Kirsten Haugen, MA
I am just learning to blog, and am still getting my feet wet. However, I already know I really like using Performancing for Firefox to post blog entries to all my blogs. All I have to do is hold the control key down and click on a web page I want to write about. A Performancing window pops up with the link already made. I type what I...
On a whim, I entered Kensington's contest on how people use their products. I won a $100 gift certificate for their online store, with the following entry:"My students with disabilities have more independence and control with a Kensington trackball than with a mouse, and the programmable buttons streamline difficult tasks."This is really true, for many kids, since the trackball stays in place and doesn't get swiveled around. And...
Boinx Software - Mouseposé 2 This handy utility will highlight where your mouse is on the screen, show both clicks and double-clicks, and indicate when you press a modifier like command, control or option. This is really helpful for kids (& adults) to understand what you're doing with your mouse as you use it. Example: the concentric circles show that you just double-clicked. powered by performancing firefox
Have you seen Book Box? http://www.bookbox.com I just came across this web site recently - have no idea if it will be helpful or not, but the downloadable Flash stories are digitally narrated with simple animation and streaming text across the bottom - you see whole phrases, and the letters go from white to red as the words are spoken (called 'SLS' - same language subtitling). It may...
Digital photography can be both a fun hobby and a great learning and communication tool. But how does a kid who can't click a tiny shutter button use a camera? With a switch! But, you need a switch adapted means to take the photos. A web cam will work... very cool, and easy to do. Most web cams have fairly low resolution for photos, though, so it depends...
If you need to create diagrams, Gliffy is a web-based diagramming tool (http://www.gliffy.com/) If you want to collaboratively edit web pages, you can try something like Wiki Spaces (http://www.wikispaces.com/) or PBWikis (http://pbwiki.com) If your work is mostly text, a blog might work... To make it work as a presentation, just post entries sequentially and use the 'next' link There are online to do lists like Remember the Milk...
NCTM Illuminations (http://illuminations.nctm.org/index2.html) has a host of online math activities, all tied to the standards, plus links to more math sites. This is rich... You can also search the Eisenhower National Clearinghouse (http://www.enc.org/) for activities related to math & science. (now a paid subscription site, www.goenc.com)
1. If you were to give a one day workshop to special education teachers (from mild to severe) with computers available for each teacher, what would you think to be the essentials to cover? This would be to help them understand how to use technology to support student learning and needs. (If it were you or the staff you work with, what would you want to know or...
This web site has tons of keyboarding links: http://www.computerlab.kids.new.net/keyboarding.htm This BBC site is pretty good, especially after you get through the slower first part: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/flash/stage1.shtml Most of the keyboarding programs teach home row - ASDF JKL: The Herzog method teaches in ABC order - http://www.herzogkeyboarding.com
Some digital storytelling resources... Center for Digital Storytelling (Berkeley, CA) http://www.storycenter.org/ KQED Digital Storytelling Initiative http://www.dsi.kqed.org/ BubbleShare - lets you post photos w/ audio comments http://www.bubbleshare.com/