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Welcome to Deafblind Online! This website provides free software for people who are deafblind or have learning disabilities. This software can be used to enable them to learn, explore their surroundings and become more independent. Parents, carers and support staff can download the software and assist the disabled people in using the software.

"For children and young people with reading difficulties, text-to-speech (TTS) software offers some of the benefits of a personal reader. The article provides an overview of the technology and its application, and then summarizes the research on benefits of TTS for struggling readers. The different kinds of TTS software available are described in three categories, according to sophistication, and information is given concerning how teachers can obtain electronic text materials for use with TTS. Finally, suggestions are provided for implementing TTS in the classroom. Related Postings from the Archives * Teachers' Use of Technology in a Reading Clinic by Ernest Balajthy et al. * Wait for Me! by Ofer Bergman * Jumping off the Page by Bart Pisha and Peggy Coyne What Is TTS? | Impact of TTS | Available Software | Available Texts | Practical Considerations | Suggestions for Use | References "

HelpKidzLearn is a collection of free software for young children and those with learning difficulties to play online. The software is split into five sections: * Early Years * Games and Quizzes * Stories and Songs * Creative Play * Find Out About You will get the most out of these activities if you play them together with your child. Use them as a focus for chatting. Speaking and listening is very important for young children's educational development, particularly reading and writing. HelpKidzLearn has been created by Inclusive Technology Ltd., a commercial organisation providing assistive technology and educational software. Many of the activities at HelpKidzLearn are free samples taken from our own software titles

"EduApps is an initiative developed by the JISC Regional Support Centre Scotland North & East and consists of four different collections of incredibly useful software: * AccessApps provides a range of solutions to support writing, reading and planning, as well as sensory, cognitive and physical difficulties. * TeachApps is a collection of software specifically designed for teachers or lecturers. * LearnApps, as its name implies, is specifically designed for learners. All learners or students can benefit from LearnApps. * MyStudyBar is our new kid on the block, providing a suite of apps to support literacy. Currently we host over 90 open source and freeware software applications which can be entirely used from a USB stick on a Windows computer. "

So who wants to test this out and see how it all works? Sounds promising!

Patti, BIll Nellis has develolped PD using these apps. He shows the participants how to create their own Thumb Drive with a collection of AT apps that run entirely from the Thumb Drive. It is a WONDERFUL idea and has tons of application for therapists or AT professionals who travel from school to school.

"The Social Express™ is engaging, educational software for children and young adults with social learning challenges. The software is designed to teach users how to think about and manage social situations, helping them to develop meaningful social relationships and succeed in life. The Social Express is based on best practices and programs that feature cognitive behavioral techniques and visual strategies including Social Stories (Gray, 2002), Comic Strip Conversations (Gray ,1994), the Alert Program(r) (Williams & Shellenberger, 1996), The Incredible 5 Point Scale (Buron & Curtis, 2003), and The Hidden Curriculum (Myles, Trautman and Schelvan, 2004).  The activities presented in the software adhere to  the ELA (English, Language, Arts) Common Core Standards. Some of the core concepts presented are based on the work of Michelle Garcia Winner and her Social Thinking® curriculum"

Free software for hands-free computer access - use with a webcam and free dwell-click software (built in or use Sensory Software Dwell Clicker)

Free software from Sensory Software International: Switch Driver and Dwell Clicker for students with complex access needs.

"The goal of the myEye project is to develop an eye-tracking software to allow people with severe motor disabilities to use gaze as an input device for interacting with a computer. myEye was thought to help people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also called ALS or "Lou Gehrig's disease"), who have lost their voice, and may only be able to move their eyes. myEye will be a free eye-tracking software (but not open source) for eye control, so I don't want to create false expectations. This software hopes to be just one more alternative for people who can't afford a commercial eye-tracking system, but I can't guarantee it will work for everyone."

"NaturalReader 12 is a text-to-speech software for Windows. This easy-to-use software with natural-sounding voices can read to you any text such as Microsoft Word files, webpages, PDF files, and E-mails. NaturalReader can also convert any written text into audio files such as MP3 or WAV."

"NaturalReader is a Text to Speech software with natural sounding voices. This easy to use software can convert any written text such as MS Word, Webpage, PDF files, and Emails into spoken words. NaturalReader can also convert any written text into audio files such as MP3 or WAV for your CD player or iPod."

"KidTools and KidSkills are new kinds of software to help students take control of their learning, behavior, and problem solving to improve success in school. The tools are research-based and have undergone extensive testing with actual students in classroom settings. These software programs include a library of tools provided as easy-to-use templates for children to personalize and use independently in school and other settings. There are two levels of tools in each of these programs. eKidTools and eKidSkills are made for elementary students with some reading abilities, ages 7-10. Within eKidTools, there is a set of PictureTools made for preschool/primary children that do not require reading abilities. iKidTools and iKidSkills are made for intermediate/middle school students with reading abilities, ages 11-14. Because these tools are all related, children can move up and down the levels to use the tools that best fit their skills and needs. "

Anyone heard of this?

"The Read&Write GOLD training series walks learners through all of the features found on the Read&Write GOLD toolbar, including features for reading, writing and self-editing, study skills, and research.",  said Jon Blissenbach, Atomic Learning's VP of Product Business Development. "Our partnership with Texthelp allows us to offer this comprehensive training collection for learners with special needs." Videos are available for both the PC and Mac versions of Read&Write GOLD.  Each online training collection includes 2-3 minute videos for each of the features of this powerful assistive technology software, giving learners with special needs the opportunity to achieve and succeed in their learning goals

"Click-N-Type is an on-screen virtual keyboard designed to provide computer accessibility to anyone with a disability that prevents him or her from typing on a physical computer keyboard. As long as the physically challenged person can control a mouse, trackball, touch screen or other pointing device, this adaptive software keyboard allows you to send keystrokes to virtually any Windows application or DOS application that can run within a window. "

"Mind mapping software has been very effective when used with students with learning disabilities who are visual learners. However, we were eager to look into apps for mind mapping on the iPad and iPod and see if effectiveness for students with learning disabilities lived up to their traditional software counterparts."

"Clikka Mouse is innovative "work around" software that addresses the problem and best of all, it's free."

- Open source webcam mouse emulator "Enable Viacam (aka eViacam) is a mouse replacement software that moves the pointer as you move your head. It works on standard PCs equipped with a web camera. No additional hardware is required. Based on the award winning Facial Mouse software. "

"We offer AAC Comunication Board Editor, Player software and image search engine service. As any other image editor software, Picto4me does not restrict you to only make use of  free images. Some of the images can be placed on websites without any conditions but there will be cases where legal rights would be requested and should be acquired from its author. As an image search service, Picto4Me is not responsible for the use of the pictures returned by the search. "

"SEN Teacher provides cost-free teaching & learning resources for students with special needs and learning disabilities. All the resources available or listed here are free for use in schools, colleges and at home. * The Printables Page has a selection of printable worksheets, handouts and teaching aids most of which can be customised to suit a range of learners. * The Links Page lists websites which have been carefully selected for the quality of their information or because they provide further excellent sources of cost-free learning resources and software. * The Files Page lists free educational software from many sources which has proved useful to teachers and parents of special needs students. * Search Tools are custom Google search engines which make it easier to locate free resources and information from several different SEN related areas."

"SEN Teacher provides cost-free teaching & learning resources for students with special needs and learning disabilities. Many resources here may also be of use to educators of primary and elementary students. All the resources available or listed here are free for use in schools, colleges and at home. * Printables has a selection of printable worksheets, handouts and teaching aids most of which can be customised to suit a range of learners. * Web Links lists websites which have been carefully selected for the quality of their information or because they provide further excellent sources of cost-free learning resources and software. * Downloads lists cost-free educational software from several sources which has proved useful to teachers and parents of special needs students. * Search Tools are custom Google search engines which make it easier to locate free resources, video news and information related to special needs teaching."

"IDEAL Group Portable Assistive Technology Software SmartDrive® Links on this page to download the individual programs that are included on the SmartDrive