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Home / Newsletters / Computer Monitor / Spring 2000

Computer Monitor

Spring 2000

Volume XI, Spring 2000

See the PDF version of this newsletter.

Table of Contents

• Multicultural Software for the New Millennium
• Parents Can Help with Homework Using Technology
• Funding Strategies for Assistive Technology
• Project KITE Continues to Soar
• The Hand Held Voice
• The CRC Extends Community Outreach
• New "Family Center on Technology and Disability" Offers Informational Resource
• The Software Lending Library Is for Professionals Too!
• New Staff Spotlight
• The PACER Computer Resource Center is offering the following free workshops for parents and professionals.
• The CRC Received Information and Referral Grant
• How to Contact Us

Multicultural Software for the New Millennium

By Perrine Dailey, Computer Resource Specialist

Until recently, it has been difficult to find software programs that include characters of multiple racial and ethnic backgrounds. But now, software designers are incorporating many more multicultural aspects in their programs to appeal to a wider audience. The Clearinghouse for Multicultural and Bilingual Education offers a comprehensive Web site that includes many links to multicultural sites. Visit catsis.weber.edu. It offers information about vendors who produce software with multicultural appeal and software presented in multiple languages.

Educators who are searching for inclusive software to enhance the social studies curriculum and families seeking multicultural additions will find the following software titles worth trying. The reviewed programs approach the subject of multiculturalism in an educational and inclusive manner. They provide an interactive way for children and teens to learn more about diverse heritage and history and teach appreciation for the contributions of people from many different cultures. All of these CD-ROM programs use English as a primary language and are designed for use on both Macintosh and Windows platforms. An lnternet connection is useful to supplement the software, but it is not required.

True Colors: An Odyssey in the Sea by Odyssey Tales is a colorful rhyming story based on an original tale by teacher Sheralyn Mary Kinsella. This uplifting program was designed for children PreK_Grade 3. The story is narrated by a bespectacled fish named Professor Grouper, who has a delightful but sometimes difficult to understand dialect. The story is presented so that the user can read the story independently or have it read aloud.

The story features six fish characters each with unique skills and talents. One fish is a good singer, another a good cook, and yet another excels at reading and writing. This story emphasizes respect for each fish's individuality. The repeating rhyme, "Be proud of who you are and what you do," reinforces this idea. On their third birthday, the fish are each given a pair of glasses that colors the world the same color as themselves, so all the fish seem to look the same. After a storm causes the six fish to loose their glasses, they see that the world is really much more colorful and diverse. Together the six fish learn to relish their uniqueness and the differences of their friends. They eventually form a rainbow symbolizing the beauty of diversity.

Four activities supplement the story. A color mixing activity teaches about primary, secondary, and tertiary colors. A keyboarding and spelling activity introduces the keyboard and spelling practice. In the rhyming activity, the user adds the first letter to an ending to create rhyming words. This rhyming activity does require click and drag skills, which may be difficult for some users. The math activity offers practice in basic arithmetic and auto-adjusts to each player's level. Progress reports and supplementary worksheets for teachers can be printed. Various skill levels are offered for each activity, and it is always easy to return to the main menu.

The graphics in True Colors are large and the pages are uncluttered, which makes the program ideal for children with visual impairments. Most of the narration is clear, and the text of the story appears on the screen. The background music is catchy and fun. The program is easy to use and includes much positive auditory reinforcement.

For more information about True Colors, contact Odyssey Tales at 888-363-9773, or visit the Web site at www.odysseytales.com. The program costs about $20.

Field Trap by APTE Inc. is an exciting social studies adventure for Grades 1 _ 4. Field Trap lets children explore the multicultural origins of the United States. It offers a unique approach to learning about cultural history, ethnicity, immigration, and slavery. Students also can practice Internet skills. Based on a field trip theme, the software challenges children to retrieve facts about American history and heritage. The facts have been stolen from the Immigration Museum by a robot named CryptoMax, who has also abducted a teacher. Children help save U. S. history and free the teacher from the robot's clutches by completing various activities and answering questions.

Field Trap features children of diverse ethnic backgrounds in an interactive virtual Immigration Museum. The Museum contains animated maps, charts, and timelines that allow children to explore the cultural and ethnic traditions that have influenced the American way of life. The program features a variety of geographical and biographical information about famous women and men, as well as flags and facts from 50 countries. To read questions and locate answers, there is an on-screen "browser" that looks like a Web page, but an Internet connection is not required.

The program is easy to load and games can be saved. A lengthy introduction sets the stage for the program. Reading skills are required for several sections; however, some questions are read to the user in a clear voice. Most voices are easy to understand, with the exception of the mechanical-sounding CryptoMax. Field Trap was designed by educators and uses information from the U.S. Bureau of Census. The content meets the National Council for the Social Studies guidelines. The program encourages decision making, teamwork, and strategic thinking. For more information about Field Trap, call APTE at 1-847-866-1872 or visit its Web site at www.apte.com. The program costs about $40.

America's Kids 2000™Explore our Heritage Interactive! by A.M. Data Systems, Inc. is designed for Grades 3_9. The program includes more than 850 biographies of men and women from a multitude of heritages. It highlights important contributions to American society from African Americans, Asian Americans, European Americans, Jewish Americans, Latino Americans, and Native Americans.

The main menu offers four selections including "Explore by Ethnic Group" or "Explore by Profession," in which the user can choose a name from a list to see the individual's biographical information. Each biography includes the individual's name, a picture or photo, life span, country of origin, and profession. Users can also search by key word, such as names, dates, or topics. The "Things to Do" section offers activities that test the user's multicultural competence and computer skills with interactive puzzles. Accompanying the CD is a workbook of reproducible computer-based lesson activities called Computer Activity Research Data Sheets (C.A.R.D.S) that emphasize our nation's diversity. This workbook contains colorful worksheets with three multiple-choice questions about the main contribution of each individual. The worksheets promote research skills, practice of computer skills, and thinking skills.

World Citizen and Time Machine by BonusPoint Software, Inc. are CD-ROMs that offer unique, interactive means of exploring history, heritage, and culture. Both programs are high interest and are designed for users in Grades 6-12. According to the literature, the programs "build awareness of history and its messages for today.

World Citizen users visit 15 destinations to learn about current events, cultures, places, and people. These destinations include Hong Kong, Ghana, Mexico, Pakistan, and many other diverse places around the world. Activities focus on festivals around the world or facts and figures for nations.

Time Machine users embark upon one of 15 adventures that teach about history, including prehistoric people and early civilizations such as those in Petra, Egypt, and Japan. Along the way, users learn about famous people including the Vikings, Leonardo DaVinci, and Christopher Columbus. Each program has many sites and links to the Internet, but can be used with or without an Internet connection. A browser, such as Netscape or Internet Explorer, is needed to take advantage of the on-line links and some of the activities. The full content of the selected Internet sites is available on the program's CD-ROM. Each site is chosen for its primary source material and each is unique and interesting, although URLs (links) and content may change.

Parents Can Help with Homework Using Technology

By Janet Peters, Computer Resource Center Coordinator

Homework assignments can be an integral part of ensuring that students are as successful in school as possible. Well-designed homework can help students practice new skills, reinforce a lesson, reteach concepts a student hasn't fully understood, and give students the opportunity to evaluate their own work. Many researchers agree that homework fosters student initiative and responsibility.

But how can parents help their child with homework in meaningful ways? Simple strategies and technologies can help make a student's homework task successful.

Help students become organized

Parents can help at the beginning of the homework sessions by making sure their child understands the requirements of the assignment. Sometimes children have difficulty keeping track of their assignments and the information they will need to complete them. The teacher may have explained the requirements, but for various reasons, sometimes disability-related, students may miss important information. When they don't understand what is asked of them in the first place, it is very hard for them to do well.

Technology can help students organize and clarify assignments. One low-tech solution is to try a homework/travel folder. By keeping all take-home papers in one place, students caught up in the end-of-the-day rush are less likely to leave important papers at school. Create a "To-Do" pocket for new notes and homework and a "Done" pocket for completed assignments, signed report cards or quizzes, notes from parents, and so on. Once a week, parents should encourage their children to clean out their travel folders, filing work at home.

Many higher-tech solutions, too, can help students organize their homework and school communications. For example, the Alpha-smart Pro 2000 (Intelligent Peripheral Devices, 408-252-9400) is a portable text input device. Text can be entered into eight different files, each accessed by a function key. This simple device is very durable. Students can record homework assignments for each class in a different file and teachers can type messages for the parents as well. For children who use communication devices, a button or two can be left for parents and teachers to communicate with each other and track assignments.

Parents and students benefit most from homework when they understand the larger purpose of the assignment. Many times homework is designed as practice for skills students need extra time learning. Many education software titles can help students practice specific skills. The best software programs allow students to work independently and give positive feedback. Look also for programs that let adults customize the lesson to fit the child's learning needs.

Here are two good examples of educational software that have these features:

Spell It Deluxe (Davidson, Inc., 1-800-545-7677) offers five different spelling activities, including a spelling bee. Parents can type in their child's specific spelling list with sentences and word pronunciations. The program tracks correct and missed words for each activity and store them in a user file.

Math Workshop Deluxe (Broderbund 1-800-521-6263) offers several math skills activities for ages 6_12. It has different leveling capabilities, and one activity allows parents to enter math problems targeting their child's specific needs. Some activities have a progress-tracking option, and the program stores the student's results in a text file that can be printed or exported.

Help students complete assignments independently

Parents can help students identify the problems they are having with the assignment. Parents help most when they act as troubleshooters but allow their child to solve problems independently. The child should be doing work that offers opportunities for success and reaches toward identified goals, such as the academic objectives in the child's IEP.

Technology can also play a vital role at home by ensuring the child has the ability to do the homework. Programs such as Access Math (Don Johnston, 1-800-999-4660) allow the teacher to create math worksheets that students can complete on the computer. Students who can access the assignment on the computer then have many input options, such as switches or alternative keyboards.

If much of the child's homework needs to be customized, technology can offers great benefits. Authoring tools with built-in scanning allow teachers and parents to create their own storybooks, quizzes, and software. Two authoring tool programs that are easy to use and learn are Intellipics (Intellitools, 1-800-899-6687) and Hyperstudio (RogerWagner Publishing, 1-800-421-6526).

Help students polish their work

Parents can help students evaluate the quality of their homework and check that it was completed correctly. Parents do not "grade" their children's work but rather help them learn to evaluate their own work objectively and think about the whether the assignment was completed correctly.

Technology is especially useful to help children with disabilities to produce quality work. Word processors with good spelling and grammar checking features and drawing and graphing programs are helpful.

The technology mentioned in this article is available for preview at the PACER Computer Resource Center. Call 952-838-9000 for more information or to arrange a consultation.

Funding Strategies for Assistive Technology

By Trudi Meloche, Assistive Technology Funding Specialist

Many families and professionals agree that assistive technology makes it possible for children with disabilities to use conventional technology and helps them be more independent. Cost, however, is often a deterrent to obtaining such equipment. With knowledge, determination, and preparation, however, funding can be found.

PACER's Computer Resource Center (CRC) cannot provide the funding, but it can refer families to programs that may help them. Following are suggestions for planning an assistive technology (AT) funding strategy. Questions? Call the CRC at (952) 838-9000 or (toll-free) 1-800-53PACER.

Needs assessment

Before looking for funding assistance, parents need a clear idea of what assistive technology the child can use. Understanding the products a child can use makes obtaining funding easier and faster. Assessing a child's assistive technology needs should be a team effort that includes educational and medical professionals, as well as the child's parents. Documentation from all the sources helps to confirm the child's needs. The team should note the cost of the specific equipment during the assessment. Potential funders will want the information.

Researching funding programs

After identifying assistive technology needs and costs, researching funding options is the next step. Four sources fund the majority of assistive devices: Medicaid, vocational rehabilitation agencies, private insurance, and the public school special education system.

State programs other than Medicaid can also fund technology. The State Department of Human Services provides assistance through various programs, including the Independent Living Program, the Family Support Grant Program, and the Traumatic Brain Injury Waiver Program.

Medical insurance may cover specific assistive technology that is considered a medical necessity. Using insurance for assistive technology, however, can count against lifetime caps or result in a premium increase.

The Individual Education Program (IEP) of a child in special education at school will include specific technology needs for educational purposes. The IEP team must approve an assistive device if it is needed to ensure reasonable educational progress in the least restrictive setting. The school district must provide an assistive device, at no cost to the student, if the child needs the device to obtain a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive setting. Sometimes a device would be useful at home, but the child does not need it at school to ensure FAPE. In that case, the school district representative who participates in all IEP meetings may know about special grants and community funds available to schools and families of children with disabilities.

Researching less traditional funding options takes initiative but can be worth the effort. The search for funding sources beyond insurance, state programs, and school districts should begin close to home. Employers may have a charitable giving policy that can help with expenses for employees' children with special needs. Many financial institutions have low-interest loan programs to purchase adaptive technology. Often, manufacturers of highly specialized adaptive equipment offer payment plans to help ease the financial burden to families. Civic organizations, religious communities, and other local groups often offer assistance to families of members and the community at-large.

A support network that includes other parents of children with disabilities often provides vital information. Parents can ask about the funding experiences of others in the group, and share their own. Disability workshops can initiate contacts with people who know about funding sources.

The Internet is a source of information. Manufacturers, funders, and professional organizations have Web sites that can provide up-to-the-minute information on funding resources. The sites usually contain a "contact us" option so parents can e-mail them directly. Families can use the Internet at no cost at the PACER Computer Resource Center on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3 to 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Many public libraries also have Internet stations available.

Applications

When funding sources are identified, families can begin applying for them. Keeping a calendar specifically for application deadlines and related information is recommended. This calendar can also help in estimating timelines for future funding iniiatives.

Most parents find that persistence pays. It may take several attempts to find the correct fit for needs and circumstances. It is recommended that if a funder declines a request, the family ask why it was refused, requesting a response (in writing, if possible). If the family believes it was declined in error or because the funder did not have enough information, they should resubmit the application.

Copies of the applications, even if they were declined, should be kept. Sometimes rejected proposals provide valuable information for future efforts. Parents should always send a thank-you letter to the funder, regardless of the outcome. If the application is funded, a follow-up letter updating the funder on the progress of the child with the equipment is a nice gesture that could lead to a future funding.

The Hand Held Voice

By Annette Cerreta, Assistive Technology Specialist

The Hand Held Voice (HHV) is a portable, lightweight augmentative communication unit designed for users who want the convenience of a hand-held unit yet the versatility of a dynamic communication system that can be customized and changed as needed. The HHV features a touch-sensitive display screen that enables the user to access picture-based communication boards and to navigate between boards through customized links.

Users design customized communication boards by assigning picture symbols from the built-in picture communication symbols (PCS) library to designated buttons on the board. Each button is programmed to play a message and to link to another board. For instance, depressing the "breakfast" button of the main board might play the message "I'd like to have breakfast," in addition to automatically linking the user to a screen that brings up specific breakfast food choices, such as "pancakes" and "juice." Though it does take some practice to master the process of linking buttons, this feature allows for an array of communication options. Up to nine symbols can be displayed on each board, and text above the symbols may be edited or hidden from view. Unfortunately, you cannot add symbols to the built-in PCS library, but it does contain over 2400 communication symbol choices.

The base HHV unit can store up to 32 communication boards and provides two minutes of total recording time.

Optional expansion cards can be used much like a floppy disk to store additional communication boards and recorded messages _ up to eight minutes recorded time with 96 boards to choose from. Boards on the expansion cards are created and edited in the same fashion as those on the main unit. It is not possible to link buttons on the base unit to any board on the expansion unit except the main board, and vice versa.

The LCD display screen offers good visibility outdoors and under bright lighting, but it can be difficult to see under low light conditions because the screen is not backlit. The activation time of the touch screen is adjustable, and a selection delay may be enabled to allow a user to drag a finger across the screen without activating unwanted buttons. One drawback of this device is the relatively small display screen, which could be an obstacle to people with limited fine motor skills or visual impairments.

We found the HHV easy to learn and use. It is compact and only 1.5 lbs. The basic unit cost is about $1200. Optional accessories include a heavy-duty black nylon carrying case with protective screen flap that also serves as a sun visor, a mounting plate that securely attaches to wheelchair mounting systems, expansion cards, an external speaker cable, and an external recording cable. For more information about the Hand Held Voice, contact Mayer-Johnson at 1-800-588-4548, or visit the Web site at www.mayerjohnson.com.

Please contact the Computer Resource Center if you have any questions about this device, or if you would like to arrange a visit to see and try the HHV.

The CRC Extends Community Outreach

A grant from the Microsoft Corporation has provided for two new workstations in the PACER Computer Resource Center (CRC). The workstations can be used for free during the CRC's open lab hours. Individuals who do not have other access to a computer are encouraged to stop by and use the equipment at no cost.

The workstations feature state-of-the art computer technology and specialized software for people with disabilities. They include tools for reading, hands-free computer access, and newly developed voice recognition software.

Families wishing to preview assistive technology and software on the two workstations can visit the CRC during open lab hours

(Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3 to 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

Those wanting to schedule a private consultation can call the CRC at (952) 838-9000.

The Software Lending Library Is for Professionals Too!

Many Minnesota families of children and young adults with disabilities use PACER Center's Software Lending Library (SLL), but the lending library is also a resource for teachers, therapists, and other professionals.

The lending library contains more than 1,600 educational software programs for Macintosh and Windows platforms and assistive technology devices, such as alternative keyboards, trackballs, switches, and augmentative communication devices. Organizations, teachers, school districts, or co-operatives, with the purchase of a $100 annual lending library membership, can borrow three pieces of software or assistive devices a month during the year. In some situations, special education funds can purchase the membership.

The library's equipment can be previewed by scheduling a consultation with PACER's Computer Resource Center or by visiting the center during lending library hours, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3 to 6:30 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Software and assistive technology devices can be mailed directly to lending library professional members throughout Greater Minnesota.

Professionals can use the devices and software to assess and train students, without gambling on the purchase of unfamiliar materials. The PACER Computer Resource Center staff helps professionals research purchase and funding options if they wish to buy equipment.

Professionals say they find numerous benefits to joining the Software Lending Library. Their comments include:

• "It enriches and promotes basic skills for my students."
• "Students can try software before we spend our budgets on buying the pieces."
• "…Great service for schools that can't afford materials and computer programs for special needs kids."
• "There may be a certain subject (such as math or reading) that is being studied in which a student is more able to participate with borrowed software."
• "[The lending library] Allows parents to be able to sample merchandise to find out what would be the appropriate programs to help their children. Also works the same for teachers. All professionals should consider joining."

For more information about the Software Lending Library, or to request a membership application, please call the Computer Resource Center. When calling, please specify whether you need a Macintosh or Windows/PC catalog.

The PACER Computer Resource Center is offering the following free workshops for parents and professionals.

Options for Computer Access
6:30 _ 9:00 Marshall, April 4, 2000
6:30 _ 9:00 Duluth, May 23, 2000

IEP & Assistive Technology Considerations
6:00 _ 9:00 Fairbault, May 2, 2000

PACER Computer Resource Center is presenting at the following regional conferences:

Charting the C's Assistive Technology Conference sponsored by the Minnesota Department on Children, Families and Learning The conference will highlight a resource manual for assistive technology considerations. The conference is open to parents and professionals. April 17 _ 18, 2000, Brainerd, MN. Call Joan Breslin-Larson at (651) 582-1599 to register or for more information.

The CRC Received Information and Referral Grant

The PACER Computer Resource Center was recently awarded a grant from A System of Technology to Achieve Results (STAR) to develop an Information and Referral Service in Minnesota. The new project will provide free information and referral on assistive technology for all ages and disabilities. The plan includes a statewide toll-free number, TTY, e-mail and a web site. The project will be up and running the summer of 2000, stay tuned!

How to Contact Us

Write

PACER Computer Resource Center
8161 Normandale Boulevard
Minneapolis, MN 55437-1044

E-mail

pacer@pacer.org (e-mail)
www.pacer.org (web page)

Call

Voice: 952-838-9000
TTY: 952-838-0190
Toll-free 1-800-537-2237

Fax

952-838-0199

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© 2000. PACER Center, Inc. For permission to reprint, please fill out and submit PACER's reprint request form.