'CHANGING YOUR PERSPECTIVE TO ONE OF CONSISTENT DISCOVERY'

 

Stephen Colbert had an inspirational guest in his 'Colbert Report' the other day, Aimee Mullins. You can click on her name to go to her site.

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Aimee Mullins
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Fox News

"Born without fibulae in both legs, Aimee's medical prognosis was bleak; she would never walk and indeed would spend the rest of her life using a wheelchair. In an attempt for an outside chance at independent mobility, doctors amputated both her legs below the knee on her first birthday. The decision paid off. By age two, she had learned to walk on prosthetic legs, and spent her childhood doing the usual athletic activities of her peers: swimming, biking, softball, soccer, and skiing, always alongside "able-bodied" kids."

This is a sampling of the themes Aimee addresses in her talks:

Innovative Thinking - changing your perspective to one of consistent discovery
Inclusive Design - human factors; the complete picture
Personal Leadership - learning to embrace change and challenge
Body Image - issues and resolutions
Leveraging Your Network - the power of collaborative change
Equity in Sports - opportunity and access for all

 

Some Sources For Accessible Children's Literature

* Accessible Book Collection
* Alex Catelogue of Electronic Texts
* Childrenstory
* KidsClick
* Magic Keys
* National Geographic for Kids
* Online Children's Stories
* Tar Heel Reader
* We Read

CHECK THIS OUT! ctd.

Breath & Shadow
A Journal of Disability Culture and Literature

Breath & Shadow is a quarterly journal of disability culture and literature. A project of AbilityMaine, . . . written and edited entirely by people with disabilities. . . . [I]n Breath & Shadow you will find poetry, fiction, essays, interviews, drama, and other writing that examines the human experience of living with disability — in every single issue.

The editors of Breath & Shadow believe that personhood in the land of disability can and should be presented in its multiplicity. Thus, diversity of writing style, content, genre, and category, as well as author demographics, is a goal for each issue. . . . [O]ur journal showcases writing by people with disabilities in all its power, complexity, and breadth. . . . [W]e feature writing by children and adults; people with physical, mental, emotional, and sensory disabilities; and new/emergent and established writers.

Sample:
A Road Not Chosen

A spider web
reaches
curves
arches
from one point
to different ends,
f o r m s
shapes - hearts, angles, triangles,
roads to the outside
I weave a life
from stories spun
of roads taken
in my life --
some not chosen --
traumatic brain injury
when I hit my head --
hard
in a car accident
knocked out
in a coma
no one knew
what would be left of me.
I spin inwards after TBI
till I hit the center mark,
golden goodness of my source.
When I get back out -
side
through poetry,
I will find my way back
to the web
of life on earth.

Louise Mathewson holds a Masters degree in Pastoral Studies from Loyola University in Chicago. An author and poet, her work has appeared in numerous publications including Wordgathering: Journal of Disability Poetry, Cup of Comfort (Vol. 1), Mochila Review, Boulder County Kid and Sasee magazines and internationally in Borderlines '08, an anthology published by the University of Portsmouth, United Kingdom. Louise has always loved to write about the sacred moments in everyday experiences, but today those experiences hold even deeper meaning. In January 2003 Louise emerged from a two-week coma following an auto-accident in which she suffered a traumatic brain injury. Though a struggle at first, Louise resumed writing as soon as she was able. Today she lives with her husband in Eden Prairie, Minnesota where she continues to write and recover.

BOOKS WITHOUT BARRIERS

BOOKSHARE

Accessible Books and Periodicals for Readers with Print Disabilities

• Bookshare™ is free for all U.S. students with qualifying disabilities. Student memberships are currently funded by an award from the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP).
• Bookshare dramatically increases the accessibility of books. Bookshare believes that people with disabilities deserve the same ease of access to books and periodicals that people without disabilities enjoy.
• A searchable online library. Bookshare offers more than 50,000 digital books, textbooks, teacher-recommended reading, periodicals and assistive technology tools.
• Readers of all ages. Bookshare offers affordable membership, unlimited library privileges and a community of Members, Volunteers, parents, publishers and authors.

THE LAW OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES STRIKES AGAIN

" . . . many technologies we take for granted today in mainstream life were originally designed to accommodate people with disabilities. . . . An unintended consequence of accessible technology is safety and convenience for mainstream citizens."

I ran across these words in an article entitled, Accessible Technology Meets the Mainstream, by Darby Patterson. (Click on the link for the full article to read of examples and upcoming ideas.)

For someone who can remember the days when any idea of concession for the disabled was unwelcome, this realization is amazing (and completely expected). I feel an "I told you so" coming on.

"NEW 'AT' DISCOVERY"

You know, I try to keep my eyes open for new AT finds. Something about this one seems just a bit familiar. What do you think?

Worth1000 company launches a new paper-based image editor!

Posted by JaxomLOTUS on April 01

The company behind Worth1000 (Aviary) is proud to announce that it has launched its newest product, Crane, the web's first paper-based image editor.



Crane is Aviary's first venture into the newly discovered concept of non-web based applications. The system will work from anywhere and, amazingly, does not require an internet connection.

How Crane works

We've taken on the arduous task of back engineering familiar tools from image editors such as Phoenix and Photoshop, and creating tangible versions of these functions in Crane.



We've remarkably been successful in recreating most the tools in Crane as you are familiar with in your favorite digital drawing software.

The full announcement can be read here...

RESOURCES

The logo above links to A LOT of information!

OH! OH! OH! OH!

If you haven't noticed the new widget at the top of the side bar, please take the time to look. It is not elegant, but it is soooooooo cool. AND I DID IT! Well, not by myself.

This widget allows you to change the text size on my blog to suit your needs.

I have been trying to do this since I started the blog, and it has been frustrating. I finally ran across the code on a site called Technology and Code, then had to figure out how to use it. Since I know nothing about programming, what should have been simple, was a major challenge.

I hope my little victory is of assistance to you.

If there are any other changes that would make my site more accessible to you, please let me know in the comments. As a computer illiterate, I can make no promises; but I will endeavor to make accessibility an integral part of my blog balance.

NEW TOY ALERT!

I received my birthday present two months early this year, and I am so excited about it! I've just begun playing with it, and I think it is something to share here. It is a PULSE PEN by LIVESCRIBE.

I write, and have always started longhand. I then entered it into the computer to revise. If I wanted to work on a piece, say, at a coffee shop, I'd have to print it out again and then reenter the new changes. What about a laptop, you query? Well, I haven't always had one, and even when I finally did, it wasn't always as convenient as it was cracked up to be. (Plugs/battery life, space & security issues, etc.)

Soooooooo ...

I had been looking at writing options for people with motor disabilities, and the thing they have most in common is high price. Universal Design for Living, however is gaining momentum in our fast paced, digital world. Who knew that things made for the convenience of "normal" people, (and I write that with tongue firmly in cheek) would be helpful to those with disabilities?

The Pulse Pen can actually record a lecture while you are writing and connect it to your notes so that you capture a more complete picture. This is important for those with motor issues as well as those with attention and input issues. Write key words and the program indexes the recording with what you wrote and when you wrote it (so you can keep actual writing to a minimum). When you get home, put the pen in its cradle and it all is uploaded. I have a MAC Air Book, and installation was effortless.

I am not describing it well, so you need to go to the website.

Oh, and I mentioned price before. The 2G model was priced reasonably - much better than some products built specifically for those with disabilities. The key is to know what you need from a program or device, and find one that meets that need. The pool of choices is expanding and I, for one am excited.

The saga will continue ...

What Do You Think?

I have been trying to emulate an application I've seen on some web sites wherein the reader clicks on a button and changes the size of the print they see on that site (not their own browser). I would like to have that installed on this blog, unfortunately I can only find it in code form. Being that I'm not quite a programmer yet, I haven't been able to make it work. I will continue to work on it, but if anyone knows of an alternative, please let me know.

In the meantime, I ran across this and thought it might be helpful.

Readability : An Arc90 Lab Experiment from Arc90 on Vimeo.

Look! Look!

Living in the State of Stuck: How Assistive Technology Impacts the Lives of People With Disabilities Brookline Books; 4th (2005) by Marcia J. Scherer $19.80

“Provides an overview of the issues surrounding assistive technology by using vignettes to describe those who use assistive devices and those who tried and abandoned them.”

I have been looking for information to help with, what I have learned is a fairly common phenomenon, students refusing to use the assistive devices that will help them, because 'normal' people will see. One of my students actually said, "It's better to be stupid, than different." My student population is at risk if they are not able to take advantage of all that is available to them, and this is the first book I've seen that comes from their point of view. After hearing my middle schoolers say that we don't understand, I have started trying to see more from their perspectives.

The Magnifying Glass Pro utility is a virtual magnifier that enables you to enlarge (magnify) text and graphics as they are displayed on your computer monitor or attached television screen, or projected onto a larger media during a presentation (e.g., using an application such as PowerPoint). As you pass your mouse cursor over a section of the viewing area, the display is magnified making it instantly more readable and accessible. In addition, you can apply a variety of visual effects and enhancements to that display. Magnifying Glass Pro is modestly priced at $24.95.

The links for both of these are to the left as well

I know this is supposed to be spring break -
but I just ran across a good article on LD Online entitled, "On The Go: What Consumer Products Can Do For You ( If You Know Where To Look!)." It's about how our everyday digital, cellular, and hand held whatnots have the capacity to act as assistive technologies. It is really worth looking at. And I see rain out my window, anyway ...

I 'll leave you with a butterfly to help bring back the sunshine.