Variety Club Queensland flood/cyclone support for students with disabilities
 

Variety Australia, the children’s charity, is known for its generous support of children with disabilities. Further to this, they contacted us a few weeks ago to advise that they have funds available for projects to support schools and children with disabilities who were affected by the flooding and other recent natural disasters. The Variety Queensland office will be coordinating the support and advise you to contact them on phone (07) 3907 9300 or email info@varietyqld.org.au if you would like more information.

Their Flood Appeal remains open too and warmly welcomes donations via the Variety Queensland website. All donations to this appeal will directly benefit children with disabilities affected by floods across Australia.
 

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20% discount for all affected by flood and cyclone
 

If the floods or other adverse events have touched you in any way, a 20% discount on all purchases from Spectronics is now available to you. This offer is available up until 30th June 2011, as we appreciate that it will take quite some time to find your feet again. We realise that replacing your technology is probably not going to be rating up there with getting your power and water back on!

All you need to do is to let us know that you wish to have the 20% discount applied to your order. The orders may be for technologies to replace goods lost, or for new technologies for home, school or higher-ed use.

PS Pictured above is Keiran O’Leary, awesome Web and Systems Developer at Spectronics. He is currently rebuilding his Brisbane home after flooding almost to ceiling level of his house. Pictured are his household contents on the footpath awaiting dump truck pick-up and his friends trying hard to clean up the mud that covered everything inside and out! Despite being one of the many whose insurer denied his flood damage claim, he is keeping upbeat (as usual)! We look forward to having him back with us soon and hearing that he is able to move back into his home in time for the arrival of his first baby in early April.

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Conference 2012 Update: Call for Papers now open!
 

The Call for Papers for the Inclusive Learning Technologies Conference 2012 is now officially open! You have until 31^st August 2011 to send through your fabulous ideas for motivating presentations! And don't forget - if your presentation is selected for inclusion in the final program, you will receive one FREE three-day Conference 2012 registration valued at $750!

We have also fully updated information about our Keynote and Featured Presenters on the conference home page now. It's worth a visit not just to read their bios, but to view videos, listen to podcasts, see their past presentations, and download handouts and useful resources! We have a pretty clever line-up already as you'll see! This collection of resources will give you a really good feel for the type of sessions they will be presenting at the conference.

Keep an eye out for news of a competition we hope to be launching very soon – giving one lucky delegate the chance to win a prize covering costs of travel, accommodation and registration fees to attend the Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) Conference in Orlando, Florida, USA in January 2013! We are just finalising our exciting discussions with our generous sponsor now. (A great way to get to check out the new Harry Potter World just opened there too if that is your bag!)

To ensure that you keep up-to-the minute up-to-date with exciting announcements like the ATIA Conference prize, it would be great if you could do three things!

1. Sign up via the conference website to receive the Inclusive Learning Technologies Conference 2012 emailed updates
2. Visit the Inclusive Learning Technologies Conference 2012 Facebook page and “like” the page
3. Follow us on Twitter @ILT2012

Don’t worry ... we won’t bombard you with messages even if you do sign up for all three channels of communication. We just want to be sure that you don’t miss out on any important deadlines or exciting updates.

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Spectronics on the road in 2011: Register now for full day workshops!
 

The Spectronics team are about to hit the road for another series of popular workshops in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Workshops for Auckland and Wellington in November of this year are currently being finalised too. It would be great if you could join us!

What are they covering in their full-day workshops?

• Workshop One: Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) in the Special Education Classroom
• Workshop Two: Assistive Technology for Secondary Students who Struggle with Literacy
• Workshop Three: Developing Literacy in Primary and Special Needs Classrooms
• Workshop Four: Integrating Assistive Technologies Throughout the Curriculum in Special Education Classrooms

And just added! The workshops have been expanded to include some discussion of Apps for iPhones and iPads in response to the frequent questions we are fielding now re Apps for special ed, for AAC and for literacy support at both primary school and secondary school level. While this will not be the main focus of the sessions, we appreciate that discussing some Apps will allow you to compare them with the other technology options presented in each session.

When and Where?

Brisbane: Thursday 14^th April and Friday 15^th April 2011 (Pupil-free day)
Sydney: Monday 18^th July (Pupil-free day) and Tuesday 19^th July 2011
Melbourne: Monday 10^th October (Day One Term 4) and Tuesday 11^th October 2011

How much do they cost?

$180 per day or $295 for both days

How do you find out more?

• Download the flyer from the Spectronics website
• Visit the Spectronics Travel and Events Diary website
• Contact Eliza Bale, Spectronics’ Events and Marketing Coordinator on elizab@spectronicsinoz.com or phone (07) 3808 6833
• Or if you are ready to register – Sign up here now!

OR

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Read&Write GOLD Version 10 just released and new Certified Trainer Workshops
 

A new version of the popular literacy support program, Texhelp Read&Write GOLD for Windows has just been released – Version 10! It still offers its popular “floating toolbar” format, seamlessly working with all standard Windows-based programs (meaning that struggling students are not ostracised by having to use programs that are different to those used by their peers).

What's new in Read&Write 10 GOLD? 

• Picture Dictionary to improve comprehension
• Verb Checker to identify correct verb conjugations
• Vocabulary Tool to expand vocabulary
• Enhanced Text-to-Speech, Translator and Study Skills
• Enhanced Speech Maker to convert text to MP3
• Enhanced Screenshot Reader to read inaccessible text
• Enhanced Homophone and Confusable words 

To learn more, visit the Spectronics website or request a free 30-Day demo disk from Spectronics on mail@spectronicsinoz.com in Australia or mail@spectronics.co.nz in New Zealand.

Need training?

Why not sign in for one of Spectronics’ free online training sessions? The first presentation demonstrating Read&Write GOLD Version 10 by Greg O’Connor (Education Services Manager) is scheduled for Thursday 24^th February 2011.

If you would like a more intensive “hands-on” training, going through the features of the program in detail, you may wish to join us for one of the Texthelp Training Tour workshops planned for June 2011 in Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne. Sessions in Adelaide, Perth and Auckland are planned for later in the year too. All participants in these workshops have the non-mandatory option to complete a post-workshop assessment to become a Certified Texthelp Trainer. Visit Spectronics’ Travel and Events Diary page for more information or contact Eliza Bale, Spectronics’ Events and Marketing Coordinator on elizab@spectronicsinoz.com or on phone (07) 3808 6833.

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ReadingDoctor Software: Networkable version and licensing now available!
 

The popular ReadingDoctor ReadingSounds 1 Pro program has just been released as a fully networkable version making it so much easier to share with all students who will benefit from its early literacy instruction approach. An “Unlimited Site Licence” option is also now available – making it so much easier for your IT team to manage and ensuring that ALL students in your school have access to the program!

Why use ReadingDoctor software?

Research indicates that one of the most important factors in determining whether a child will become a successful reader is their ability to use letter-sound patterns to ‘decode’ unfamiliar words. There are a number of crucial skills which children must develop in order to crack this code in written language. ReadingDoctor ReadingSounds 1 Pro is a software program designed for children who are beginning to read, and for children who are struggling readers. It is ideal for children aged between 4 and 8 years old, although it is suitable for older children who are experiencing reading difficulties.

The following short videos show the program in action, being driven by Bartek Rajkowski, founder of ReadingDoctor and proud developer of the software program.

• ReadingSounds 1 Pro Theoretical Background
• ReadingSounds 1 Pro Teaching Method
• ReadingSounds 1 Pro Guided Tour 1 Part A
• ReadingSounds 1 Pro Guided Tour 1 Part B

More information on the program is available on the Spectronics website.

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OnLine Newsletter: Using digital pens to support inclusive learning
 

The latest edition of the Queensland Department of Education and Training's OnLine Newsletter has just been published and it is a special issue for those who are supporting students with reading and note taking. It outlines considerations when looking at note taking, identifies various aspects of digital pens and reviews a number of digital pen hardware and software options including the popular LiveScribe Pen. These pens digitally record information that is handwritten using the pen. This information can then be uploaded to the computer for a range of purposes.

At Spectronics, we often receive enquiries about digital pens and found this month's newsletter answered many of our questions too. Click here to download this informative edition of OnLine.

To receive your own copies of the OnLine Newsletter, simply visit the OnLine listserv page and select "OnLine Newsletter" from the drop down menu. Or to view past editions of OnLine, visit the Department of Education's Assistive Technology Professional Community page. If you have any problems subscribing or have any questions, just contact Jeff Souter, Editor of the OnLine Newsletter on jeff.souter@deta.qld.gov.au.

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FREE Booklet: Switch Progression Road Map
 

Coming soon! The Switch Progression Road Map, is a FREE downloadable booklet written by Ian Bean, Special Projects Manager at Inclusive Technology in the UK . Ian is well known to delegates who attended the Inclusive Learning Technologies Conference 2010 where he was voted our most popular presenter!

This booklet collates over ten years of best practice research and classroom observations from around the globe. Detailing every stage of switch skills acquisition from cause-and-effect through to competent scanning, this document will help you plan meaningful and motivating routes to success for your switch users accessing communication, learning and leisure.

The Switch Progression Road Map will help you assess a learner’s baseline, set achievable learning milestones and provide you with all the help you need to teach these important skills in a way which is both meaningful and motivating for your students. At every stage along the way the booklet provides practical advice on which software and hardware works best and how to set them up to personalise the learning experience.
 

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Every Australian Counts: National Disability Insurance Scheme Campaign
 

Every Australian Counts is the campaign for the introduction of a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). If implemented by the Australian Government, the NDIS will be a new support system for people with a disability, their families and carers. It will transform the way services are funded and delivered, ensuring people are better supported and enabling them to have greater choice and control.

Over the next few months the Productivity Commission will report to the Government on the findings of its inquiry into a long-term disability care and support scheme.

As a show of support for the NDIS, the Every Australian Counts movement needs every Australian to stand up and say that people with a disability, their families and carers in this country deserve better and that it’s time for change. To show the government that there is widespread community support for change - and that the time for action has come. You can support the campaign, by taking action to make every Australian count. How?

1. Sign the petition
2. "Like" the campaign on Facebook
3. Follow them on Twitter at @EveryAustralian and in all conversations tagged with #icount
4. Share this message with your friends

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Useful Spectronics Blog posts: Check them out!
 

The Spectronics team continue to be busy bloggers sharing their thoughts and updates on happenings in the world of technology. Listed here are some of the most recent posts, but to view all, or to add your comments, just visit the Spectronics Blog. You can also set up an RSS Feed to be notified of when a new entry is posted. Click here for more info about how to subscribe to RSS Feeds if this is a new (or confusing) concept for you. Once you have set up a “feed”, you’ll definitely appreciate the convenience of the information automatically coming to you – instead of having to remember to check in regularly to see what is new!

SETT – A Framework for Making Informed Decisions About Inclusive Technologies by Greg O'Connor Education Services Manager (Teacher)

Bookshare, Read:OutLoud 6 and the Read2Go App: Exciting news for Bookshare members by Jane Farrall AAC Support Services Manager (Speech Pathologist)

Everybody’s talking about Talking Mats by Katie Lyon Speech Language and AAC Consultant (Speech Pathologist)

New PCS symbol libraries by Charlene Cullen Speech Language and AAC Consultant (Speech Pathologist)

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