortheclassroom.com/

Make your own comic strips with specific facial expressions
http://www.bitstripsforschools.com/

Student's animation of Shakespeare's "MacBeth" on #DoInk
http://bit.ly/drW9W9 -A must see!

Tons of awesome tools from Creativity and Standards: Amazing Authentic Approaches.
http://bit.ly/bgfbkl

Keeping kids safe: Create your own custom #google search engine
http://ow.ly/25kYs

Student portal for Digital Citizenship resources, games, activities: http://mybytes.com/

Resources to teach the reliability of web sites for accurate info.
http://critical-thinking.iste.wikispaces.net/

AudioLibrary http://bit.ly/V3Yj2

Great tool for students to collaborate globally that IT depts won't block : Twiducate
http://www.twiducate.com/

Will Richardson: How Teaching Social Networks Might Save the World:
http://is.gd/d9jZO

Twibbon,
http://bit.ly/aXYuaN

Challenge 20/20! Partner your class with an international one to solve a real-world problem
http://bit.ly/dl805H

Global Education Conference
http://www.globaleducationconference.com/
Online November 15-19, 2010

Create Animations, Make Friends | DoInk.com: http://www.doink.com/

How Music Teachers Can Harness Social Media
http://tinyurl.com/2volexg

Virtual Field Trips: Bridging Formal and Informal Learning
http://ow.ly/250Sb

Want to help a principal start a blog? These 5 principals can show how. http://bit.ly/br3r3

Great tool, great idea, http://tinyurl.com/2448gbv

A 21st Century Teacher needs to be a master learner—David Warlick
http://davidwarlick.com/handouts

News Search engine
http://bit.ly/S93S7

30 ways to use twitter in the classroom
http://bit.ly/B6E9U

Twitter resource
http://bit.ly/cI6ftM

ISTE - Workshop Handouts, PPT's, & Links

2010-07-03T21:42:00.000-07:00

ISTE has provided links to many of the workshop handouts & ppt presentations. Here are some of my favorites:

25 Best Free Web 2.0 Tools
Oh, the Things You Can Do with Google SS & Forms!
29 Secrets for Using Google in the Classroom
Whip Up a Wiki for Exceptional Educational Impact
Hordes of Free Tools from a Google Certified Teacher
Getting the Most From Your iPhone: Apps, Tips, and Tricks
Engaging Young Scientists with Digital Tools
Games that Teach: Using the SMART Lesson Activity Toolkit

More to come!

ISTE - WriteOnline from Crick

2010-07-03T20:32:00.000-07:00

Write Online Link

This online tool is a talking word processor (text-to-speech) with built-in word prediction and a graphic organizer (pictured below). It also has a built-in word bar, and is switch-accessible. Although I observed a demonstration, I have not used this product. I believe it does deserve a closer look.

ISTE - Chester Creek

2010-07-03T20:16:00.000-07:00

Link to Chester Creek

Chester Creek Technologies had an extensive display of innovative keyboards for children and adults which reminded me of the big keys keyboard. Check out their website, as it's another vendor source.

ISTE - World Book Web/World Book Discover

2010-07-03T20:07:00.000-07:00

Link to World Book Discover

I had the opportunity to view a demonstration of this online resource from World Book, and I was really impressed. This may be an excellent resource for struggling learners. They describe it best on their website, as follows:

"World Book Discover offers engaging reference resources for students reading below grade level because of language or learning difficulties, with content and tools specifically developed for these students."

"The collection includes reference articles, text-to-speech capabilities, learning and life skills activities, research tools, multimedia, and interactive video to draw students into curriculum-related topics and subjects relevant to older students."

I like the built in text-to-speech, which highlights each word as it's spoken in a bimodal manner. This supports non-readers and instantly gives them access to the content. I also like the videos that support the content. I am waiting for the sales rep to contact me, and set up a trial account for our AT team to preview.

ISTE Denver 2010

2010-06-29T20:43:00.000-07:00

I am very fortunate, as I have just spent three days at the ISTE conference in Denver, and I am bursting with new information and ideas. The conference center was huge and the exhibits were so exciting, that it was like going to the world's fair - or Disney, for me! There was soooo much going on, I only wish it was longer. I have a lot of information to share, to please check back daily as I add links and information.

I have posted some pictures here, but I'm still learning how to format them. I was trying to get them to line up, side by side, but I'm not sure how to make that happen. Any suggestions would be welcome.