Adaptive music tools for people with disabilities; link to assistive technology blog

From eSchool News:

"A program developed at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) allows students with severe physical disabilities to create music just by moving their heads. A digital video camera tracks the students’ movements on a computer screen and translates them into piano scales or drum beats. The program’s developers hope it will open a whole new world of creativity for physically challenged individuals."

Deep Listening Institute

Brian Friedlander's Assistive Technology blog has a wealth of resources on topics such as assistive technology, mind mapping, project management, visual learning, collaborative tools, and educational technology. Brian is a school psychologist and assistive technology consultant.

About Literacy: Children of the Code Website, links

I came across this website today and thought I'd share it- if you are familiar with Children of the Code project, please leave a comment, since I haven't yet explored the entire site.

Childrenof thecode.org is an on-line multi-media resource that is part of a public/social education project to that aims to spread information and education about "The Code and the Challenge of Learning to Read it"

The project has four main components:

1. A three hour Public Television, DVD and Web documentary series;
2. A ten-hour college, university, and professional development DVD series;
3. A series of teacher and parent presentations and seminars;
4. A cross-indexed website/database containing audio, video and transcripts with the world's leading experts in fields related to reading.

The website includes over 100 interviews of people from a wide range of disciplines who are committed to promotion of health, education, and well-being of children, youth, and in turn, communities and society.

Here is the project's abstract:

"Abstract: Our children's cognitive and emotional development, self-esteem, academic, and later social and economic success, all depend on how well they learn - on the health of their learning. Whether we are involved in parenting, teaching, cognitive science, psychology, pedagogy, curriculum design, instructional design, direct instruction, constructivism, assessment, multiple intelligences, learning styles, learning differences, learning disabilities, learning theory, learning communities, organizational learning, preschool, elementary school, middle school, high school, home school, unschooling, college, university... we all share the responsibility of stewarding the health of our children's learning."


I'd recommend starting with the on-line video tour of the project:
http://www.childrenofthecode.org/Tour/index.htm

The following is a quote from an interview with David Boulton, the director of the Children of the Code project:

"The mission of the Children of the Code project is to catalyze and resource a transformation in how our society thinks about the "code" of our written language and the "challenges involved in learning to read it.". I think we're living in the "Stone Age of Literacy." Our lack of understanding of what is involved and what is at stake in acquiring literacy is wreaking havoc on the lives of our population, including children"

"..the first think I hope i that it (the project) changes the mental lens through which parents and teachers see struggling learners. I want them to see someone who is struggling as somebody who is struggling with an artificially confusing technology (written language) and somebody who is in significant emotional and cognitive danger.

"What I hope is that people realize that if children and adults struggle too long with the process of acquiring literacy, it can seriously affect how they develop and grow and learn. Struggling to read causes many, many people to grow up feeling ashamed of their mind.."

Here is a list of direct links to many of the interviews you'll find on the site:

Grover (Russ) Whitehurst
Director, Institute of Education Science, U.S. Department of Education
Mel Levine Author: A Mind at a Time, The Myth of Laziness & Ready or Not Here Life Comes
Jack Shonkoff
Chair, The National Scientific Council on the Developing Child

James J. Heckman
Nobel Prize Winner in Economic Sciences, Lead Author: The Productivity Argument for Investing in Young Children
Sally Shaywitz
Neuroscientist, Department of Pediatrics, Yale University, Author: Overcoming Dyslexia
Maryanne Wolf
Director, Center for Reading & Language Research; Professor of Child Development, Tufts University
Nancy Hennessy
President, 2003-2005, International Dyslexia Association
Tim Shanahan
Chair, National Literacy Panel, Member of National Reading Panel (NRP)
Louisa Moats
Reading Scientist, Sopris West - Author: Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling
Reid Lyon
Ex-Branch Chief, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Marilyn Jager Adams
Senior Scientist, Soliloquy Learning, Author: Beginning to Read: Thinking and Learning About Print
Edward Kame'enui
Commissioner for Special Education Research, Institute of Education Sciences Director
Keith Stanovich
Chair, Applied Cognitive Science, U. Toronto, Author: Reading Matters: How Reading Engagement Influences Cognition
Todd Risley
Professor Emeritus of Psychology, University of Alaska, Co-author: Meaningful Differences in the Everyday Experience of Young American Children
James Wendorf
Executive Director, National Center for Learning Disabilities
Paula Tallal
Board of Governor's Professor of Neuroscience Rutgers University,, Co-Founder, Scientific Learning Corporation
Keith Rayner
Distinguished Professor, University of Massachusetts, Author: Eye Movements in Reading and Information Processing
Rick Lavoie
Learning Disabilities Specialist, Creator: How Difficult Can This Be?: The F.A.T. City Workshop & Last One Picked, First One Picked On: The Social Implications of Learning Disabilities
Richard Allington
Reading Researcher, President, International Reading Association
Richard Venezky
Professor of Educational Studies, Information Sciences & Linguistics, U. Delaware - Author: The Structure of English Orthography & The American Way of Spelling
Sharon Darling
President, National Center for Family Literacy
Kimberly Thompson
Director, Kids Risk Project, Department of Health Policy and Management - Harvard School of Public Health
Robert Sweet
Professional Staff, U.S. House of Representatives - Co-Founder, National Right to Read Foundation
Pat Lindamood & Nanci Bell
Founders of Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes
Carol H. Rasco
President, Reading is Fundamental
Chris Doherty
Ex-Director Reading First, U.S. Department of Education
Sandra Feldman
Past-President, American Federation of Teachers
Robert Wedgeworth
President, ProLiteracy
Lesley M. Morrow
Past-President, International Reading Association
George Farkus
Professor of Sociology, Demography, & Education, Penn State
Susan H. Landry
Director, Center for Improving the Readiness of Children for Learning and Education; Chief, Division of Developmental Pediatrics, University of Texas at Houston
Sarah Greene
Executive Director, National Head Start Association
Peter E. Leone
Director, National Center on Education, Disability & Juvenile Justice
Slyvia O. Richardson
Past President, International Dyslexia Association
Jones Kyazze
Director, UNESCO
Martin Haberman
Distinguished Professor, Depart. of Curriculum & Instruction, UWM - Creator, National Teacher Corp
Donald Nathanson
Professor of Psychiatry & Human Emotion, Jefferson Medical Center, Author: Shame and Pride
Terrence Deacon
Cognitive Anthropologist, Berkeley, Author: The Symbolic Species, The Co-Evolution of Language and the Brain
Siegfried Engelmann
Professor of Instructional Research, University of Oregon, Creator of Direct Instruction
Richard Olson
President (2001-2003), Society for the Scientific Study of Reading, Professor, Department of Psychology , University of Colorado
Anne Cunningham
Director, Joint Doctoral Program in Special Education, Berkeley
Steve Reder
Chair, Department of Applied Linguistics, Portland State University
Mike Merzenich
Chair of Otolaryngology, Integrative Neurosciences, UCSF, Member National Academy of Sciences
Patrick Groff
Professor Emeritus, San Diego State University, NRRF Board Member & Senior Advisor
Stephen Krashen
Emeritus Professor of Education, University of Southern California
Johanna Drucker
Chair of Media Studies, University of Virginia, Author: The Alphabetic Labyrinth
Thomas Cable
Professor of English, Co-Author: A History of the English Language
John H. Fisher
Medieval Language Historian, Author: The Emergence of Standard English
Naomi Baron
Linguist, Director TESOL, American University, Author: From Alphabet to Email: How Written English Evolved and Where It's Heading
David Abram
Ecologist and Philosopher, Author: The Spell of the Sensuous
Ray Kurzweil
1999 National Medal of Technology, Inventor of OCR & Speech Recognition
Robert Logan
Professor of Physics, University of Toronto, Author: The Alphabet Effect
Malcolm Richardson
Chair, Department of English, Louisiana State University - Researching: The Textual Awakening of the English Middle Classes, 1380-1520
Bruce Thornton
Greek Historian, Fresno State University, Author: How the Greeks Invented Western Civilization
Frank Moore Cross, Jr.
Professor Emeritus of Hebrew & Other Oriental Languages, Harvard
Leonard Shlain
Historian, Author: The Alphabet vs. the Goddess
Doug Engelbart
2000 National Medal of Technology, Computer & Internet Pioneer, Inventor of the 'Mouse'
...and many others...
(see interview list)

On-line switch accessible games for children on the BBC website!

If you are a parent or teacher of a disabled child, here is some good news. The BBC reconfigured many on-line educational games for use with switches, which can be found on the CBeebies website.

The games can be easily adjusted to meet the needs of the user.


Here is a list I copied from the website that has links to all of the accessible games on the BBC's website:

Roly Mo, Snag a Snoot (single switch)

Teletubbies, Let's Count (single switch)

Teletubbies, Peek-a-boo(single switch)

Tots TV, Counting Song

(This works automatically with single switch).

Boogie Beebies: What am I? (single or double switch)

Razzledazzle: Chit Chat Chest (single or double switch)

Something Special: Old Macdonald's Farm (single or double switch)

Something Special: Transport Snap (single switch)

Tikkabilla: Emotion Theatre (single or double switch)

Tweenies: Startastic Captain Jake: (single or double switch)

Tweenies: Hide and Hear, the Adventures of Debbie Duck (single or double switch)

Tweenies: Make Music with Max (double switch)

"These games have not been as heavily modified, but they work with the keyboard as well as the mouse, which means they will also work with switches:"

Tweenies: The Enchanted Toyshop The 'next' button works with the spacebar.

Autumnwatch: Tigs' Quiz. This game works with the spacebar and return key.

Autumnwatch: Giggleswick Game This game works with the spacebar

Mama Mirabelle, Photo Match Game This game works with the spacebar

Jackanory: Rhyme Maker This game works with the spacebar. It is also strongly audio-driven, so should be good for children who cannot see.

Research: Robots to help children form relationships

Here is a link to an article about the IROMEC project at the University of Hertfordshire. IROMEC stands for "Interactive Robotic Social Mediators as Companions"

Here is a quote from the article:

"Over the next three years, IROMEC will investigate how robotic toys can become social mediators encouraging children with disabilities to discover a range of play skills, from solitary to social and cooperative play and provide opportunities for other children and carers/teachers or parents to “join” in."

In my opinion, it might be less expensive to develop social skills interaction applications that incorporate virtual humans, and possibly more effective. For example, the virtual "friend" could reside on a multi-media enabled touch table, such as Microsoft's Surface.

What do you think?

http://www.physorg.com/news99649531.html

Technology and Alternative Cognitive Assessment?

I've been struggling to provide alternative assessments to use when I work with students who have previously tested within the severe to profound range of cognitive ability. Often these young people have more than one disability and it is very difficult to identify "hidden" cognitive strengths or areas of emerging skills.

Although some of students do not have the skills necessary to point to items on a test stimulus card, or understand the directions required by traditional cognitive test batteries, some of them they CAN point and "click" on a screen, using a mouse or an AT device.

I know of several students who test within the severe range of cognitive ability who who can navigate websites to find entertainment, music, learning activities, and special interests, often without assistance. These skills are important, but they are not included in standarized cognitive or adaptive behavior assessments.

Some people are working hard to figure out a "better way".

Organization SoftTouch, Inc. provided a workshop for educators of students who have severe disabilities addressing this concern. The workshop,
"Show Me What You Know — Alternate Assessment for Students with Autism, Cognitive and Physical Disabilities", was presented at a the Conference 2006: Technology & Persons with Disabilities.

The people at CAST- Center for Applied Special Technology, known for getting the word out about Universal Design for Learning (UDL), are also concerned about the need for accessible assessments.

I'm interested in alternative assessments and how cognitive evaluation procedures can embody the principles of universal design and access. School psychologists need more tech in our toolboxes if we are to provide meaningful assessments. This technology needs to embody the principals of "universal usability", a topic that I'll address more in-depth in a future blog.

We also need to look at current research in related fields, such as cogntive science. Here is an example:

According to the article in the Charlotte Observer (April 12, 2007), IBM volunteered to work with researchers from the Center for Behavioral Neuroscience to develop computer games designed to test the reasoning , learning, and memory skills of primates. The computer games are installed on touch-screen monitors embeeded in primate habitats in several zoos, including Zoo Atlanta.

I haven't done much reading in this area, but from what I can see, the research with primates has the potential to help develop better methods of assessing cognitive functioning of people who have strengths and abilities that can not be assessed through traditional psychological and cognitive tests.

Interesting Resources:

"The Alliance for Technology Access (ATA) is the national network of community-based Resource Centers, Developers, Vendors, and Associates dedicated to providing information and support services to children and adults with disabilities, and increasing their use of standard, assistive, and information technologies."

Julie Martin-Malivel's website Dr. Martin-Malivel conducts comparative cognition research in human and non-human primates.

"Chimpanzee Facial Expressions are Helping Researchers Understand Human Emotional Communication" This is being conducted by the Yerkes National Primate Research Center Cognitive Testing Facility. Food for thought.

"Universal Usability"
Universal Usability principles ensure that web sites and web-based applications are accessible. I think that these principles should be considered when planning cognitive and related assessments for people who have low incidence and/or multiple disabilities. (Leave a comment- I want to know what people think about this!)

Novint Falcon 3-D Haptic Game Controller - This device looks like it will have great potential for young people with visual and mobility impairments.

Link: Spatial Thinking, Education, and the Workforce

If you are working with teens who have mild learning disabilities, you know that some of these students have non-verbal, spatial abilities that are much stronger than their peers, even though some of these teens are struggling in school and have low motivation for classes that are delivered in the traditional word-based lecture-discussion format. Spatial skills are important for many jobs related to science and technology, and new technology will require workers who are good at visual thinking and communicating.

What does this mean?

"Spatial Thinking, Education, and the Workforce", written by Ann B. Johnson, from ESRI(a company that provides GIS -Geographical Information Systems software, training, and related services), discusses a report conducted by the U.S. National Research Council in 2005, "Learning to Think Spatially: GIS as a Support System in the K-12 Curriculum". In a nutshell, the article highlights the importance of spatial thinking in education and in present and future jobs in the workplace.

Parents and educators of students who have good visual-spatial skills need to take a look at this article. How can we assure that our teens have access to coursework that speaks to their strenghths and also prepares them for post-secondary education and employment?

Online interactive games for children with serious illnesses or disabilities.

According to a recent article in USA today (November 6, 2006), several websites offer children on-line interactive games to help them learn and cope with their health problems or disabilities. Take a look! The USA Today article on-line has links to the organizations that provide the on-line games and related interactive activities.

Starlight Games Page

From the website:

Research Shows the Benefits of Starlight’s Programs Include Decreased Depression, Pain, Anxiety and Isolation
"Starlight is continuously conducting clinical research to evaluate and analyze our programmatic efforts to help seriously ill children and their families cope with their pain, fear and isolation. Following are the overarching summaries of the results from the latest research studies on Starlight's programs."

"Research studies indicate that Starlight’s programs help seriously ill children and their families: experience less depression, anxiety, pain and isolation; better handle, understand, and manage their illnesses; and bond as a family."

"Research studies at institutions across North America have demonstrated the benefits of Starlight’s programs including improved self-efficacy, self-esteem, coping, knowledge, child responsibility, parent-child relationships, adherence; family cohesiveness and willingness to return for treatment; and a reduction in symptoms, depression, feelings of isolation and negative coping behaviors."

More about Starlight's Programs

Link to Bio-map: Using technology for evaluating learning disabilities

Northwestern University's Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory has developed a method of identifying learning disabilities through the use of technology. The following is a quote from the website:

"The BioMAP (Biological Marker of Auditory Processing) is a neurophysiological test used to quickly and objectively identify disordered processing of sound that has been associated with learning impairments in many children.

Unlike traditional brainstem evoked response recordings using clicks or tone bursts, the BioMAP uses a complex speech syllable that reflects the acoustic and phonetic characteristics of sounds that present difficulties for disordered populations. Over the past decade Dr. Nina Kraus and her colleagues at the Auditory Neuroscience Lab at Northwestern University have evaluated the evoked brainstem responses of more than 1000 children, and have found that the BioMAP acts as a unique biological marker for those learning disabled children with central auditory processing disorders that have a high likelihood of benefiting from an auditory training program."

It will be interesting to see if this technology has validity for use in the schools, and if this technology can play a role in planning for interventions within the RTI/problem solving model.