TechTalk

Spring 2008 Online Edition
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Promoting Independent Living Through Technology

This newsletter is dedicated to Bang Long Jr., 1943 to 2008.
He was a member of IATP's Board of Directors from 1995 to 2007. He served two terms as board president.

• Homeownership Coalition Celebrates Helping 100 Families become Home Owners
• Camp Big Sky
• I'D Vote Campaign
• Accommodations, Techniques & Learning Aids
• Chicago Lighthouse Device Loan Program
• Greater Access to Computing for People who are Blind & Have Reading Disabilities
• Returning Veterans with Disabilities & AT
• Free Online AT Courses
• Dazzled by the Possibilities?
• Ten Dollar Tech
• It's Worth Noting
• Assistive Devices Featured in TechTalk
• IATP Program Descriptions
• About the Newsletter

Homeownership Coalition Celebrates Helping 100 Families become Home Owners

On December 28th the Homeownership Coalition for People with Disabilities celebrated a major milestone in their program: the 100th family to reach their goal of homeownership. The Coalition is an IATP program.

DeShawn Brady and her family, along with approximately thirty other people from the community, held a press conference in her family room. "I finally live in a real community where my children can play outside and my neighbors actually care about us," said first-time homebuyer, Brady, a CNA, whose son has a learning disability.

"I feel so blessed to be a homeowner." With a HOME American Dream Down payment Initiative (ADDI) grant from the Illinois Housing Development Authority and an Assist Grant from National City Mortgage Co. to lower the loan amount and cover closing costs, homeownership became affordable.

Last year, IHDA allocated $410,000 to IATP for the ADDI grant and $92,000 from their Trust Fund to help at least 40 low-income families with special needs buy their first homes in Sangamon, Christian, Logan, Macoupin, Menard, and Montgomery counties.

The ADDI funds came from the federal grant allocations that totaled $993,000 for the state. For 2008, two grants from IHDA totaling $438,000 are now available as well as $84,000 from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago to help first-time homebuyers meet down payment and closing costs.

For more information about the Homeownership Coalition for People with Disabilities contact Robin Benson or Katie Reeves at 217-522-7985 voice, 217-522-9966 tty, or visit www.iltech.org.

Happy homeowners and others at the press conference. Left to Right: Katie Reeves, IATP; Stephanie Verardi, National City Mortgage; Demetreana Brady; Robin Benson, IATP; DeMitchell, Joy, Jalen, DeShawn & Bryant Brady.

Camp Big Sky

Very few public and private venues for outdoor opportunities are accessible. That excludes people with disabilities from participating in many open-air activities.

However, Camp Big Sky provides accessible fishing, camping, boating and other related outdoor opportunities to children and adults with disabilities.

The 100 acre camp has native hardwood timber, wetland, grassland pasture, and spring fed lakes of 5 and 14 acres. It is in Fulton County, Illinois just west of Farmington. It is about one hour from Peoria, 45 minutes from Galesburg, 75 minutes from the Quad Cities, 90 Minutes from Springfield and four hours from Chicago.

Camp Big Sky does not charge participants and their guests, though they will accept voluntary contributions. Any person with a disability that restricts outdoor access is eligible to visit the camp. Both individuals and groups are welcome. They encourage friends and family members to share in these wonderful outdoor experiences.

Currently they offer accessible fishing, camping, picnicking, nature study, and boating. As they continue to develop their accessible infrastructure they will expand their activities. See www.campbigsky.org for more information.

I'D Vote Campaign

One out of every 6 people in the US has a disability. Yet, we are not seen as that large of a voting block. The I'D Vote Campaign is working to change all that. That means we all have to make sure we're registered and that we document the fact we're a powerful voting block.

The first step of the campaign is to find out who is and who isn't registered to vote; and of those registered, who is voting. That will be done through a process called list enhancement. Each CIL in Illinois is working on the campaign to document each voter with a disability.

IATP is proud to be a sponsor of the I'D Vote Campaign and will be working statewide to ensure that Illinoisans with Disabilities turn out in record numbers to vote for the candidates that will give us the same civil and social rights guaranteed to all citizens. Look for more information in the next TechTalk.

For more information contact Ann Ford at the Illinois Network for Centers for Independent Living, 800-587-1227 v/tty, or email her at: annford@incil.org.

Accommodations, Techniques & Learning Aids

The list below offers some ways to help students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) learn more effectively at home or at school. Any of these should be matched to the child's strengths and needs.

• Try a "read-along' technique for students who read slowly or with difficulty. Tape the written text; let the learner follow the printed materials while hearing it.
• Students with memory issues or difficulty taking notes might tape the lesson, or get a copy of the teacher's outline.
• Let poor readers use educational videos, films or talking books to get general information they cannot comprehend on the printed page.
• Students with short term memory disabilities can use a table of facts or a calculator to level the playing field.
• Students with illegible or slow handwriting can use a cassette recorder or a computer with word processing software instead.
• Students who are poor spellers might benefit from a "misspeller's dictionary" or spell checker on a word processor to make homework readable.
• If a student has difficulty reading cursive, small, or crowded print, provide typed, large print, or double spaced materials.
• To develop memory and listening skills, try audio-taped poetry, rhymes, songs, and mnemonics to improve performance.
• Use multi-sensory approaches to teach spelling; it combines saying, spelling aloud, and writing words.

A dictionary or thesaurus, suited to the child's learning level, is also an excellent tool for building vocabulary, spelling and reading comprehension.

For students who need help organizing time, materials and information, consider providing:

• quiet, uncluttered work spaces
• alarm watch
• texts that can be marked with a highlighter;
• a homework assignment diary coordinated between home and school,
• emailing assignments home
• study skills instruction, or
• a personally-developed date-book or scheduler.
• Students who copy inaccurately need written practice to solidify learning. Consider these options:
• leave a space directly under each word, phrase or sentence,
• have handouts on the desk for those who can't copy from the blackboard or take dictation accurately.
• right margin the words for left-handed students,
• leave enlarged "fill in the blank" spaces for students who write large.

For students who process auditory information slowly (i.e.: understanding questions asked, recalling needed information, or forming an appropriate answer):

• be patient.
• give "wait-time" for the answer or provide a list of written questions.
• teach oral and written language together. Use book illustrations to generate conversation, vocabulary and concepts that relate to the text.
• use a verbal summary, a word web, a visual organizer, or a computer presentation.

For students who find reading slow and difficult supplement with:

• video tapes
• DVDs
• captioned TV programs, or
• computer software.

Chicago Lighthouse Device Loan Program

The Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind has an equipment loan program. Users can borrow devices and try them out before deciding to purchase a device.
In addition they also offer the following services:

• Analysis of computer compatibility of the technology selected
• Short-term training on adaptive technology equipment at the Center or at the work site
• Set-up of the equipment in the home or office
• Follow-up for further refinements and additional specialized job-related training

Greater Access to Computing for People who are Blind & Have Reading Disabilities

System Access To Go (SAToGo) is a new, free, screen reader service. It gives people who are blind access to the internet. It is not tied to a specific computer and will work on any internet connected computer that has sound and runs Windows Vista or Windows XP. The computer must also run Internet Explorer as its web browser.

While this program is set up for people who are blind and visually impaired; it can increase internet accessibility for people who have reading disabilities, like dyslexia or other learning disabilities.

All the user needs to do is go to any computer that has an internet connection; go to the AIR website and press alt+a.

This innovation comes from The AIR Foundation. Their mission is to promote universal accessibility so that every blind and low-vision person in the world has access to digital information over the Internet and Worldwide Web.

The foundation offers Web 2.0 accessible screen reader at no cost. Serotek Corporation offered AIR the exclusive license in perpetuity. SAToGo is powered by Serotek's System Access software. It provides immediate text to speech, magnified visual, and Braille access to digital information presented through the Web or other means, while the user is directly connected to the Internet.

The software does not remain resident on the user's computer when the connection to the Internet is interrupted or terminated. Users can obtain access to the free software by calling 877-369-0101 or visiting www.accessibilityisaright.org.

"SAToGo is highly intuitive and requires minimal training to use," said Serotek CEO, Mike Calvo, "the user not only has access to information displayed on Web pages, but to Web-based applications such as Internet telephone service, and to applications resident on the host computer. The user can also access PDF files, fill out forms, and otherwise interact with information with the same facility as a sighted person."

Returning Veterans with Disabilities & AT

There are more than 26 million veterans of the armed forces from World War I to today. The harsh realities of war have cost many veterans their hearing, eyesight and limbs. Luckily, veterans can rely upon assistive technology to enhance their quality of life. Veterans who return home with a service-related disability have several entitlements including the eligibility for assistive technology devices and services, according to the Veteran's Administration.
Veterans who are covered by the federal government do not need to worry about costs, provided they fill out the proper paperwork. The only payments that must be made by covered veterans are co-payments for the technician's time. Here is a brief list of services and devices that the VA should cover for eligible veterans.
Services Funded:

• Assessment/Evaluation
• Fitting
• Ordering
• Training
• Maintenance/Repair
• Fabrication (custom)

Equipment Funded:

• Mechanical and electronic aids for daily living (ADL)
• Durable medical supplies
• Van lifts
• Residential elevators
• Beds/Bed Modifications
• Communication Devices
• Vision and/or Hearing Devices
• Home/Building Modifications
• Mobility/Ambulation Aids
• Prosthetics and Orthotics
• Seating and Positioning
• Transportation/Driving
• And more

For a complete copy of Veterans' Benefits and Assistive Technology: Considering The Possibilities by Diana M. Straube for the Neighborhood Legal Services, Inc., see www.resna.org/taproject/library/conference/2007at/veterans.rtf

Free Online AT Courses

If you need to learn more about using new technologies in the classroom, then these workshops are for you! This series will introduce you to using adaptive computer technologies and designing accessible online curricula. Teachers as well as parents can benefit from these classes.

Courses include:

• ADAPT 001: Introduction to Adaptive Computer Technologies
• ADAPT 002: Designing Accessible Curriculum
• ADAPT 003: Learn to Braille

The workshops link to a discussion forum, and users are highly encouraged to get involved, share experiences, problems and successes in their fields. It is available to complement the content within the workshops.

These workshops are not moderated; you'll work at your own pace. You don't have to register and they are absolutely free.

The Adaptive Technology Resource Centre (ATRC) at the University of Toronto offers this educational outreach program.

Dazzled by the Possibilities?

It is easy to be dazzled by the possibilities in new assistive technology; but users and/or parents also need to be smart consumers. Asking probing questions about features and the quality of a device can ensure it truly meets the potential user's need.

Below are questions to consider when a user is evaluating a device:

Performance

• Does it work efficiently and effectively?
• Is it easy to learn to use it?
• Is it compatible with other devices?
• Is it flexible, or does it serve only one purpose?

• Does this device represent the simplest, most efficient way to accomplish the task?
• Or, is this device too elaborate or complicated to be worthwhile?

• Does it fit?
• Is it convenient to use?
• Is it portable enough?
• Will I need different devices in different environments?

• What is the manufacturer's reputation for reliability?
• Is it durable?

• Is it safe to use?
• Is a margin built in for foreseeable misuse?
• How does the device get its power? Is that safe?

• Do sales people seem knowledgeable and helpful?
• Are service people knowledgeable and helpful?
• Does the device have a warranty? How long is it guaranteed?
• How available are repair services? At what cost?
• Can I lease it?
• Can I get a trial period before purchase?
• Will it soon be outdated? Is something better on the horizon?
• Will the company upgrade the device?
• Does the manufacturer provide training?

• Is this device attractive to the eye?
• Does it fit my lifestyle?

• Does the device help me live more independently?
• Can I operate the device independently or with a minimum of assistance?
• Or does the device "stick out" too much?
• Does the equipment minimize or exaggerate difference?
• Does the device separate the user from others or improve my opportunities to be fully integrated?

• Do the benefits the device provides justify the cost?
• Can a less expensive device work just as well?

• Is this device my own choice?
• Do I like it and want to use it?
• Will it enhance my life?
• Would I prefer another device or way to perform the task?
• Will using it be a chore or can using it become a habit?

Ten Dollar Tech

Ten Dollar Tech is a regular column that features low cost technology or adaptations.

Learning math is like learning a foreign language, separate from English. A student must know the language to crack the code. It has a unique set of symbols that have specific meaning. If they learn the rules well, they will be easier to follow. They must understand the vocabulary. Once a student masters the fundamental, the user has command of the language and freedom to participate in the possibilities it affords. Students with specific learning disabilities in math have an even greater need to learn the fundamentals if they are to succeed.

There are simple no/low tech adaptations that can support a student learning math concepts and fundamentals.

Some of the ideas come from The College of New Jersey, Center for Assistive Technology and Inclusive Education Studies website, http://www.tcnj.edu/~caties; Dyscalculia Online, www.dyscalculia.org; still others are from IATP's creative and generous staff. No-Tech/Low Tech Math Adaptations

• Introduce the general principle, truth, or law that other truths hinge on. Let the students use investigations with concrete materials to discover proofs of these truths.
• Provide posters with words that indicate operations in word problems (+ means plus, add, more, increase)
• Add cues to signs in texts and worksheets "-means subtract"
• Box computation items
• Allow use of calculator, number line or multiplication table
• Fold worksheets so students work on one row at a time
• Highlight directions and cues
• Have the student keep a time log of their activities to teach the concept of time.
• Use large print material
• Reduce the number of items
• An abacus incorporates all three learning styles, auditory, visual and tactile
• Provide answer boxes
• Use graph paper or turn lined paper landscape for place value alignment
• Color code different math calculations (adding = red, subtracting= blue, etc.)
• Highlight steps or areas a student may overlook

It's Worth Noting

Plan to attend the Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities in Illinois and the Illinois Network of Centers   for Independent Living for the upcoming

Annual Disability Rights/ Independent Living Conference. It will be April 28-30, 2008 in downtown Springfield at the President Abraham Lincoln Hotel and Convention Center and the Prairie Capitol Convention Center.

Check CCDI's website for more information, www.ccdinonline.org or call 800-433-8848. v/tty.

Guide for Aging Computer Users

Microsoft developed a site to help people with age-related disabilities use a computer easier. The site features adjustments that are built-in to Microsoft windows. It covers:

• Making the screen easier to see
• Making the computer easier to hear
• Making the keyboard easier to use
• Using speech recognition in Vista
• Making the Internet easier to use
• Making the mouse easier to use

Visit http://www.microsoft.com/enable/aging to learn more.

South of I-80 Conference for Teens with Visual Disabilities & Their Parents.

Saturday, April 5, 2008 - 8:45am-4:30pm at Illinois School for the Visually Impaired, Jacksonville, IL.

Conference topics include: Parent Perspective; Daily Living and Independence; Technology Fair; Student Perspective.

Teens with Visual Impairments are encouraged to attend with parents.

STAR NET has fellowships available to eligible families. Contact Mandy Hall at 800-227-7537 x293 or download at www.wiu.edu/starnet

For more information about the conference contact Mindy Ely, 877-731-8184 or Mindy.ely@illinois.gov.

South of I-70 Conference for Teens with Visual Disabilities & Their Parents
The first annual South of Seventy Conference will be held on Saturday, April 21, 2007. This conference is for families of children who are blind or visually impaired. Some tentative topics include: Parent Rights and Responsibilities; Daily Living and Independence, and assistive technology for academics and pre-academics. This free conference will be held in Mt. Vernon, IL at the Rend Lake Market Place. Registration information can be obtained by calling toll free at 877-731-8184.

Assistive Devices Featured in TechTalk

Cooling Vest No ice or gel packs to freeze. This cooling vest is activated by submerging in water for 5-6 seconds. It cools for 2-3 days at a time.  Feels cool, not wet. Weighs 3-4 lbs. $300.00
Special Toilet A floor toilet designed for use by people who use catheters and leg bags. Auto opens, closes and flushes. $950
CD/DVD Opener Never again fight to open a new CD or DVD! Now you can zip through shrink-wrap and tape with ease. Comes in sets of 2 for $8.00.
Food Chopper This plunger style chopper could be helpful for anyone who has difficulty using a knife. It dices & chops onions, nuts, vegetables, herbs, chocolate, you name it. $10.00
Walker Carrier Plastic walker boxes will fit most Invacare and Guardian folding walkers. Hold your purse, glasses, water bottle, soda, medicine etc. Leave both hands free. $33.00
Light for Walker Light attaches to any walker; LED bulbs last about 50,000 hours; Illuminates 8' forward and 4' each side. $33.00

IATP Program Descriptions

• Information & Assistance
• Devices Loan Program
• Demonstration Center
• Low Interest Loans
• Homeownership Program
• Advocacy & Systems Change
• On-site Workshops

Prairie Capitol Convention Center, Springfield IL, April 28-29, 2008
Call Illinois Network for Centers for Independent Living, 217-525-1308 v/tty

About the Newsletter

TECHTALK is a publication of TechConnect & Illinois Assistive Technology Project (IATP) 1 West Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite 100, Springfield, IL 62701
217-522-7985 v, 217-522-9966 tty, 217-522-8067 fax, 800-852-5110 v/tty IL only
Send comments and articles to Cilla Sluga, Editor.csluga@iltech.org
Call to subscribe to this free newsletter. Please call with any address or subscriber changes.

This newsletter was developed under a grant from the Department of Education. However, its contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal government. IATP is funded through a contract with DHS/DRS and this publication does not necessarily reflect the position or policy of DHS/DRS and no official endorsement should be inferred.