Posts Tagged ‘assistive technology’

ClassDojo Virtual Classroom

student using headphones and looking at laptop, taking notes in notebook

2020 has seen a huge shift in how classroom content is created, taught, and corrected. And while we were perhaps headed in that direction anyways, the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly accelerated the need to establish remote learning tools in the classroom. The good news is there are lots of great options available, and most of them are free, or offer limited free functionality.

The New Android Accessibility Page

Youth seated in wheelchair, outdoors, using his phone and smiling

When it comes to discovering assistive technology and accessibility features, it’s often difficult to find everything you need in one place. As we’ve mentioned in a previous e-bulletin, Apple has had a great landing page for all things accessibility for some time, but up until recently Android was lacking a comprehensive accessibility landing page.

Omnifocus: A Task Management App

woman typing on her laptop at her desk

It’s not always easy to stay on task; we live complicated lives split between work and play, between what we want to do and what we need to do, and it’s easy for things to get lost along the way. This is especially true for individuals who struggle with executive functioning or attention-based challenges. One way to stay on task and organized is to look at using a task management app. These apps allow users to digitally write, plan, view, and track daily tasks with ease, so instead of spending mental resources trying to remember what needs to be done, the focus can instead be put on the task itself.

New Android 11 Accessibility Features

Woman wearing a mask, using her phone

Android has recently released version 11, and with it comes some interesting new accessibility features and improvements. We’ll include the link to complete Android 11 accessibility page at the bottom of the article, but since there’s a lot to look at, we’ve taken the liberty of identifying and listing the biggest changes and improvements to come out of Android 11.

Envision AI App

woman using a cellphone

With COVID-19 conscious social distance protocols being enacted around the world, many teachers and parents are moving towards a digital approach to education. And with so many free teaching apps on the market, there are plenty of different tools to choose from when it comes to teaching in an online/home-based environment. When it comes to lesson planning and scheduling in particular, there are many advantages to taking the digital approach.

Planboard: A Free Lesson Planner

a woman writing in a notebook

With COVID-19 conscious social distance protocols being enacted around the world, many teachers and parents are moving towards a digital approach to education. And with so many free teaching apps on the market, there are plenty of different tools to choose from when it comes to teaching in an online/home-based environment. When it comes to lesson planning and scheduling in particular, there are many advantages to taking the digital approach.

How to: Use Microsoft 365 in the Classroom

Five students around table talking and smiling

With another school year beginning, we thought it would be a great time to talk about using Microsoft 365 in the classroom. This suite of productivity apps is constantly growing and improving, and new accessibility features and educationally focused improvements are constantly being added. Especially with the unique challenges that we are faced with in 2020, virtual learning has never been more essential, and Microsoft 365 has improved greatly in its ability to provide students and teachers with an accessible, dynamic, and user-friendly learning and productivity platform.

Rivet Reading App

two children looking at an iPad in a library

Since the recent COVID-19 epidemic, educators, parents, and students have been forced to re-examine at-home learning. And while it’s still too early to say for sure, it looks like in a lot of locations around the world, at-home learning is going to account for at least half of a student’s education, at least for the short term. With that in mind, our upcoming e-bulletins will put extra emphasis on learning strategies that can be used at-home.

Nebo Note Taking

Note-taking has evolved greatly over the years, and while it all originally started with pen and paper, the latest in note-taking technology does not stray too far from that format. Because of the digital revolution, technology has become smaller and easier to use, so now, digitizing notes does not have to mean sitting in front of a PC screen, typing on a keyboard. In today’s digital environment, note-taking can be both efficient and digital, and the fundamentals of quickly jotting down a note can now be replicated via tablet or smartphone.

Seesaw Remote Learning

hands on a laptop keyboard

In recent years, online learning platforms have grown and improved dramatically. Course content is now typically being presented in line with Universal Design for Learning principles, and the platforms are typically faster and more user friendly then they were years ago. These platforms have become especially essential during recent months, where the COVID pandemic saw schools around the world shut down, and virtual learning options transitioned from being optional to essential.

Neil Squire Society logo
Neil Squire Society logo