STC Navigation Menu
News
Updated 12/14/2008
- Upcoming Workshops
- Project KITE Winter 2009
- Visual Strategies Workshop Series
- Family Center on Technology and Disability
- Product Spotlight: Victor Reader Stream Daisy Player
- STC Staff Pick: ColorMouse-USB-RM
- STC Staff Position Open
Upcoming Workshops
Technology for Girls Workshop: My Messy Little Experiments
Tuesday, January 6, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. - PACER Center, register
Does an egg float or sink in water? How about a paper clip? How much water can a penny hold? Can a raisin really dance? We will answer many questions you’ve had about science and have fun while completing little experiments you thought about trying at home but were too messy to do.
Project KITE
Now Accepting Applications for Winter 2009!
Project KITE is a free program for early childhood personnel and parents of young children with disabilities. The primary goal of Project KITE is to foster inclusion of children with disabilities through the use of innovative assistive technology.
Three teams are needed to make the Winter 2009 session complete. Teams consist of a parent of a child with special needs, the classroom teacher, and one other service provider.
Parent and professional participants will learn to use assistive technology together through five hands-on training sessions, starting January 2009 and ending May 2009. KITE trainers will provide participants with knowledge and confidence to modify, select, customize and incorporate appropriate technology to improve educational outcomes. Trainings take place at or near the child’s school.
Participants are loaned a computer, digital camera, printer, and several customizable software programs for the duration of the training session.
Additionally, KITE teams completing the training will each receive a Young Explorer computer (donated by IBM) for the child’s classroom.
Interested parents and professionals should contact Katrina at katrina.gearhart@pacer.org or (800) 537-2237. For more information please visit www.pacer.org/stc/kite. Applications are due by December 20, 2008.
Visual Strategies Workshop Series
For parents and professionals working with students with autism and other disabilities.
Made possible by a grant from Autism Speaks.
During the 2008/2009 school year, the PACER Simon Technology Center will be offering a series of five workshops and open labs on visual strategies. Only three workshops remain:
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Using Symbol Supported Text
Tuesday, December 16, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. - PACER Center, this session is full -
Creating Visual Social Supports
Tuesday, February 24, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. - PACER Center, this session is full -
Implementing Visual Strategies
Tuesday, April 14, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. - PACER Center, register
Participants who attend four of the five workshops will receive a free membership to the Simon Technology Center lending library at the conclusion of the series. Please contact PACER STC at 952-838-9000 with any questions.
Open Lab for Visual Strategies Series Participants
If you want to practice the skills learned in the “Visual Strategies Workshop Series,” you are invited to an open lab to create practical assistive technology solutions for home and school. An assistive technology specialist will be available to help participants create a schedule, a sequence board, a social story and more. You may stop in anytime during the scheduled lab hours.
- Tuesday, January 20, 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. - PACER Center, register
- Tuesday, March 24, 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. – PACER Center, register
- Tuesday, May 19, 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. - PACER Center, register
Family Center on Technology and Disability
Online Discussion: Parent Advocacy and Family-School Partnership
Please join the Family Center on Technology & Disability for a month-long online discussion in December on effective family-school partnerships that result in successful use of technology. The discussion will be moderated by long-time AT/IT technologist Lon Thornburg and highly effective parent advocate Charles DiPietro.
With funds tighter than ever both in school systems and within homes, it is understandable that tensions may mount. Parents may press for costly AT targeted to their child's individual needs, while schools may look for efficiencies, trying to meet individual needs with existing equipment inventories and needing to take a "big picture" view. It is a delicate balance which can result at times in poor school-family relations. Highly effective partnerships can be forged with thoughtful effort.
FCTD online discussions are free and participant-friendly, so please join the discussion to share your insights, questions, strategies, and challenges. Participate online at http://www.fctd.info/webboard/index.php.
Product Spotlight: Victor Reader Stream DAISY Player
By Humanware
Download your favorite books and MP3s on the Victor Reader Stream and leave home with your library in the palm of your hand. This versatile, powerful Victor Reader Stream DAISY-MP3 player lets you read and navigate through complex books, such as reference manuals and school books, as well as novels and magazines.
You can also use the Victor Reader Stream's built-in Vocalizer text-to-speech voice to read books in text format, such as Bookshare. Other features include an integrated microphone to record voice notes, rechargeable batteries providing up to 15 hours of uninterrupted listening time, and a removable SD card for storing books, e-text files, music, and voice recordings and audio bookmarks.
Victor Reader Stream uses the popular Victor Reader 4-arrow keys for advanced DAISY navigation allowing you to move through the book by chapter, section, page, and user defined bookmarks. The arrow keys are intuitive to learn and do not require memorization of multiple key chords. Victor Reader Stream gives you access to a book with equivalent speed, flexibility and accuracy of reading a printed book. Full control is at your fingertips.
The Victor Reader Stream is now available for demonstration at the Simon Technology Center Library. Please stop in during STC Library hours: Tuesdays noon to 6 p.m. or Saturdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information on the Victor Reader Stream visit www.humanware.com.
STC Staff Pick: ColorMouse-USB-RM
The ColorMouse-USB-RM is a low-vision, magnification tool that works with any computer running Windows XP or Vista. The ColorMouse can provide up to 24x magnification and is ideal for reading any printed materials including: maps, prescription bottles, food labels, stamps, photos, homework, bills and more. The mouse can magnify in full color, white-on-black, and black-on-white. The mouse connects to the computer via a 2.0 USB port. To use the mouse you simply hold it in your hand and place it over the item to be read. The mouse will magnify any item and display it on the computer screen.
To learn more about the ColorMouse-USB-RM, contact the PACER, Simon Technology Center or visit Bierley Associates, Inc. website at: http://www.bierley.com/colormouse_usb.htm.
STC Staff Position Open
The Simon Technology Center currently has an open position for a full time Assistive Technology Specialist. This specialist will assist in providing assistive technology services for families, professionals and persons with disabilities, delivering workshops and presentations, and participating in many other activities within the STC.
For more information, please visit PACER’s Web site (www.pacer.org/employment) or submit a resume and cover letter to Sandy Loehnis at PACER Center, 8161 Normandale Boulevard, Bloomington, MN 55437 or email sloehnis@pacer.org.
PACER's site offers many PDF files for download, which require 
