Digital Resources

Microsoft is working to adapt a coding program for students ages 7 to 11 to include those with visual disabilities . Project Torino aims to allow those children to work alongside their peers by using beads that snap together, similar to the way programming language is put together.  Researchers hope that programs like this will help bridge the “digital skills gap” and allow advanced students to gain the foundational computing concepts that will help them learn mainstream programming skills.

Software, particularly mobile apps, that often start out as games or have other novelty uses are now being harnessed to help those living with disabilities complete day-to-day tasks. Apps like Aipoly, which uses artificial intelligence to identify common objects with remarkable accuracy, is opening whole new worlds for the visually impaired. All you do is point your phone camera at an object – perhaps the coffee cup on your desk – and the app will tell you what it is. Totally free of charge, Aipoly also tells color-blind users the specific shade of any given item.

Apps such as Be My Eyes take it a step further. Invented in 2015 by the partially-sighted Hans Wiberg, the Danish non-profit app allows blind or visually impaired users to send a live video of the text they cannot read to a volunteer, anywhere in the world, who will help them. It currently has over 32,000 blind users, and over 450,000 sighted volunteers. For those living with Alzheimer’s, the Book of You app will store details of their personal story, complete with precious moments, photographs of their grandchildren and key information about their history. And autistic children can learn to identify various facial emotions with Learn with Rufus, designed by US clinical psychologist Dr. Holly Gastgeb. All of these are crucial steps in the right direction, but experts say many disabled people still need assistance in getting connected and in acquiring digital skills.

Would your child do better working with a stylus to communicate with their computer or tablet? Peter West, director of e-learning at Saint Stephen's College in Australia writes that research on the subject may point to that notion. For example, recent studies found that students who took hand written notes performed significantly better than those who typed lecture notes. Other research has shown that student performance solving science and math problems improved when using a pen or stylus rather than a keyboard, as well as all around creativity and problem solving. Looking at a stylus ready device is perhaps something to think about when purchasing a new tech device or computer for your children.

Are your kids interested in using technology to enhance projects for school? Take a look at the article 5^th grade teacher Jesse Buetow has written on Edutopia site entitled Using Technology to Inspire Independent Readers. Although the piece is written for teachers, the list of apps is a great resource for parents as well. Many of the apps he suggests are free like TouchCast, an inclusive video production app that has features such as video graphics, text, and links. The green-screen option in the app also allows your kids to place themselves in the book and even create a professional-looking commercial.

New research shows that students with intellectual disabilities such as Down Syndrome or autism have unique strengths that make them ideal for some technology jobs. Giving students with cognitive disabilities access to technology training can improve their learning and post-graduation job prospects, say experts like Michele McKeone whose startup, Digitability, has developed an online curriculum that teaches technical skills. Companies such as Microsoft and SAP are beginning to look at the strengths, rather than focusing on the weaknesses, of individuals on the autism spectrum. The companies have begun tailoring their job applications and hiring practices to recruit people with autism who have technical skills their companies need, but may never have made it through the interview process.

Lots of articles have been appearing lately about the power of audiobooks for struggling readers, something that parents with a dyslexic child are probably well aware. The affirmation that listening to a book is a valid alternative is great news for parents of children who struggle with reading . KQED recently posted an article titled How Audiobooks Can Help Kids Who Struggle with Reading, going into some of the latest research on the topic and offering a list of some excellent audio books and podcasts for all ages.

Audiobooks are gaining ground in education with more and more content available every day. Research shows that using audiobooks can actually help students read books above their reading level or learn new vocabulary, as well as build critical listening skills. As you look to build your own audiobook collections, check out this list of websites that offer free audiobook downloads. The Audio Publisher's Association also provides some suggestions with their 2016 Audie winners for best audiobooks, including “Echo” by Pam Muñoz Ryan for middle-grade readers, “Lair of Dreams: A Diviners Novel” by Libba Bray for Young Adults, and for children, “Little Shop of Monsters” by R.L. Stine and Marc Brown.

Audiobooks are gaining ground in education with more and more content available every day. Research shows that using audiobooks can actually help students read books above their reading level or learn new vocabulary, as well as build critical listening skills. As you look to build your own audiobook collections, check out this list of websites that offer free audiobook downloads. The Audio Publisher's Association also provides some suggestions with their 2016 Audie winners for best audiobooks, including “Echo” by Pam Muñoz Ryan for middle-grade readers, “Lair of Dreams: A Diviners Novel” by Libba Bray for Young Adults, and for children, “Little Shop of Monsters” by R.L. Stine and Marc Brown.

Using passwords to keep student data safe is important, but teachers are getting smart about helping young students by using QR codes instead coping with impossible to remember and often difficult to type nine or ten digit passwords that are needed to start up computers and other digital devices. Lots of other changes in the classroom this fall are giving teachers more ways to use apps based on their student’s needs as well, including using sites like Newsela, a program which takes news articles and rewrites them for reading levels from second grade through high school. Right now, more than 850,000 teachers and 9 million students in the U.S. use the program.

Many popular books, including many that kids are required to read in school, are now available as audio books. This technology can be a great option for older students who already have learned to read. If you have concerns, take a look at Ki Sung’s article, Listening Isn't Cheating: How Audio Books Can Help Us Learn. In fact, listening is actually a critical component of Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts, and as many dyslexic students who rely on audio books point out, it actually takes longer to “read” a book this way.  This may be a good article to have in your arsenal if you have a child who might benefit from listening to books.