Keeping+Up+To+Date+With+Assistive+Technology+Research

The following references, links and resources were provided at the 2009 AGOSCI 9th Biennial National Conference, Canberra, ACT, Australia.

Presentation: Handout:

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=**Update**:=


 * __August 2010__**

Edyburn, D.L. (2006). Failure is not an option: Collecting, reviewing, and acting on evidence for using technology to enhance academic performance. //Learning and Leading With Technology//, 34(1), 20-23 Available: @https://pantherfile.uwm.edu/edyburn/www/publications1.html
 * Failure is not an option: Collecting, reviewing, and acting on evidence for using technology to enhance academic performance**

The use of technology tools and cognitive supports represent essential and underutilized interventions for enhancing the academic performance of struggling students. The long-term consequences of academic failure must motivate the profession to intervene with carefully designed learning activities that ensure success from the outset.


 * __May 2010__**

Balajthy, E. (2005, January/February). Text-to-speech software for helping struggling readers. Reading Online, 8(4). Available: []
 * Using Technology to Raise the Achievement of ALL Students**

For children and young people with reading difficulties, text-to-speech (TTS) software offers some of the benefits of a personal reader. The article provides an overview of the technology and its application, and then summarizes the research on benefits of TTS for struggling readers. The different kinds of TTS software available are described in three categories, according to sophistication, and information is given concerning how teachers can obtain electronic text materials for use with TTS. Finally, suggestions are provided for implementing TTS in the classroom.


 * __April 2009__**

Using Technology to Raise the Achievement of ALL Students Initiative is a major leadership initiative of the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN). //"The goal of this initiative is increased achievement and success for all students through the unlimited and effective use of accessible technologies.// //It is our core belief that accessible technologies and the close collaboration of assistive technology (AT) and instructional technology (IT) services at the school district level will enhance and facilitate learning for all students – those with disabilities and those without disabilities//."
 * Using Technology to Raise the Achievement of ALL Students**

[]

This 2009 handbook provides educators with guidance on using digital technologies to promote inclusive practices. As well as providing case studies of current practice, the handbook also includes a directory of resources.
 * Using Digital Techologies to promote Inclusive Practices**

[]

The term Assistive Technology is a widely used in the literature but has a level of “definitional ambiguity”, as it can mean different things to different people (Golden, 1998). So what do we mean when we say assistive technology?
 * Defining Assistive Technology**

http://anzatresearch.wikispaces.com/What+is+Assistive+Technology%3F

__**June 2008**__ At the 2008 Inclusive Learning Technologies ® Conference on the Gold Coast, Queensland, a special interest group met to discuss issues relating to research and assistive technology. As a result the **Australia and New Zealand Assistive Technology Research wikispace** has been established to support the networking of people interested in assistive technology and education research. Content includes AT research information and web links, using Web 2.0 tools for research, and resources for action research in the classroom. Visitors to the wiki are invited to post details of their own research projects, add content, provi de discussion and feedback, or join the Australia and New Zealand Assistive Technology Research and Good Practice listserv.

www.anzatresearch.wikispace.com


 * __July 2008__**
 * Exploring assistive technology software and web sites for promoting independence in school and helping students meet their educational goals **



Colleen Renie has put together a great list of resources under the following headings. This resource includes web links to relevant research on each topic.
 * Models of Evidence-based Decision Making Tools
 * Training Tools
 * Writing
 * Computer Access and typing
 * Speech –to-Text
 * Computer with word processing software
 * Software for organizing and writing
 * Reading, Studying
 * Electronic Books/e-text
 * Portable Ereaders
 * Other Literacy Support
 * Video Modeling Software
 * Curriculum Software
 * Math
 * Calculators
 * Productivity / Homework Support
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Vocation/Transition
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Other classroom supports
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Assistive Technology Assessment, planning and implementation
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">Industry Supports

= **Keeping Up To Date With Assistive Technology Research.** =

//**Greg O'Connor - grego@spectronicsinoz.com**//
 * What does the research say?**

· Little published peer-reviewed research. · Research base is sm all but emerging. · The research that is available indicates the potential impact assistive technology has on the teaching and learning programs for students with disabilities and learning difficulties. · Future research “must revolve around improved understanding on the part of teachers as much as on provision of new, enhanced or more numerous technologies” (Abbott, C. (2007). //E-inclusion: Learning Difficulties and Digital Technologies//. (See link below). · Dave Edyburn’s year in review series: What Have We Learned Lately? ( [|http://www.uwm.edu/~edyburn/what.html])

__What Have We Learnt Lately?__

Edyburn, D. L. (2007). //2006 year in review: What have we learned lately?// Paper presented at the 25th Annual Closing the Gap Conference. From [|http://www.uwm.edu/~edyburn/what.html] Edyburn, D. L (2006) //Top Twelve 2005 Articles on Special Education Technology That You Must Read//. From [|http://www.uwm.edu/~edyburn/top2005.html] Edyburn, D. L (2006) //Top Twelve 2004 Articles on Special Education Technology That You Must Read//. From [|http://www.uwm.edu/~edyburn/top2004.html] Edyburn, D.L. (2004). 2003 in review: A synthesis of the special education technology literature. //Journal of Special Education Technology//, 19(4), 57-80. http://jset.unlv.edu/19.4/edyburn/first.html Edyburn, D.L. (2003). 2002 in review: A synthesis of the special education technology literature. //Journal of Special Education Technology//, 18(3), 5-28. [|jset.unlv.edu/18.3/edyburn/first.html] Edyburn, D.L. (2002). 2001 in review: A synthesis of the special education technology literature. //Journal of Special Education Technology//, 17(2), 5-24. [|jset.unlv.edu/17.2/edyburn/first.html] Edyburn, D.L. (2001). 2000 in review: A synthesis of the special education technology literature. //Journal of Special Education Technology//, 16(2), 5-25. [|jset.unlv.edu/16.2/Edyburn/first.html] Edyburn, D.L. (2000). 1999 in review: A synthesis of the special education technology literature. //Journal of Special Education Technology//, 15(1), 7-18. [|jset.unlv.edu/15.1/edyburn/first.html]


 * Journals**

Edyburn 2003 review (Edyburn, 2004) found 224 articles directly relating to special education technology research and practice in 30 journals. 70% of these articles were found in what Edyburn calls a ‘core set of 11 journals’. Conducting these reviews between 2000 and 2004 he found the top two journals to be: Journal of Special Education Technology and Closing The Gap.

· Journal of Special Education Technology [] · Closing The Gap [|www.closingthegap.com] · Special Education Technology Practice [|www.setp.net] · Assistive Technology Outcomes and Benefits http://www.atia.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3305 · Learning and Leading with Technology [|www.iste.org] · Assistive technology Journal [|http://www.resna.org/ProfResources/Publications/ATJournal.php]


 * Books and Publications**

Edyburn, D.L., Higgins, K., & Boone, R. (Eds.). (2005). **//Handbook of Special Education Technology Research and Practice//.** Whitefish Bay, WI: Knowledge by Design. Available from [] or []

An authoritative single-volume reference documenting the latest research and practice developments in special education technology. Featuring contributions from 100 authors, this handbook is essential reading for special education teachers, administrators, teacher educators, graduate students, technology specialists, researchers, and policy makers.

BECTA (2003) **//What the research says about ICT supporting special educational needs (SEN) and inclusion//**. Available from: []

This briefing paper is based on an analysis of available research about how information and communications technology (ICT) can support inclusive practice in schools. It summarises the key findings and suggests resources for further reading.

Abbott, C. (2007). **//E-inclusion: Learning Difficulties and Digital Technologies//.** Retrieved from [].

This review focuses specifically on the use of digital technologies to enable children with learning difficulties to learn effectively. Its goal is to move beyond some of the hype and marketing rhetoric that sometimes characterises this field and to ask nuanced questions about the evidence that exists of the role of digital technologies in this area.

SET-BC (2007) **//Making It Work: Effective Implementation of Assisti ve Technology//** Available as a download from: []

This resource package is designed to provide educators with a guide for successfully implementing a wide variety of assistive technologies with students with special needs. A comprehensive implementation plan and samples of specific tools are included in this resource.

Northeast and the Islands Regional Technology in Education Consortium (NEIRTEC). (2004). **//Technology and Teaching Children to Read//**: Education Development Center, Inc. Retrieved from []

This report is intended to provide background information that will help reading specialists, education technology specialists, classroom teachers, and special education teachers work together to understand, evaluate, and implement effective uses of technology within K-6 reading programs. It summarizes the currently available research evidence on ways in which technology can successfully enhance reading instruction in the elementary grades.

**Web links – Assistive Technology Research**

[|http://www.uwm.edu/~edyburn] Dave Edyburn Home page provides links to research, publications and articles (including the year in review articles). Be sure to check out his ’90 Days of Summer’ ([|http://www.setp.net/summer/90days.html)] where readers are encouraged to spend 10-20 minutes a day exploring new ideas, skills, and resources.

[|http://natri.uky.edu] The National Assistive Technology Research Institute (NATRI) conducts assistive technology (AT) research, translates theory and research into AT practice, and provides resources for improving the delivery of AT services.

[] The Monitor – Assistive Technology in Wisconsin. An online newsletter containing information about new products, vendors, publications, and other resources related to assistive technology. It is distributed electronically via email and the WATI website.

[|http://www.cited.org] CITEd's Research Center offers evidence-based, promising, and emerging practices based on the latest research. Explore how technology can be used to enhance instruction with an emphasis on students with special needs. Browse research and its implications for the classroom, school, and district.

[|http://www.rit.edu/~easi/itd.htm] Information Technology and Disabilities E-Journal.

[|http://www.tamcec.org] TAM (Technology and Media Division of the Council for Exceptional Children) works to promote the availability and effective use of technology and media for children, birth to 21, with disabilities and/or who are gifted. Follow the publications link to access the Journal of Special Education Technology, TAM Connector and TAM in Action.

[] The webpage of the Adaptive Technology Resource Centre, University of Toronto, relating to research and development.

[] The connSENSE Bulletin provides access to recent articles, resources reviews, links and conferences.

[|http://caret.iste.org] CARET (a special project of the International Society of technology in Education) bridges education technology research to practice by offering research-based answers to critical questions.

[] LD Online website’s technology related articles.

[] The Australian Flexible Learning Framework’s //Inclusive e-learning// Project aims to increase the uptake of e-learning as an effective and efficient delivery strategy for increasing vocational education and training (VET) participation by under-represented and priority learner groups including youth at risk, learners with a disability and mature age workers. This webpage has links to Inclusive e-Learning trials, online groups, research and policy reports, guidelines, inclusive e-learning resources, and case studies.

**Web links – Assistive Technology General**

[] Special Education Technology - British Columbia (SET-BC) Learning Centre’s main library contains the full collection of SET-BC resources, which have been compiled here so that you can search for specific items by title.

[] A state-wide project in Wisconsin, USA, which aims to make assistive technology devices and services more available to children with disabilities.

[] The Assistive Technology Training Online Project (ATTO) provides information on AT applications that help students with disabilities learn in elementary classrooms. There are five sections: 1. AT Basics, 2.Tutorials, 3. AT Decision Making, 4. Resources, and 5. Project Info.

[|http://easi.cc/<span] style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> EASI: Equal Access to Software and Information. EASI's mission is to serve as a resource by providing information and guidance in the area of access-to-information technologies by individuals with disabilities. EASI attempts to stay informed about developments and advancements within the adaptive computer technology field and spread that information to colleges, universities, K-12 schools, libraries and into the workplace.

Assistive Technology bookmarks found by del.icio.us - [|http://del.icio.us/search/?fr=del_icio_us&p=assistive+technology&type=all</span]>

**Search**

[] Google Scholar provides a simple way to broadly search for scholarly literature. From one place, you can search across many disciplines and sources: peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, abstracts and articles, from academic publishers, professional societies, preprint repositories, universities and other scholarly organizations. Google Scholar helps you identify the most relevant research across the world of scholarly research.

[] Google Book Search works just like any web search. Enter your search terms and then click on a book result. You will then be shown everything from a few short excerpts to the entire book, as well as links to purchasing the book on line, borrowing it from a library, or obtaining details about the publisher.

[] Directory of (Re)search Tools found at the Centre for Learning & Performance Technologies website. This online directory lists tools for (web) searching and researching. This site also provides an E-Learning Handbook with a chapter on searching and researching using the web ([|http://www.c4lpt.co.uk/handbook/research.html).]

**Listservs, Forums, Online Discussions, Groups**

[] Listserv from the Quality Indicators for Assistive Technology Indicators (QIAT) Consortium. This list aims to provide a forum for issues relating to the implementation of quality assistive technology services in schools.

[] The Special Education Needs and ICT (SENIT) list is for teachers, advisers, and others working within education to share practical advice about how ICT can be used to support pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities. There are currently about 400 members.

[] Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) SmartBrief provides a weekly email of key articles from hundreds of publications, with a brief summary of each and links back to the original sources. Go to this link to subscribe.

[] The Closing the Gap forums are free discussion boards supporting the use of assistive technology.

[] The ConnSENSE Letter is emailed about 4 times a year to update subscribers on the latest additions to the ConnSENSE Bulletin website.

[] OnLine listserv provided by Education Queensland’s Disability Services Support Unit.

The OnLine Newsletter ([|open a copy]) is published on a regular basis throughout the year. The newsletter is published in Acrobat format although other electronic formats are available on request. You can receive your own copy of the OnLine Newsletter by subscribing to this OnLine listserv. Go to the address above and select “Adaptive Technology Services OnLine Newsletter” from the first drop down menu.

The Education Queensland’s Learning Place for Assistive Technology ([|http://www.learningplace.com.au/default_community.asp?orgid=77&suborgid=402)] also provides on line information in relation to assistive technology.

[|http://www.aatug.answd.org] Australian Adapted Technology User Group (AATUG). AATUG aims to facilitate the use of adapted technology in the education and employment environments. It’s a discussion list for disseminating and promoting information about the use of adapted technology by people with a disability.

[|http://www.flying-blind.com] Sign up for the Flying Blind, LLC’s E-Newsletter.

[] This group is intended for teachers who adapt their curriculum to accommodate the needs of special education students with the assistance of technology. Join this group to share your ideas, resources and challenges.

[] A wiki exploring the range of web tools to support the learning and access needs of all students.

http://inclusivetechnologies.wikispaces.com This wikispace has been created to allow K-12 educators the opportunity to explore information and resources on emerging technologies that can support students with disabilities and learning difficulties with their learning.

[] Start your own email discussion listserv at [|www.edna.edu.au]. It’s free and easy to set up.

http://www.wikispaces.com Wikispaces lets you create simple web pages that groups, colleagues, friends, and families can edit together. Set up your own wikispace.

[] A number of groups are found at this networking site for assistive technology. Groups relating to assistive technology include the areas of web 2.0, high incidence disabilities, literacy in AAC, and differentiating teacher education.

**Sharing**

**Bookmark managers:**

[] Del.icio.us is a **social bookmarking** website -- the primary use of del.icio.us is to store your bookmarks online, which allows you to access the same bookmarks from any computer and add bookmarks from anywhere, too. You can also use del.icio.us to see the interesting links that your friends and other people bookmark, and share links with them in return.

Links to other bookmark managers: http://dmoz.org/Computers/Internet/On_the_Web/Web_Applications/Bookmark_Managers/ This is a list of bookmark managers found at the Open Directory Project. The Open Directory Project is the largest, most comprehensive human-edited directory of the Web. It is constructed and maintained by a vast, global community of volunteer editors. ([|http://dmoz.org/)]

**edna Groups:**

[] edna Groups is a free service for communication and collaboration between members of the Australian education and training community. edna Groups provide a range of tools to facilitate this communication and collaboration. Each group receives a space in which they can set up web forums, live chats; blogs, wikis, glossaries, databases, calendars, polls, surveys and instant messaging between group members. Group owners can publish web links, files, images and web pages. In addition edna Groups also provides access to email discussion lists through edna Lists service. Groups can be public (open to all) or private (invitation only).

Other collaborative web tools: [] Backpack is a simple web-based service that allows you to make pages notes, files, and images. You can share these pages with other people.

[] Networking site for interested in assistive technology. [] Networking site for those interested in Web 2.0 and collaborative technologies in education.
 * Networking: **

**Blogs**

[] Resources and ideas for teachers of learners with severe, profound, intensive, significant, complex or multiple special needs.

[] Assistive Technology blog. . [] Sam Sennott Blog

[] Karen Janowski's Teaching Every Student Blog.

[] Blog maintained by an educator and an assistive technology specialist and trainer.

[] This blog is for posts and comments on children, disabilities, assistive technology and education.

[] This blog aims to facilitate exploring and sharing online special education resources free resources.

**Software**

[|http://www.endnote.com] EndNote® is a personal reference database program. The main functions of the program are: • Maintenance of a database of references. • Downloading references from other databases. • Using the database to link to references in word-processed documents. • Generating a bibliography in the correct style for publication

http://www.inspiration.com/productinfo/inspiration/index.cfm Inspiration® is a tool used to plan, research, organise and complete written documents.

**Websites for Parents and Families**

http://www.fctd.info/ The Family Center on Technology and Disability is a resource designed to support organizations and programs that work with families of children and youth with disabilities.

http://www.familyvillage.wisc.edu/ Family Village is a global community that integrates information, resources, and communication opportunities on the internet for persons with cognitive and other disabilities, for their families, and for those that provide them services and support.

http://www.ataccess.org/ The Alliance for Technology Access (ATA) is the national network of community-based Resource Centers, Developers, Vendors, and Associates dedicated to providing information and support services to children and adults with disabilities, and increasing their use of standard, assistive, and information technologies.