Dave's Literacy and Disability Links

Marvellous site for accessing classic poetry. One of my favorites posted this week, Dylan Thomas's "Do Not Go Gently."

Google search poem written by woman with Asperger's syndrome who lives in Australia.

Overview of useful features for teachers using Google Docs in the classroom. Greatest instructional advantages: easy collaboration, easy feedback options either as voice or written comments, and track changes.

Technology company focused on supporting memory and conversation in people with dementia.

Not literacy specifically. But seems to be application of images and conversations to connect to background knowledge. Same tech might be useful for reading for the same reason.

Taylor, a young girl who struggles with reading, engaged in repeated reading until she could read this text aloud fluently. Her tutor helped her record it and upload it to Youtube. Strong motivation for the research-supported but often boring repeated reading of text.

Descriptions and links to lots of useful tools for teachers (especially those in bring your own device (BYOD) schools where resources have been ripped from the education system to balance budgets or cut taxes.

Great communication resources, research, policy statements, guidelines related to communication in individuals with significant disabilities.

Read aloud on the "Between the Lions" tv show. Animation, effective read-aloud, text highlighted by phrase to assist beginning readers in following along. Nicely done.

Jim Trelease is well-known journalist and author of "The Read-Aloud Handbook." His website links to many useful resources for teachers, parents, and other readers.

Jazzy rendition (based on "This Old Man") of the children's book, "This Jazz Man," sung by Miss Nina.

Absolutely fabulous reading of Chris Raschka's "Charlie Parker Played Be Bop." Text visible throughout the reading. Great for independent (or teaching) experience to connect the words in the text to the sounds of Bebop jazz.

Report on Karin James's very interesting brain studies of the effects of handwriting experience on learning. Have to think about what this might mean for kids who have severe physical impairments.

International Rett Syndrome Foundation's new identity and website.

Great tool for analyzing student writing, thinking about what a text needs.

Remarkable resource for beginning readers, their families, and teachers of beginning readers. Tens of 1000's of digital books that can be read online with or without speech support or downloaded for use offline. Each book can be accessed using multiple interfaces, including touch screens, the IntelliKeys with custom overlays, and 1 to 3 switches. Parents and professionals may write their own books as well, a great way to create materials targeted to the specific interests of a child or student.

The Library. Tar Heel Reader book created from Maya Angelou quote.

Gallaudet's Visual Language and Visual Learning (VL2) storybooks in app form. Stories are told in ASL and English. Built on bilingual learning principles.

Read aloud by two children (clearly actors, but still cute). Text clearly visible. Excellent digital text experience for developing readers. Fun for others.

Nice presentation with photos by Karen Florka, explaining how literacy instruction is implemented in Wing Lake Developmental Center (MI).

Reflection on reading motivation.