Assistive Technologies
There are many types of assistive technologies that help students with disabilities thrive in the classroom setting. The Georgia Department of Education Project for Assistive Technology website has a long and detailed list of devices used to enhance student learning within the classroom setting. The list includes items such as slant boards, highlighter tape, dry erase boards, colored overlays, etc. While I think it is common practice to utilize many of these in a typical classroom, it is a great resource to see them on paper. If ever there is a situation where a student is struggling, this would be a great place to search for products to aid in comprehension. I would recommend it to other teachers (of any age group) because it is a very helpful resource. I think it's very user friendly, and a great way to help students succeed.
Zoho is a website that specializes in increasing productivity through the use of online applications. It offers a note page, online calendar, and email server similar to that of Outlook, but at a Google price (free). I can see how this would be most beneficial to upper primary and beyond because it is a little more advanced. I think it is a great resource to use in the classroom. Students can utilize the note taking page (which is still in Beta testing) and will be able to access it anywhere. The great thing about that concept is that if a student types it on this site, he or she will have access outside of school. I always have one or two students who leave their notebooks in their lockers overnight and are unprepared for an exam the following day. By utilizing this site, they could access it from any computer anywhere (assuming they have access to computers).
4Teachers and Dimio
Dimio is a great resource to use, particularly in the ESL setting. I have several colleagues who utilize this website. It's a great way to translate instructions and key concepts so that your students can understand. I would think that this is a beneficial tool for any age group or content. Also, the auditory learners (even non ESL students) would learn from this website. I think it is fairly easy to navigate, and it's entirely free, so that's always a perk!
4Teachers is another great website. I have used it many times in the past 3 years. I utilize RubiStar the most. It's a simple template for creating customized rubrics. I have used Classroom Architect before to design floor plans, but my room this year is oddly shaped, so there are only so many things I can do with it. Assign-A-Day looks like a great resource for online planning. Teachers can utilize it for their own planning, or they can input classroom assignments and send the link to parents and students. I am very intrigued to try NoteStar, which looks like something my visual learners would enjoy. I think that most of these resources would be beneficial for any age group or content area as they appear to be tools to aid with instruction rather than provide content for instruction. I will definitely be recommending this site to my peers!
FullMeasure
PowerTalk is a free program that automatically speaks PowerPoint presentations. It is a good resource to help visually impaired students or students with dyslexia or other visual delays. It waits for the text to appear and any special effects to play so you don't have to redo your presentation or take away any effects that help strengthen it. I would definitely recommend this to any teacher who uses PowerPoints in their classrooms. It seems very easy to use, and the website has a lot of tips and reviews from users. There have been over 1000 downloads of the product, so it is used in the real world (and is not just in the testing phase).
Read the Words
Read the Words is similar to PowerTalk, only it is much more advanced. There is a tiered pricing structure ranging from free (30 second file length and up to 8 saved readings) to $100 a year (unlimited file length and up to 100 saved readings). Unlike PowerTalk, it can be utilized in virtually any online document. I think the targeted audience of this is similar to that of PowerTalk, only there are many more options. The website also includes public recordings and podcasts, so you can access other recordings that might be usable in your own classroom.
WebQuest
WebQuests are like online scavenger hunts with hidden learning opportunities (they have to be hidden or they might cause the students to stop having fun!). You can search the bank of public webquests or create your own. I did a quick search for elements of fiction and found a great one that I will be incorporating into my classroom next year. This is a great way for students to complete independent study projects. Higher-level achievers could create their own (following a rubric created from RubiStar), while intermediate or lower levels could complete assigned quests. It's a great way to do tiered lessons. I would recommend this website to everyone who teaches, regardless of content. It is a great way to incorporate the technology standards in a meaningful way that enhances the lesson. They are free and can be as in-depth as you want. The sky is the limit!
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