Father's app lets disabled son 'speak' thru iPad

Victor Pauca will have plenty of presents to unwrap on Christmas, but the 5-year-old Winston-Salem boy has already received the best gift he'll get this year: the ability to communicate.
Victor has a rare genetic disorder that delays development of a number of skills, including speech. To help him and others with disabilities, his father, Paul, and some of his students at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem have created an application for the iPhone and iPad that turns their touch screens into communications tools.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101224/ap_on_hi_te/us_tec_ipad_enabling_speech

Thank you, Associated Press and Yahoo News

Lexia Reading

Lexia Reading, is a break through in reading education to help students gete the essential reading skills needed to succeed in school and life.

Think about being able to do assessment without testing: an accurate, detailed picture of reading performance for your district, school, and student in real time, without having to administer tests.

You will spend more time teaching, students spend more time learning, and all students’ reading skills are improved.

Reda More: http://www.lexialearning.com/

Please understand this is not about endorsing a product. It is about multiple requests from teachers and special ed staff that I take a look at it.

It has a 60 day free trial..I'm looking

Cheerleaders boost team spirit by adding 9 disabled students

Sara Waterman works the line with a toss of her head and a slow-motion shoulder thrust.

Shepton High School cheerleader Allie Heselton, 15, helps 16-year-old Caroline Romo rehearse cheers for a school pep rally.
"I'm a cheerleader," she says, arching her arms in formation. Her teammates applaud. They holler. Then they start jumping.

The Shepton High School cheerleading squad features the characteristic array of pompom-wielding, ponytailed gymnasts. But it also boasts faces less familiar to Texas cheerleading.

Spurred by a national student-led movement, the Plano ISD squad this year added nine students with disabilities to its roster.

In one football season, the Shepton Smiles have helped boost school spirit and promote inclusiveness. The 29-member squad even received a cheer from Oprah Winfrey when members appeared on her show two weeks ago.

"We wanted the girls to realize the world doesn't center around a 16-year-old cheerleader," said coach Quisha Webb.

Read more: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-sheptonsmiles_10met.ART.State.Edition1.43b7eb5.html

Assistive technology devices enable students with disabilities

Assistive technology devices enable students with disabilities to express what they know, and rapid advancements in technology are helping to "redefine ability and disability," says Milton Chen, senior fellow and director emeritus at the George Lucas Educational Foundation.

Read more : http://www.eschoolnews.com/2010/12/08/database-of-assistive-technologies-now-includes-science-related-products/

Google Wants Its Products to Talk to Users

Google has acquired speech synthesis company Phonetic Arts for an undisclosed sum in an effort to enhance its voice output (computer speech) services.

Cambridge-based Phonetic Arts’ speciality is building technology that generates natural expressive speech for computer games, making computers capable of speaking any text in any voice. Google aims to integrate this technology into its products and services to enable it to translate text to speech and speak to users in natural voices.

Read More: http://mashable.com/2010/12/03/google-acquires-phonetic-arts/

We all parents, educators, students need to be following this, it can be an amazing thing to help alot of people

Congress To Consider National Special Needs Parent Day

A resolution calling for the establishment of a national day to recognize the parents of children with special needs is expected to be considered as early as Tuesday in the House of Representatives.
If passed, the resolution would not alter any laws, but would be a ceremonial way for the House to ask the president to issue a proclamation creating an annual day to honor parents of those with special needs.
A recent Department of Health and Human Services survey estimates that 14 percent of American children from birth to age 17 have a chronic physical, developmental, behavioral or emotional condition, according to the resolution, which is sponsored by Rep. Dan Burton, R-Ind.
“Parents of special needs children deserve annual national recognition for their selfless dedication, compassion and sacrifice,” the resolution says.

Thank you Michelle Diament, Disability Scoop