ATIA Conference, 2012: A Great Experience for Parents and Professionals!

The Assistive Technology Industry Association ("ATIA") is a not-for-profit membership organization of manufacturers, sellers and providers of technology-based assistive devices and/or services.  The Annual ATIA Conference is a HUGE source of information on assistive technology and disabilities for professionals and families!  This conference, held in Orlando this year (January26-28, 2012), offers a wide variety of lectures, hands-on demos, trainings and more on technology and resources related to all disabilities (e.g., communication, hearing, vision, mobility, etc...).  There are specific tracks for families and professionals and the exhibit hall is free of charge with an "exhibit hall only" registration.  Parents, this is a great place to connect with professionals (e.g., therapists, teachers, advocates), products, and services that can greatly improve the lives of your special kids!  Professionals, this is a great place to network with experts, learn about new research, therapeutic principles, products, and services, and get continuing education credits! Check out the ATIA conference site for more details.  Register soon so you don’t miss out on the early bird discounts!  ATIA also provides great resources year-round on their website, including free webinar trainings, a newsletter, and links to vendors/products!

Great Links for Switch Activities

Use your iPad as a Switch!

The iPad is a great tool for kids with special needs, but it falls short when it comes to switch accessibility.  Fortunately, there are many great websites that offer a nice variety of switch accessible games and activities! 

Here are a few of my favorite places to go for information on switches.  Most of these are free!
Some require an internet connection to play live, others can be downloaded via an internet connection and played offline later.  There is some duplication in links among the sites (sorry!) but each resource provided below has at least one new site to mention. You can use the Attainment Switch App, Blue 2,or other external switches with a computer to access these activities.  Have a web resource for switch activities?  Post it in the comments below! :)

Switch Gaming
Switch Gaming and OneSwitch.org present a wealth of info on a wide range of switch accessibility topics, including questions on switch interfacing, game reviews for switch accessible games,  a single switch game library, and links to other switch game sites.  This site also has information on equipment for making other gaming systems (e.g., Playstation, Wii) accessible via switches and other adaptations.  It is updated frequently so you can check back often for new resources!

Spectronics
Spectronics offers a short list and description of some of their favorite switch sites.  The links include single and dual switch activities, as well as news activities and books that can be accessed via switches.  This post has not been updated recently but the Spectronics Blog itself is updated often and a good source of information relevant to switch accessibility. 

Teaching Learners with Multiple Special Needs
This site has some links to online switch activities for single switch, single switch scanning, and two-switch use.  The link above is an original post and they have also updated the post this year to include more resources.  This site is updated frequently and also has a lot of other great resources for special education and assertive technology.

VICurriculim.org This site Includes many links for switch accessible, computer games that can be played online or downloaded. The listing iIncludes free activities for single switch use and switch scanning. Cause-Effect and educationally based games are included. It is not updated frequently but is still a great list.

Tech for Triston Update!

Check out our Tech for Triston update! We reached our goal and Triston and his family have already started purchasing and enjoying his equipment!  Check back frequently to see how Triston is learning and communicating with his new system!

Go to the SNEAK Tech for Triston page for full details!

SNEAK's Peeks #3: Using DrawCast to Create High Contrast Picture Symbols

Here is a quick demo of how to use a free App, DrawCast, to create easy, high-contrast picture symbols that you can load into other apps (e.g., AAC Apps, flashcard Apps), or use in print materials for children with visual impairment.  The use of high contrast when creating visual materials for children with visual impairments is an adaptation that helps make pictures and text more accessible to children with special visual needs.  There are a few Apps on the market that sell you high contrast picture sets as flashcards (e.g., Baby Symboizer, iLook) but I find these somewhat limited for the cost, at least when it comes to working with kids with visual impairment and CVI to build attention, vocabulary, and a picture communication system.  Consult with your child's vision therapist or other vision specialist about which vision adaptations (e.g., color combinations, size of pictures, line thickness, etc...) would be best for his needs.  With some guidance and a little creativity, you can use this simple App to create a library of accessible picture symbols for your child that helps build vocabulary and communication skills!