Group items tagged

Disability Resources, inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization established to promote and improve awareness, availability and accessibility of information that can help people with disabilities live, learn, love, work and play independently. They serve thousands of individuals with disabilities through a multidisciplinary network of service providers and consumers. In order to reach as many people with disabilities as cost effectively as possible, they target our services and publications to libraries, disability organizations, independent living centers, rehabilitation facilities, educational institutions, and health and social service providers. They are a small group of volunteers (with and without disabilities) who work professionally in library, communications, and disability-related fields. They monitor hundreds of publications, audiovisual materials, on line services, and other information resources every month. They review and report on worthwhile materials in their newsletter, Disability Resources Monthly (DRM), and other publications. They also maintain an extensive database of disability-related resources in order to perform customized searches, and an on-line guide to disability resources on the World Wide Web. They are proud of the many awards and positive reviews they have received for this work.

The National Library Service, through a national network of cooperating libraries, provides a free library program of braille and audio materials circulated to eligible borrowers in the United States. This website provides links and resources on how to access this service and lists audio and braille books that are available.

The St. Clair County RESA Website provides information regarding Assistive Technology iPad Apps which can be accessed by selecting the Education Services Menu, selecting the iPads link, and then clicking on Assistive Technology iPad Apps. The webpage contains a list of iPad Apps each providing a link to an iTunes page with the cost of the app, its icon, description, screenshots and customer reviews. The St. Clair County RESA Website provides quality information regarding education services and resources for the residents of St. Clair County.

The Interagency Program for Assistive Technology (IPAT) is a non-profit agency that strives to bring assistive technology into the lives of North Dakotan's that need it irregardless of age, needs, or disability. Their goal is to help individuals bridge the gap between ability and disability using assistive technology (AT). IPAT provides training, public awareness, demonstration, and one-on-one consultation. The IPAT website provides information regarding the assistive technology tools that are available and the services that they provide.

The Baltimore County Public Schools Assistive Technology Webpage provides information regarding implementation of assistive technology devices and services in the Baltimore County Public Schools. The site has information on training, student referrals, approved software, assistive technology resources and Universal Design for Learning.

Disability Rights Wisconsin is an advocacy and protection group for individuals with disabilities (http://www.disabilityrightswi.org). The aims of the group are outlined clearly on the "About Us" page. In addition to providing these services, it also aims to provide access to services through advocacy and legal expertise. It achieves these goals by providing information that is easily accessed on the website such as resources and a direct link to access services from Disability Rights Wisconsin. The information available through the website is relevant and provides answers to common questions by outlining priority issues that DRW staff can assist with, program list, who to contact and how to contact them, and types of issues that the agency is not able to help with. The information on the website appears to all come from credible sources such as from laws, government, and overlooked by staff and board members. There are links provided to additional resources on the "Links" page for further reading and information. The website is maintained and updated on a regular basis, and new information is posted on the home page. Overall, the website does appear to meet quality standards in accordance to the Discern instrument, as well as the Hoss-Hanson article.

21st Century Communication and Video Accessibility Act, http://www.fcc.gov/guides/21st-century-communications-and-video-accessibility-act-2010 This law is of interest to people with sensory impairments. This is the law as posted on the FCC's website. The law offers some hope with respect to today's communication and media devices and services as they are accessed by people with disabilities.

MassMATCH stands for Maximize Assistive Technology (AT) in Consumer's Hands and is Massachusett's state-level AT initiative. Their mission is to promote the use of assistive technology and assistive technology services so that people with disabilities can live, work, study, play, and participate independently in all aspects of their communities. The MassMatch website provides resources regarding assistive technology which include a community blog, a newsletter, funding information, and much more.

The Wisconsin Talking Book and Braille Library is a webpage on the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction website that provides Braille and recorded books and playback equipment for those Wisconsin residents who for any physical reason cannot read normal print. It includes a link to a searchable online catalog and provides detailed information of how to access their services.

Information regarding transportation for individuals with disabilities in Minnesota, including MNDOT and the ADA, paratransit services, and parking information.

OT's with Apps is a website dedicated to identifying iPod, iPhone, and iPad Apps that are suited for occupational therapy intervention and services for children and adults. The website is written and maintained by Carol Leynse Harpold, an occupational therapist and assistive technology practitioner.

Telephone Equipment Distribution (TED) Program (MN Dept. of Human Services) provides telephone technology to qualifying individiuals with disabilities in MInnesota.

The Disability.gov website is the federal government web portal whose purpose is to provide comprehensive information on disability programs and services nationwide in order to connect people of all abilities to the resources they need to fully participate in their communities. It achieves this purpose by providing over 14,000 links to federal, state, and local government agencies, academic institutions, and nonprofit organizations. The Disability.gov website is managed by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) which reviews web content and links voluntarily. I found Disability.gov to be a valuable website full of reliable and unbiased information in the areas of benefits, civil rights, community life, education, emergency preparedness, employment, health, housing, technology, and transportation for individuals with disabilities, their families, Veterans, caregivers, employers, educators, and others. The Disability.gov website scored a strong "5" on the Discern Instrument and also performed well on the Hoss and Hansen (2008) website review.

The Advocacy Institute is a website dedicated to the "development of products, projects and services that work to improve the lives of people with disabilities". The website contains information and resources related to Assistive Technology and Universal Design for Learning. The Advocacy Institute also publishes a newsletter entitled Advocacy in Action of which the September, 2009 issue was dedicated to Assistive Technology Advocacy.

The Wrightslaw webpage on Assistive Technology examines the Law regarding Assistive Technology. In doing so it references IDEA 2004 and defines both Assistive Technology Devices and Services. Wrightslaw also addresses Assistive Technology Training, Evaluation, and Universal Design for Learning. The target audience for the Wrightslaw website includes parents, educators, advocates, and attorneys who are seeking accurate, reliable information regarding special education law and advocacy for children with disabilities.

This link provides PDF that answers all the "wh" ?'s about Diigo. It would be a use full tool for in-servicing and orienting others to uses.

This website, Disability Statistics, is an online resource for US Disability Statistics. It is created and maintained by Employment and Disability Institute & Cornell U. The URL is an .org, or non-profit organization. The data sources used on this site, include the American Community Survey, Census 2000, & Current population survey. The web page's purpose is to provide public service information related to US Disability Statistics, current disability status reports, statistics, sources, FAQ's, glossary of terms, additional links, & support. The website provides balance, factual information.

A review of freeware assistive technology aids for Windows computers. A free add-on for Microsoft Word (Office versions '97 through 2010,) WordTalk provides text-to-speech reading services. The info on this site is great. It highlights the freeware, gives a explanation of what it is and where to get it.