Fun and Learning with Online Interactives

 

 UpToTen: The Picture Dish  

 http://boowakwala.uptoten.com/kids/

boowakwala-family-cooking-picturedish.html

Drag and drop the food on the dish to create a face, a train, or a flower...or anything else you want.         

Make a Robot 

http://www.abcya.com/make_a_robot.htm

"Click and drag different parts from the parts bin to the construction area to create a robot. You can also click on robot parts on the stage to move them around, make them bigger or smaller, and even spin them around! No two robot creations will ever be the same!" [site]

IKEA Kids Room Planner

http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_CA/rooms_ideas/
planner_youth/index.html

To design your dream bedroom, you can either start from scratch, or start with a theme. Watch the quick video "Watch it Work" to get some ideas for using this tool.

ToonDoo

http://www.toondoo.com

ToonDoo is an online tool for creating and publishing your own comic strips. Check out the comics of other kids while you're there.

National Gallery of Art: Collage Machine II

 http://www.nga.gov/kids/zone/collagemachine2.htm

Use this online collage maker to layer images, shapes and set transparencies to develop your own pictures.

National Gallery of Art: Sea-Saws

http://www.nga.gov/kids/zone/seasaws.htm

"Select photographs of natural and man-made objects, then assemble the pieces to create a seascape or an abstract composition. The BUILD tool helps you construct animated characters. ADD them to your scene as still objects, movers, rockers, or rollers.

Back to School: Articles of Interest

RESOURCES FROM NICHCY!

NICHCY's disability in your classroom blog series.

Looking for practical tips that you can use? NICHCY authors a series of specific disability blogs full of great tips and resources. Also explore their blog page, which features information and perspectives related to serving students with disabilities in schools.

 http://nichcy.org/blog

Back-to-school tips for parents of children with special needs.

Reading Rockets offers back-to-school tips for parents emphasizing communication, organization, and staying up-to-date on special education news.

http://www.readingrockets.org/article/38405/

Help children transition from one activity to another, and one place to another.

From the Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention for Young Children (TACSEI), Thoughtful Transitions Reduce Traffic Jams and Challenges gives tools and strategies to use when teaching children how to transition between activities and places within the early childhood environment.
http://www.challengingbehavior.org/communities/make_n_take/make_n_take_home.html

Teaching tools based on brain facts.

Looking for some strategies to better engage students and pique their interests? Brainfact.org has a collection of multimedia resources to develop engaging and interactive lessons.

http://www.brainfacts.org/educators/

Adventures in an autism classroom: On the value of token economies.

Token Economy Systems work for ALL types of students, no matter what their academic or communication level! Here is one example of how this system can be used.

http://classroominthecorner.blogspot.com/

 AUTISM SPEAKS has a multitude of resources!

 View the entire site at:    www.autismspeaks.org 

 AUTISM APPS:  

Autism Speaks has an easy to view growing list of recommended Apps.
See link below. Copy and paste in your browser.

http://www.autismspeaks.org/autism-apps?utm_source=social-media&utm_medium=text-link&utm_campaign=espeaks

Below are two articles I really found helpful and informative. 
Autism's Back-to-School Anxiety               
Videoblog: Managing Challenging Behaviors

                    
                          

AUTISM SPEAKS has a new app for mobile phones! Autism Speaks' official app provides free access to blogs, latest news and up to the minute content from www.autismspeaks.org. Integrated with your email and Facebook, share and comment on all the latest from Autism Speaks. Available in the iTunes store and on Google Play now. 
                                       

                 

         

       Cyberbullying: Informative Sites  

      Copy and Paste links in your browser to view                                              

Cyberbullying: StopBullying.gov www.stopbullying.gov/cyberbullying/index.html What is Cyberbullying? http://teenadvice.about.com/od/schoolviolence/a/cyberbullying1.htm Four Types of Cyberbullying http://suite101.com/article/the-four-types-of-cyberbully-a239031 Types of Cyberbullying http://ehow.com/facts_5314126_types-cyberbullying.html Stop Cyberbullying Download the FREE Alex Wonder Kids Cyberdetective Agency Game http://www.stopcyberbullying.org Prevent Cyberbullying http://www.stopbullying.gov/cyberbullying/prevention/index.html BrainPop Cyberbullying http://www.brainpop.com/technology/computersandinternet/cyberbullying/ ATTENTION Parents/School Staff should view prior to viewing of children/teens! *Click on a topic in the word cloud below for additional info.

    
                    Some new articles that may be of interest:
               

• Brief report: feasibility of social cognition and interaction training for adults with high functioning autism.  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18246419
• The Largest Search Engine for Cliff Notes, Summaries, Book Notes, and Study Guides Online.   http://www.freebooknotes.com/  
• Preventing Cyberbullying: A Guide to Safe and Responsible Internet Use in the Digital Age :  A new white paper from EdgeWave, “Preventing Cyberbullying: A Guide to Responsible Internet Use in the Digital Age” examines the challenge of cyberbullying for schools as they deal with the explosion of social media use by K-12 students.                    To view download Adobe Reader for free.   http://thejournal.com/whitepapers/2012/07/edgewave_preventing-cyberbullying-guide-safe-responsible-internet-use.aspx
• Psychological Abuse Just As Damaging As Physical Abuse  

http://psychcentral.com/news/2012/07/31/psychological-abuse-just-as-damaging-as-physical-abuse/42417.html 

OCALI - Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence 

This site has informative webinars, videos, resources and 
professional development opportunities.  

Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI) serves families, educators, and professionals working with students with autism and low-incidence disabilities, including autism spectrum disorders, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairments, other health impairments, and traumatic brain injuries.

              http://www.ocali.org/project/learn_about_OCALI

There are 6 main topics which are very informative!!

       ~Autism Center     

           http://www.ocali.org/center/autism                 

     

       ~Learning Disabilities Center    

           http://www.ocali.org/center/disabilities 

     

       ~Universal Design for Learning Center  

           http://www.ocali.org/center/udl  

     

       ~Assistive Technology Center    

           http://www.ocali.org/center/at

    

       ~Lifespan Transitions Center    

          http://www.ocali.org/center/transitions

    

       ~Family Center    

          http://www.ocali.org/center/family

The Center for Systems Change is another feature of this site which provides up to 

date news stories reflecting the topics included within this site.

                 

              http://www.centerforsystemschange.org/

There are 4 categories with articles and videos.

    ~Policy Perspectives  

          http://www.centerforsystemschange.org/view.php?nav_id=31

    

   ~Systems Integration  

          http://www.centerforsystemschange.org/view.php?nav_id=1                       

   

   ~Mental and Emotional Health 

         http://www.centerforsystemschange.org/view.php?nav_id=2 

    

  ~Employment

         http://www.centerforsystemschange.org/view.php?nav_id=3 
           
                    

Speech Teach provides Free Speech and Language Therapy Resources          

                                for Parents and Teachers

This is a great web site for parents and school staff supporting children with speech difficulties.

                       Topics are divided into specific speech categories 

    Speech Therapy               Stuttering/ Stammering          Special needs education 
     
     Parent's sites                    General educational                     Teaching reading                       


      Other Links                  

Helpful Ideas and Tools

WordTalk

WordTalk is a free text-to-speech add-in developed for use with all versions of Microsoft Word (from Word 97 up to Word 2010). It will speak the text of the document and will highlight it as it goes. It contains a talking dictionary to help decide which word spelling is most appropriate. [Site] This is an excellent tool for those students who may have difficulty reading.
http://www.wordtalk.org.uk/Home/

Thesaurus tool in Microsoft Word

Here is a keyboard shortcut to access the thesaurus tool in Microsoft Word. Click or highlight a word and press Shift+F7. The thesaurus tool will now open on the side of your screen. 

How To Clear Your Browser Cache

No matter what platform you use to browse the Internet, in order to speed up future visits, your browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, etc) remembers pieces of information about what sites you visit . This is called a browser cache. If your browser is not set to update itself automatically, you may experience problems seeing curent information or changes to a web page. This WikiHow article discusses the methods required for the most popular browsers on how best to clear the browser cache.

http://www.wikihow.com/Clear-Your-Browser's-Cache

  New Articles of Interest:

When Young Adults Need Help with Decisions: Guardianship and Other Approaches to Decision-making Support

This new Got Transition brief describes decision-making supports that may assist young adults with intellectual disabilities while ensuring independence and self-direction. This brief also provides links to 

important resources for more information about guardianship and other alternatives.

http://hosted-p0.vresp.com/330372/c41b470f62/ARCHIVE

Preparing Middle Schoolers to Enter High School

From the UCLA Center for Mental Health in Schools - Supporting Successful Transition to Ninth Grade.

http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/practicenotes/transitionsninthgrade.pdf

101 | UDL and Transition Planning for Youth with Disabilities

Developed by National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center, this resource focuses on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) application in secondary transition services. It also outlines the principles of UDL, provides evidence to support its use, describes examples of UDL application in various academic content areas, and provides links to additional resources.

http://tinyurl.com/6oczn8r

Yogic Breathing for Anxiety

by Kate Bowers, Certified HANDLE Screener and Yoga Instructor

Over the years I hear repeatedly from clients that learning to breathe efficiently is one of the greatest gifts to their sense of well being. I recommend different forms of pranayama, or yogic breathing to almost all of my HANDLE clients because it can be done anywhere and becomes especially useful in stressful moments at work, home, school or anywhere else. It is a beautiful complement to HANDLE's gentle approach.

READ MORE

               

       


An Update from our Chief Science Officer: 
     Findings from DSM-5 Field Testing   






                                                            Read More at:  DSM5.org


 Autism and the DSM V
Jan 21, 2012 ... The DSM V is the yet (2013) to be published Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, the handbook for diagnosing psychiatric and psychological ...


What's New:  http://www.dsm5.org/Pages/Default.aspx


How Autism Diagnosis and Treatment May Change with the New ...
Jul 11, 2011 ... The DSM is a manual that organizes behaviors and symptoms into ... do you anticipate that treatments will vary dramatically with the DSM V?


Psychotherapy - Resources and Information About Psychotherapy
The manual is currently undergoing revision the the DSM-V is planned for publication in May of 2013. You can learn more about the DSM and how mental ...


What Will the New Aspergers Diagnosis Look Like?
http://autism.about.com/b/2011/07/02/what-will-the-new-aspergers-diagnosis-look-like.htm

Autism Spectrum Disorders: The Current State of Treatment... there really aren't enough data to be confident. The next version of the DSM, the DSM-V, will almost certainly allow for the diagnosis of ADHD in the ...

The Changing Epidemiology of ADHD... : The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-V) is proposing diagnostic criteria for ADHD that would increase the age ...

Reading Websites

www.childrenslibrary.org


www.readingrockets.org






http://storybird.com


www.bitstrips.com


www.seussville.com/?section=playground&pgarea=area1


http://www.inklesstales.com/stories/


http://robertmunsch.com/books


www.tikatok.com                                                               


www.carnegielibrary.org/kids/storymaker                      

http://tools.e2bn.org/index.php


www.funbrain.com

www.magickeys.com


www.scholastic.com


http://www.scholastic.com/parents/play/stories/


www.virtual-egypt.com


www.zimmertwins.com


www.dvolver.com/moviemaker/index.html


www.kerpoof.com


http://www.sillybooks.net/page_two.htm


http://www.professorgarfield.org/toon_book_reader/index.html


http://www.learningpage.com/free_pages/ewe_preview.html


http://www.kidsstoriesonline.com/online-stories.html

Autism Prevalence Rises to 1 in 88 



"With the new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention numbers now showing that 1 in 88 children in the United States are being diagnosed with autism – nearly a doubling of the prevalence since the CDC began tracking these numbers – autism can now officially be declared an epidemic in the United States".                            



Quoted remarks above were delivered by Mark Roithmayr, president of Autism Speaks, at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta on March 29, 2011.

Read more at:  
http://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/prevalence?utm_source=social-media&utm_medium=E-speaks&utm_campaign=033012

Autism Speaks Demands an Urgent, New Response to the Autism Epidemic

                      as CDC Updates Prevalence Estimates

NEW YORK, N.Y. (March 29, 2012) – Autism Speaks, the world’s leading autism science and advocacy organization, today called on the nation’s elected and appointed leaders to immediately develop a new, coordinated strategy to take on a national public health emergency – the More...

Tags: 1 in 88, autism, autism prevalence, Autism Speaks, CDC, Geri Dawson, Prevalence, Science, About Us

Autism Prevalence Up 78% in the US

Link to Medscape articles:

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/761162?src=mpnews&spon=12

                      Read this article on Medscape's

                      free mobile app.Download Now

                      

Foundations
Information basic to the use of AT including: benefits, laws, assessment considerations and school policies.
Introduction to Assistive Technology
Federal Laws and AT Use
Assessing AT Student Need
AT School District Start Up

Adapting Computers
Commercial and specialized software programs to support writing, reading and math.
Using the Computer for Reading
Using the Computer for Writing
Using the Computer for Math

Curriculum
Low and high-tech adapted computer technology solutions for today's classrooms.
Simple Modifications
Keyboard Options
Mouse Options
Specialized Input Systems
Switch and Scanning Systems

Technology for Special Populations
Technology options designed to meet the needs of disability specific groups of students.
AT for Blind Students
Communication Needs
Low-tech Tools
Students with Learning Disabilities
Students with Low Vision
Switch Users
Universal Design

Chores
Click here to see the video on how to help your child to do his or her chores. Did you know that research has shown the real chores does more to build self-esteem and responsibility than homework? It is a great time to help start your children have some real chores around the house.

Whining and Arguing
I am sorry to say that all of us have dealt with our children whining or begging for something. "But all of my friends have . . ." Ever wonder how to get the begging and whining to stop? Click here to see a 2 minute web clip that will help you with just that.

To Ground or Not
All too often parents say, "You are grounded for a week."
What do you do if the child does another thing? Ground them for two weeks? Three weeks? As a consequence, I think it punishes us as parents as much as the child and is not very flexible. If it works, great. But there are more effective alternatives you might want to consider. If you want an alternative to grounding, you might like the energy drain technique. Take a look at the technique by clicking here.

*Some links to consider when talking to your child about death of a loved one ...
I found these helpful for myself, to decide how to explain the facts about death in a gentle way to my son with Autism Spectrum and my high school teenage son.

Helping Young Surviving Children As a parent, you can take the lead by explaining death and having answers to your child's most frequent questions.

Talking To Children About Death What we say about death to our children, or when we say it, will depend on their ages and experiences.

Children and Grief: Parents should be aware of normal childhood responses to a death in the family, as well as danger signals.

When a Parent Dies: All children need to have the facts and their feelings surrounding their loss confirmed often; for this reason it is also important to listen to what they have to say.

Children's Understanding of Death This chart is meant to be used as a guideline to children’s understanding of death from newborns through teenagers.

Helping Teenagers Cope with Grief Bereaved teens give out all kinds of signs that they are struggling with complex feelings, yet are often pressured to act as they are doing better than they really are.

Helping Younger People Cope with Cancer Deaths and Funerals Understanding the problem; When to get professional help; What you can do to help; Possible obstacles; Carrying out and adjusting your plan

What Do You Tell Children? Children have to be told about death. It will make sorrow and death much easier for a child to deal with if they know something about it beforehand.





Children and Grief: A “must visit” section of the Beyond Indigo site if you are looking for information on child grief.



How do I explain cremation to my 7-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son? Their grandparents have been cremated.


Talking to Young Children About Death  
  http://notjustcute.com/2011/03/07/talking-to-young-children-about-death/


Death and Loss
  http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/parenting_tips/death_and_loss.html

Talking to Children about Death
http://www.cc.nih.gov/ccc/patient_education/pepubs/childeath.pdf


Children's Grief Education Association
 http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.childgrief.org/images/mood-faces2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.childgrief.org/childrenspage.htm&usg=__LS6kaA4s_XWwR3a3j2A2kwqE9E4=&h=634&w=307&sz=25&hl=en&start=13&zoom=1&tbnid=UX_PxZvQDnYKHM:&tbnh=137&tbnw=66&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfeelings%2Bfaces%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26rlz%3D1T4GFRC_enCA307CA307%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1