Introducing a new assistive tech blog: IntegrATe, by Gayl Bowser

Gayl Bowser, former coordinator of the Oregon Project of Assistive Technology and co-author of Education Tech Points, is widely known in education circles for her insightful writing and unstoppable enthusiasm. Please join us in welcoming her to the world of blogging!

Just like a garden needs different care from a gardener depending on the time of the year, students and educators need different supports for assistive technology use as they move through the school year.  With each new school season comes change—changes in our students, changes in what they are learning, and changes in our own AT services .  Just as we cannot simply plant a seed and expect to immediately see a plant, we cannot give a student assistive technology and expect to see immediate success. 

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Webinar Alert: Effective Strategies for Creating an Assistive Tech Professional Development Plan

Atomic Learning invites you to join us as we welcome Gayl Bowser for a FREE webinar on creating an Assistive Technology Professional Development plan. Gayl will discuss flexible and practical professional development assessment and planning strategies that include a variety of training approaches including the use of online tutorials.

Thursday, June 10, 2010 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM CDT 

Register here

Atomic Learning and Don Johnston: Assistive Tech Online Training Collection

You already have some great assistive technology tools. Many of them have had a huge impact on your students. 
But, are your teachers making the most of them?

Don Johnston teamed up with Atomic Learning to solve this problem. We came up with an exclusive bundle of online trainings—some of which you won’t find anywhere else. Subscribers will get unlimited whole-district access to thousands of online tutorials for all of your top assistive technology software and devices.

Find out more

New Content Alert: Assistive Tech Apps

Easiteach^® Studio is a powerful and flexible whole-class-teaching software product, which provides a wide range of cross-curricular teaching tools for both primary and secondary schools. This tutorial series will teach you all you need to know about the features that come with the RM Easiteach Starter package.

View two free tutorials on Easiteach Studio

Co:Writer^® 6 is a word prediction software program that helps students translate ideas into writing. Version 6 has been upgraded with a simple single window interface, the ability to speak any text on the computer screen, and enhanced speech options, word bank, and personal dictionary. Version 6 has also made signing into Co:Writer optional so you can begin writing immediately.

View 12 free tutorials on Co:Writer 6

Read:OutLoud^® is a text to speech software program with built in supports for reading comprehension. Version 6 of Read:OutLoud has made it easier to read and navigate every type of file and Web content. There is improved PDF support and NIMAS files don’t require any conversion. In version 6, an outline is automatically formed when students highlight text, simplifying the outline process. Read:OutLoud 6 will instantly open books from Bookshare’s Web site without unpacking.

View 12 free tutorials on Read:OutLoud

Free ebook from Atomic Learning: Integrate Assistive Technology in General Education

Assistive technology can be tremendously beneficial to all educators, not just those in special ed environments. Atomic Learning is committed to integrating assistive technology into the classroom, and we offer this guide in the spirit of that mission. 

Click here to view this ebook.

New Content Alert: OpenOffice.org 3.1

We've released a big batch of new tutorials this week, starting with a series on OpenOffice, the free, open-source productivity alternative.

OpenOffice.org 3.1 Writer - Intro (PC)
http://www.atomiclearning.com/k12/en/oow31_intro

OpenOffice.org 3.1 Calc - Intro (PC)
http://www.atomiclearning.com/k12/en/ooc31_intro

OpenOffice.org 3.1 Impress - Intro (PC)
http://www.atomiclearning.com/k12/en/ooi31pc_intro

Watch our What's New page in coming days for all our new product releases, including tutorials on Moodle, Comic Life, Windows 7 and more.

Career Opportunity Alert: Assistive Technology Sales Manager

Assistive technology plays a tremendous role in leveling the playing field for many students whose disabilities need not be hindrances to learning. If you're passionate about learning and have a background in sales and some knowledge of assistive tech, drop us a line!

The Assistive Technology Sales Manager is responsible for Assistive Technology account sales and sales related activity for the Domestic Sales Team. This position requires knowledge of solution-based selling, education organizations and a strong understanding of the education sales cycle. This person must act as the liaison and be the main contact person between Atomic Learning and defined accounts.

An Assistive Technology Partnership at ATIA 2009

Atomic Learning's Amanda Peters was joined by Beth Thomlinson of Freedom Scientific for a seminar at this year's ATIA conference in Chicago. Freedom Scientific offers "technology-based products that provide equal access to information and computing for those with vision impairments or learning disabilities."

Atomic Learning offers tutorials on these products as part of our award-winning Assistive Technology Collection.

Assistive Technology Collection earns Tech&Learning Award of Excellence

Tech & Learning magazine today named 65 education technology products as winners in its prestigious 27-year-old recognition program. Honored software, hardware, network, and web products include innovative applications that break new ground as well as those that added significant enhancements to proven education tools. A panel of more than 30 educators, who tested more than 100 entries across the country, chose the winners.

"This year’s awards have grown to include new hardware and network categories", says Kevin Hogan, Editorial Director for NewBay Media’s Tech & Learning Group. "Our judges, which include stalwarts such as our resident expert Joe Huber and the staff of Philadelphia’s Science Leadership Academy, put dozens of entries through their paces. To come out with their seal of approval is a testament to the product."

Atomic Learning's Assistive Technology Collection includes short, show-and-tell video tutorials that empower educators to use and apply assistive technology. The foci of these tutorials are:

• Special education software
• Assistive technology devices
• Software accessibility training tutorials

Examples of tutorials include Boardmaker 6, JAWS 9, Overboard, WordQ, SpeakQ, Co:Writer, Inspiration, Kidspiration, as well as accessibility features in Leopard, Windows XP and Vista.

Upcoming Conferences

We hope to see you at these upcoming conferences:

MassCUE	October 28-29
ATIA Chicago (booth 419)	October 29-31
EDUCAUSE	November 3-6
ESC-2/TCEA Area 2	November 3
GAETC	November 4-6
ECIS	November 18-22
NYSCATE	November 22-24
TIES	December 12-15

Free passes to Closing the Gap in Minneapolis (Saturday, 10/17)

Print your access pass for Closing the Gap, the assistive technology conference this week in Minneapolis. You can get into the exhibit hall at no cost from 9-2 on Saturday.

http://www.closingthegap.com/media/pdfs/ctg_exhibit_pass.pdf

Atomic Learning and Assistive Technology

Atomic Learning has developed a fantastic resource for those wishing to implement assistive technology in their classrooms. Assistive technology can be tremendously beneficial to all educators, not just those in special ed environments.

We offer an entire library of assistive tech tutorials as a companion to any Atomic Learning subscription, or as a stand-alone resource. It's an inexpensive asset that can really have an impact with individual students.

Atomic Learning will be present at several upcoming assistive technology conferences. Please stop by to discuss your particular needs and get a custom price quote. You may be surprised how affordably you'll be able to add this collection.

We’ll be at Closing the Gap in Bloomington, Minnesota, October 14-17. Find us at booth number 107. We're hosting a hands on computer lab session on Thursday the 15th from 3:30-4:30, called “An A.T. Training Solution for All”.

We’ll also be at ATIA in Chicago, October 29-31, booth 419. We will be presenting a hands-on session Friday the 30th entitled “An A.T. Training Solution for All” from 9:15-10:15, and a two-hour session entitled “Atomic Learning and WYNN Provide Universal Design for Learning” from 1:15-3:15.

Call us today at (866) 259-6890 (U.S.) or +1 320-632-5064 ext 180 (international).

Archived webinar: Integrating Assistive Technology Tools for Writing into General Education

Integrating Assistive Technology Tools for Writing into General Education from Atomic Learning on Vimeo.

Assistive Tech Webinar #1 Archived, #2 Coming Up!

Our first in a series of AT webinars, "Integrating Assistive Technology Tools for Writing into General Education", went well with fantastic attendance levels. Thanks to all who participated! You may review or share this webinar here.

Gayl Bowser, this webinar's host, has offered to answer questions on our Conversations network. She's also made her presentation slides available. Join the discussion!

The second webinar in this series, "Assistive Technology Integration for Teachers", will take place September 30 at noon CDT. This session will focus on how to integrate Assistive Technology in your classroom management routines, how to think about it in your anticipatory set and levels of participation, and in your rules, procedures, and goals.

You may register for this free webinar here.

First Assistive Tech Webinar Today (9/10/09)!

As mentioned in an earlier post, we're kicking off the school year with a series of webinars on assistive technology integration. The first is today at noon CDT. There's still time to register if you're interested.

After the webinars, we'll be continuing the discussions at our new Atomic Learning Conversations network. Please join us regardless of your attendance at the webinar.

Upcoming Assistive Technology Webinars

As the 2009-10 school year begins, we'll be hosting a series of free webinars on assistive technology integration. Presented by assistive technology consultant and program director Gayl Bowser, and Amanda Peters, content developer at Atomic Learning, these live sessions will discuss assistive technology for writing, successful classroom integration, and district implementation.

Starting mid-September, a one-hour session will kick off the series and three one-half hour sessions will follow. Interested persons may register for any or all of these webinars:

"Integrating Assistive Technology Tools for Writing into General Education"
September 10, 2009, 12-1 PM Central
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/541200546

"Assistive Technology Integration for Teachers"
September 30, 2009, 12-12:30 PM Central
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/346831954

"Assistive Technology Integration for Development Teams"
November 5, 2009, 12-12:30 PM Central
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/739527331

"District Level Action to Encourage Assistive Technology Integration"
December 3, 2009, 12-12:30 PM Central
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/624339115

We're well known for our vast collection of short how-to videos on many common software applications. We are also committed to helping educators implement assistive technology into both general and special education classrooms. To learn more or try sample training from this collection, visit AtomicLearning.com/AssistiveTechnology or call (866) 259-6890.

New Atomic Learning Website Introduced at NECC

Atomic Learning is working to bring much exciting new functionality to its users. At NECC 2009, the team introduced a new website to visitors for the first time. While not yet available to everyone, the new site is being experienced by several districts for testing and evaluation. It will make Atomic Learning even easier to use, share, and explore.

Along with a new look, Atomic Learning has enhanced focus on professional development, technology integration, and assistive technology. We're going from "How do I do that?" to "How do I apply that?".

Feedback from all has been tremendously positive. Look for a worldwide launch August 1, 2009. We can't wait to show it to you!

Free Assistive Tech software introductory videos

What is Assistive Technology software? Atomic Learning offers free intro videos which are useful on their own. Feel free to browse our entire collection and try some out.

Of course, our just-in-time tutorials are just the beginning of what AL offers. Look for many new features, tools, and resources with the launch of our new website in August.