Many excellent blogs and resources are available online and some are audio or video format. Often they are the work of many years, and are fine tuned with exceptional success in very specific areas of AT. As I evaluate the needs of my district, I believe my site will best serve BCPS if I stick to writing about our specific needs and include this page of links to a huge bank of experts who can answer questions and inspire!
Ablenet University - huge collection of free webinars led by AT professionals
Apps and AT Across the Curriculum - Diana Petschauer, M.Ed,ATP
AT FAQ and AT Update - excellent AT podcasts from Indata at Easter Seals Crossroads
AT Wizard - comprehensive and hugely helpful website created by Kentucky Educational Cooperatives. It offers thorough and well curated examples of assistive technology tools in specific use categories such as: AT Consideration guide, mobile apps, universal design for learning, sensory rooms, and virtual meeting platforms
Christopher Hills - bio and links to his excellent videos about switch access
Complex Child was created in 2008 and is a free online monthly e-magazine curated by a board of parents of children with complex needs. This site is comprehensive, searchable, and has all the back issues on it!
ebcore - home of many powerful, free or inexpensive technologies including communicationboard.io. They are creating technologies for individuals with severe disabilities.
International Dyslexia Association/Kentucky - rich resource promoting evidence-based research about dyslexia, supporting the preparation and continued education of professionals and families, and advancing public awareness and understanding of Dyslexia
QIAT - The mission of QIAT is to guide the provision of quality assistive technology services to improve the educational achievement of students with disabilities. I highly recommend joining their list-serve. It is an indispensable resource for receiving high quality help with AT questions!
Jane Farrall - practical blog about literacy, AAC, and assistive technology
Luis Perez - Google Apps and Extensions for Vision and Literacy Support
Spectronics - well organized blog about all things AT
This Little Miggy Stayed Home - Informative and visually beautiful site and blog written by a mother of a special needs child. In the Disability + Differences Spotlight section, each Friday she spotlights a different child with a disability or medical condition and their amazing family, or an individual who is disabled themselves.
Autism Resources
Autism/ADHD tech considerations for comfort and safety - just a few resources to get you started
Goblin Tools is a collection of small, simple, single-task tools, mostly designed to help neurodivergent people with tasks they find overwhelming or difficultAutism Speaks - an autism advocacy charity and the largest autism research organization in the United States. It is dedicated to promoting solutions, across the spectrum and throughout the life span, for the needs of individuals with autism and families.The AI models used are general purpose models, and so the accuracy of their output can vary. Nothing returned by any of the tools should be taken as a statement of truth. Rather, they are educated guesses and should be checked before using.
Robbie and Me: Autism Reality - This video series is part of a blog which chronicles the life of Robbie, who was a young adult with Severe Autism. His mother created the series to share Robbie's beautiful, complicated everyday life, and to show the need for better training for care workers in group homes, medical staff, and first responders. Follow his trials, tribulations and triumphs...
Physical Mobility resources for reference and referral
Life Essentials Lifts - custom lifts for farmers, industrial workers, residences, auto and RVx. Also a resource for wheelchairs and personal outdoor mobility.
AgrAbility - a national organization dedicated to providing supports to agricultural workers and gardeners with disabilities. They are active in more than 20 states through land grant universities. But anyone can use their wonderful and extensive online Toolbox, which is a resource that contains assistive technology solutions for farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural workers with disabilities.
Wheelpad - WheelPad offers tiny home style accomodations with true universal accessibility, ready to adapt to your home and property. Compared to accessible home renovations, a wheelpad bedroom and bathroom can be deployed in weeks, rather than months, often at the same cost or less. It offers a good possible solution to a way for loved ones to come home sooner after an accident or caregiver transition.
Here are the podcasts on my 'short list'. Check them out!
Joni&Friends Ministry Podcast - Host Crystal Keating and guests share stories of hope through hardship as they answer real questions about disability
Xceptional Leaders - along with hosts Mai Ling Chan and James Berges, disability-focused leaders discuss high profile topics and how they are truly making a difference
Talking with Tech AAC - speech-language pathologists Rachel Madel and Chris Bugaj discuss supporting complex communication needs with alternative and augmentative communication (AAC)
The Tech Guy! - Tech experts Leo Laporte and Mikah Sargent team up to answer all of your burning general tech questions. From the latest gadgets to tried-and-true tech tips. Helps me stay up to date on general technology that is accessible or could be made accessible.
Accessibility Minute - a weekly 1 minute look at Assistive Technology, those clever tools, and devices designed to help people who have difficulties with vision, mobility, hearing, or other special needs!
Assistive Technology Update - a weekly dose of information that keeps you up to date on the latest developments in the field of technology designed to assist people with disabilities and special needs.
Assistive technology FAQ - A twice-monthly question and answer show to address a wide variety of assistive technology questions from persons with disabilities, family members, service providers and other interested parties
Parenting Impossible - The Special Needs Survival Podcast with Annette Hines - Parents and experts discuss a whole host of issues facing the special needs community including raising children with different abilities, transitioning into adulthood, sibling challenges and how to effectively navigate the complex systems in our world.