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Resources: School

Resources are routinely updated . . . please check back often.
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  • Advocacy Institute
    Home of "The Advocate Academy"-- a Webinar service designed to meet the training needs of special education advocates. Archives of Past Webinars include AT related topics such as: "AT, AIM, NIMAS, UDL and More: Making It All Work for Students With Disabilities," and "Prepping for an IEP Meeting: What you need to know about AT consideration and AT implementation" (for sale for $25 each).
  • Assistive Technology Guide for Massachusetts Schools Download PDF Document
    The Mass. Department of Elementary and Secondary Education offers this guide to school districts for how to provide assistive technology devices and services to students with disabilities.

  • Assistive Technology Training Online Project (ATTO)
    This site from the University of Buffalo provides information on AT applications that help students with disabilities learn in elementary classrooms; it includes online tutorials, planning tools, and links.

  • Boston Public Schools Access Technology Center
    This site offers a wealth of information on tools, strategies, activities, and technologies that can address barriers to student learning in various areas.

  • Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST)
    CAST is at the forefront of implementing concepts of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to create technology and strategies that help all abilities learn. CAST staff include specialists in education research and policy, neuropsychology, clinical/school psychology, technology, engineering, curriculum development, and K-12 professional development.

  • Center for Implementing Technology in Education (CITEd)
    CITEd offers links to classroom resources, professional development tools, research, and more. It also offers free "Webinars" (Web-based seminars) on a variety of topics related to implementing technology in education.

  • Collaborative Center for Assistive Technology and Training (CCATT)
    CCATT in Northampton, MA, is a program of the nonprofit and multi-service Hampshire Educational Collaborative. CCATT offers a range of AT services including product demonstration, evaluation, and training opportunities for students (preK-age 22), families, and educators. There is a free "professional learning community" AT group that meets monthly. Consulting services to schools is available.

  • Early Childhood Technology Integrated Instructional System (EC-TIIS)
    EC-TIIS provides free online workshops that focus on how technology can assist young children with disabilities in accessing the general education curriculum.

  • emTech
    Useful links related to assistive technology from emTech, a website with over 15,000 resources organized by topics for teachers, students and parents.

  • Learning Through Listening
    Created by CAST and Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic, this site provides strategies for teaching listening skills, applying these skills to literacy instruction, and using technology (such as audio books) for learning.

  • LD OnLine - Technology
    Many good articles about the use of technology for people with learning disabilities. Included are general information, technology reviews, classroom applications, and making the right decisions when integrating technology.

  • Massachusetts Vision Resources Library
    This state library distributes specialized instructional materials, including Braille and large print, to provide visually impaired students with an appropriate education and equal access to the general curriculum.

  • National Assistive Technology Research Institute (NATRI)
    NATRI conducts research on assistive technology services in schools, identifies promising practices, and disseminates research findings and information. It provides resources for schools and families about assistive technology planning.

  • National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS)
    NIMAS is a technical standard that curriculum publishers began using in 2006. NIMAS files can be used to produce alternate formats, such as Braille and audiobooks, for eligible students with disabilities.

  • National Center On Accessible Instructional Materials: AIM Product Tutorials
    This web page provides links to dozens of screencast videos on how to use different types of AIM software products (unfortunately they are not captioned). Each of the tutorials presented focus on a different aspect of AIM products and services for use in classrooms and at home and offer detailed, practical instruction in the use of AIM and related products. Developed by the AIM Consortium and the Michigan Department of Education, the purpose of these tutorials is to provide a suite of tools for learning about and using assistive technology applications that support the use of AIM.

  • PEPNet-Northeast
    The mission of the PEPNet-Northeast (formerly the Northeast Technical Assistance Center) is to assist secondary and postsecondary institutions to improve educational access and enhance educational opportunities for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Based at Rochester Institute for the Deaf, PEPNet-Northeast is one of 4 regional centers funded by the US Dept. of Education.

  • Quality Indicators for Assistive Technology Services (QIAT)
    QIAT is a national, grassroots group that provides input into the ongoing process of developing, disseminating and implementing a set of quality indicators for assistive technology services. These indicators offer guidelines for districts wishing to improve their services.

  • Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFB&D)-Boston Unit
    For the 2007-2008 school year, the state has funded district-level memberships for all Massachusetts school districts, allowing districts to order up to 25 books for students who are blind or have print disabilities. (Districts can order additional books for a small fee.) In addition, the state is offering school-level memberships to a limited number of high-need districts. If not used by December 1, 2007, these memberships will be offered to other districts on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, contact RFB&D directly.

  • School Situations and Solutions (Fact Sheet)
    Provided by the Job Accommodation Network.

  • The Learning Centre
    This site from Special Education Technology British Columbia (SET-BC) offers a wealth of resources and training materials on assistive technology, including online videos, audios, demos and print materials.

  • The Public School's Special Education System as an Assistive Technology Funding Source: The Cutting Edge
    Revised in 2003 as part of the National AT Advocacy Project, this booklet is a comprehensive treatise on the rights of students with disabilities under the IDEA and section 504. It is published to reach a primary audience of attorneys and advocates by Neighborhood Legal Services, Inc.

  • Techmatrix
    The TechMatrix is an online tool for finding assistive and learning technology products for students with special needs. It was created by the National Center for Technology Innovation (NCTI) and the Center for Implementing Technology in Education (CITEd).