eSchool News: Six Resources that Aim to Help Special-Education Stakeholders

It’s sometimes challenging finding useful information on special education, especially when it comes to technology-related activities.  The following are 6 resources compiled by Meris Stansbury, editor of eSchoolNews.  You'll find them to be resourceful in various issues that concern children with disabilities.


1. AbilityHub Assistive Technology Solutions
An index, and description, of assistive technology for people with a disability who find operating a computer difficult, maybe even impossible. This website will direct you to adaptive equipment and alternative methods available for accessing computers.

2. Apps for Children with Special Needs
Gary James at A4CWSN.com maintains a large list of educational apps for children with special needs. James reviews the apps and posts demonstration videos so that users can see what each one is all about before spending money to purchase them. By producing these videos, James demonstrates how products designed to educate children and build their life skills really work from a user perspective.

3. CAST (Center for Applied Special Technology) Learning Tools
CAST is a nonprofit research and development organization that works to expand learning opportunities for all individuals, especially those with disabilities, through Universal Design for Learning. UDL free multimedia learning tools are designed for students, teachers, and parents.

4. DREAMMS (Developmental Research for the Effective Advancement of Memory and Motor Skills) for Kids
An assistive technology information clearinghouse and search facility, DREAMMS was founded in 1988 by the parents of a child with Down syndrome. DREAMMS is committed to increasing the use of computers, high-quality instructional technology, and assistive technology for children with special needs in schools, homes, and the workplace.

5. SERGE (Special Education Resources for General Educators)
Designed by the Council of Chief State School Officers and sponsored by the MetLife Foundation, SERGE was created to give general classroom educators quick access to information and professional development about addressing the special-ed needs of students who have disabilities.

6. Technology in Special Education
This is a website to collect and share tools, hardware, and applications available for the enhancement of technology in education with an emphasis on special education. The site has been collecting material over the last seven years in an attempt to compile all information in a categorized format so parents, educators, and other professionals who work with kids with special needs can benefit from the knowledge acquired. The reviews are thorough and well-written, and the site organizes events where developers offer special deals to their readers.

Source:  eSchoolNews.com