Remarkable Videos

You can find more than 50 videos of parents, professionals, and leaders in the assistive technology field talking about their remarkable moments with AbleNet solutions. Please take a look and celebrate 25 years or Remarkable Results!

Amazing Accessibility for YouTube

Creating captions for your videos on YouTube becomes much easier today, thanks to automatic speech recognition (ASR) technology.

Auto-Timing: Upload a transcript (a simple file with the text of what's said in the video), and through speech recognition technology we'll turn it into synchronized captions. Timing is the toughest part of creating captions, but now this should be much easier. The technology works best for videos with good sound quality and clear spoken English.

Auto-Captions: We use the same speech recognition technology to create machine-generated captions (which can then be translated into 51 languages). You can see auto-caps in action right now on a range of educational channels, such as UC Berkeley, Stanford, MIT, Yale, UCLA, Duke, UCTV, Columbia, PBS, National Geographic, Demand Media, UNSW and most Google channels, including YouTube's. Click on the menu button at the bottom right of the video player, then click CC and the arrow to its left, then click the new "Transcribe Audio" button. In time, we hope to expand this feature for many more YouTube videos.



Auto-caps is a continued step towards YouTube's goal of making video accessible everywhere (web, mobile, TV) and to everyone (other countries, languages, alternative access modes). It's also an example of using technology to enhance the video experience. For more details, please check this post on the Google Blog.

http://youtube-global.blogspot.com/2009/11/innovation-in-accessibility.html

Sweet Video of Dad playing with Son using BIGmack and Switch Adapated Elmo

Dad and son playing with Elmo!

Big Mouth Camp in Australia

This camp is a great opportunity for kids using AAC tools to spend time together. For a very modest donation, AbleNet was able to help a child attend the camp and I encourage people to learn more about the event and consider sponsorhsip for next year as well.

Here is a description from the website... and check out the photos too:

"The Big Mouth Camp is a residential camp for school aged children using speech generating devices and their families and carers. The primary aim of the camp is for the children using the devices to improve their device use and become much more competent communicators in a fun and relaxing atmosphere.

Intensive communication therapy is provided each morning, and the afternoon involves activities and opportunities for everyone to practice the skills they have learnt in the morning. Separate sibling recreation sessions are also conducted in the mornings, and this time will also provide an opportunity for parents/carers to discuss and work on issues around augmentative and alternative communication.

The camp also offers mentoring from experienced adult communication device users, training from device manufacturers / support staff, sessions on related disability computer software and much more!"

The Teachings of Jon - The Movie

My wife and I watched this movie last night and it does an excellent job showing the love of a family and the real world challenges and successes that come with raising a child (and then caring for an adult) from 1960 until today with Down Syndrome.

You will laugh, cringe, question some decisions and methodology, and maybe even cry... but you will see, feel, and know the love of Jon's family. It is a must watch.

One issue, however, that I could not escape through the movie - where is the Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)? Many times during the 1 hour long movie (check the website for show times or you can purchase a DVD) the family mentions the challenges with communication and you can see Jon's frustration without having a voice. Though he does a great job with the signs her has, it is clear that appropriate communication technology would allow him to express and interact more.

This is an excellent example of how assistive technology (in particular AAC) can enhance the lives of even the most accomplished individuals with challenges. Please watch it today!

Music at the blink of an eye - Article from the Irish Times by Siobhan Long

Siobhan Long, Manager of the National Assistive Technology Training Service for Enable Ireland, wrote an excellent article that was in the mainstream press that talks about James Brosnan and the amazing music and work he accomplishes using assistive technology. I especially appreciated the feedback from James about what needs to be done to improve service and advocacy for people with disabilities. Please check it out!

Dr. Laz Uses Music and Assitive Technology to Inspire

Here’s a new video featuring the remarkable results achieved by an educator who uses assistive technology to inspire through music. I absolutely love it!

Here is Dr. Laz’s description of the video from YouTube:

“Students with autism, Down-syndrome, cerebral palsy, and other profound special needs, use adaptive switches & assistive technology to sing, dance, & drum their way into your hearts. Most are non-verbal and many use wheelchairs - but this hasn't stopped them from getting on stage and strutting their stuff! Some of the students use switches & communication devices to sing, tell jokes, and even be the MC for the show. Enjoy y'all.”



Here’s the link to the video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afKfSPvYQ3M

Disability TV

Jane Farrall, a speech therapist in Australia, sent around a fantastic video of a young woman using an AAC device from a website called disabilitytv.com. This website features the television work of a group is based in New Zealand and they produce programming focusing on people with different abilities called Attitude - here's a description:

Attitude is funded by New Zealand On Air. It screens 40 weeks a year on TV One and is an upbeat television magazine series designed to reflect the lifestyle, issues and interests of people either living with a disability or caring for a person with a disability.

Each week we present a mix of stories. These stories include profiles of individuals living with a disability, information about new techniques or technology, sports stories, and the thoughts and views of people all over the world living with a disability. We also aim to advocate on behalf of the disabled community, to ensure issues are aired and addressed and to uphold the spirit of both the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights for People with Disabilities and the New Zealand Disability Strategy.

Check it out!

Proloquo2Go 1.0 for iPhone

Here are some great videos showcasing an exciting new applicaiton for iPhone and iTouch for AAC - more informaiton available at:

http://www.assistiveware.com/pr.php

Scholarship in Disabilities

http://www.limeconnect.com/google.html

Please share this link for more information about a Google/Lime scholarship for students with disabilities in the computer science or computer engineer program, full time in the 2009-2010 year.

We definitely need more people in this field with disability knowledge! Please pass it on!

A Great AbleDay in France

On March 30, 2009 Thierry Danigo from RNT (Reseau Nouvelles Technologies) hosted an AbleDay in Lille, France and he has posted some great information on his blog:

http://rnt.over-blog.com/article-29735021.html

This frequently updated blog (in French) is a treasure chest of information - check it out often and great videos too (http://rnt.over-blog.com/)

AbleDay in Asturias

In early April in Asturias, Spain we had a great group that was excited about bringing more easy-tech to the region. Many people were new to the application of assitive technology not only for communication - but access - such as turning on a switch adapted toy with a Jelly Beamer (see pink toy pig image).

I learned something new too! In this part of the world they drink Cidra- with a very special way to serve it (poured from very high) - check out these videos from my collegue Gil Barrero at:

Sistemas Adaptados para Movilidad e Independencia
Nueve de Mayo, 20, 1º F
33002 OVIEDO
http://www.sistemasadaptados.es/


A lesson of how to throw ("escanciar") the cidra:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECryZuRJRlc&feature=related

A professional, using 3 glasses at the same time:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhG7tHWoAw8&feature=related

This is a famous spanish travel tv program and uou can see not all people in Spain know about cidra:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WR1BQtPa_rs&feature=related

This is an experimental Wii game - about pouring cidra:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7oxP5fF4bk

Thank you Gil for a great AbleDay and evening with a bit of cidra!

ATA Associate Memberhip - Join Now for FREE

Here's an amazing organization that I am proud to be a part of - the Alliance for Technology Access - that has a free offer allowing you to become an associate member and join the ATA listserve with valuable discussion and information.

http://www.ataccess.org/community/signup/signup.lasso

More:

The mission of the Alliance for Technology Access (ATA) is to increase the use of technology by children and adults with disabilities and functional limitations. The ATA is a growing national network of technology resource centers, organizations, individuals and companies. ATA encourages and facilitates the empowerment of people with disabilities to participate fully in their communities.

Videos on YouTube Featuring AAC in the Community

An ongoing request I have to the global members of our assistive technology community is to post videos on YouTube for the world to see about the great work that can be accomplished using AbleNet, Tash, and SoftTouch technology tools. We have many projects in the works now with this in mind...

I just received this link to a channel on YouTube that a group in Bulgaria has posted:


http://www.youtube.com/user/AbleChildren

Video provides an excellent way to communicate how to use AT tools. Please feel free to view and share these videos with any would be interested and send me your examples!

Special Project with AbleNet BJ Adapatciones at http://kitablenet.blogspot.com/

http://kitablenet.blogspot.com/blenet.blogspot.com/

This blog is a special collaboration with AbleNet, BJ Adapatciones, and select centers around Spain using assistive technology to improve the lives of people with disabilities by improving access, communication, and environmental control.

Welcome from Adam Wing at AbleNet

This blog highlights remarkable applications of assistive technology around the world.

Participation Kits from PISP in Canda

My friend Terry Wendorf at the Provincial Integration Support Program in Canada kindly sent me an update about their growing FREE online resources and highly regarded Participation Kits. These kits provide clear, easy to follow instructions and videos you can use and share to best utilize our assistive technology in academic settings.
Here are two of the newest Participation Kits for your presentations, newsletters, and more:
Music Lessons http://www.pisp.ca/kits/index_music.html
Drama Lessons http://www.pisp.ca/kits/index_drama.html

Please visit their website at http://www.pisp.ca/kits/index.html and download more great free materials that you can share with your customers and clients today!