Online Notetaker Training This Online Notetaker Training is a temporary replacement for the 1.0 version. We are currently revising the training, so please look for a NEW improved 2.0 version in the summer of 2012. If you have a question related to this online notetaker training, please email cindy.camp@pepnet.org. If you have a general technical assistance question, contact us at help@pepnet.org.

Presenations and handouts from 2012 institute

"FCTD Family Information Guide to Assistive Technology & Transition Planning This 50-page guide offers families information and resources to effectively prepare for and participate in periods of transition in their children's lives. In family-friendly language the guide discusses transition plans and the role of AT in them, offers checklists and suggestions. and provides a range of resources aimed at helping students make successful transitions to higher education, employment and independent living. The guide can be accessed online in both Spanish and English"

"FCTD Fact Sheets: Assistive Technology Solutions Assistive Technology Solutions Assistive technology (AT) is any item, piece of equipment or product that can be used to help someone with a disability successfully function at home, in school, at work, and in the community. AT can be anything from a simple, low-tech device such as a magnifying glass, to a complex, high-tech device such as a computerized communication system. It can be big - an automated van lift for a wheelchair - or small - a Velcro grip attached to a book for easier page turning. Assistive technology can strengthen a person's abilities where needed or substitute for them entirely - such as a picture board with sound output that helps a child who cannot communicate with her voice."

"Knowing where to begin and how to proceed can be daunting though. We're here to help. Funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs, the Family Center on Technology and Disability provides a wide range of resources on assistive technology, from introductory fact sheets and training materials to in-depth discussion of best practices and emerging research. Try setting aside 30 minutes a day to review an FCTD resource. Before you know it, you'll know a lot more about assistive technology and the ways in which it can improve the lives of the children and youth with disabilities. Of course, we're here for your just-in-time information needs as well. We hope you'll visit our site often!"

"The Annenberg Institute for School Reform (AISR) at Brown University and the John W. Gardner Center (JGC) at Stanford University have each received three-year grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to work together to select a network of sites and develop models for College Readiness Indicator Systems (CRIS). As part of this collaborative effort, AISR and JGC develop, test, and disseminate effective tools and resources that provide early diagnostic indications of what students need to become college ready. The two organizations serve complementary, but distinct roles. JGC develops and studies the implementation of a tri-level (individual, setting, and system) early warning system using a flexible, "design-build" approach with the partner districts. AISR focuses on cross-site learning; brokering expertise and supports for partner districts; understanding issues related to district, municipal, state, and federal contexts; and process documentation. The CRIS sites are Dallas, New Visions for Public Schools (New York City), Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and San Jose, California."

19 Great Online Graphing Calculators for Teachers and Students

Appreciate the beauty around you!

"The Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) has published,"Navigating College: A Handbook on Self Advocacy,"a guide for autistic students written by autistic adults, and also launched the companion Website, www.navigatingcollege.org. The handbook provides first-person insights from current and past college students on the autism spectrum on various aspects of the higher education experience including disclosure, classroom accommodations, dorm life and sexuality."

"Are you a high school student who uses assistive technology (AT) in school as a way of compensating for your learning disability? Do you have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) that requires your school to provide you with a personal talking word processor, an electronic keyboard, or other useful devices to help you stay organized and complete work assignments? If so, beware! Once you graduate from high school, you will most likely need to leave behind any AT equipment your school provided.   Will you be able to arrange to use these same or similar resources in college? Might you need or want new or different AT tools? Is it the college's responsibility to provide and pay for your AT devices, or will you have to buy your own? As you prepare for college, it's important that you know your rights and options regarding accommodations, including assistive technology devices, as a student with a learning disability and/or AD/HD. In college, you'll be responsible to advocate for your needs and to take initiative to obtain accommodations."

"What assistive technology, adaptive software and portable tools do people with disabilities use to independently access information, activities and places in their daily lives? This will depend on the individual, his or her access to resources, and the design of the environment or information that is trying to be accessed. The following tipsheets share information by disability type and include portable or remote options for people with disabilities who travel internationally."