Ubiquitous Systems, Universal Design, Toolbelt Theory

FreeTech

Ira David Socol – Michigan State University College of Education

Mythic Educational Technology

Assistive Technology is just for Special EdTechnology is expensiveTechnology is an add-onTechnology should be centrally controlled

Technology is any tool invented after I was born

Mythic Educational Technology

Kids all know the technologiesNew technologies are just for playTechnology creates inequitiesTechnology access is dangerous

Technology won’t help kids get jobs

(1927)

(1842)

(2009)

(2008)

Ira Socol noticed election workers at his polling place in Holland, Mich., Tuesday telling voters the address on their ID card had to match the one on their voter registration. Otherwise, they couldn't use the voting machines.

Wall Street Journal, November 5, 2008

Technologies which Disrupt…

Understandings of what “school” means.Concepts of Ability and Disability Inability.Systems of “Authority.”Boundaries and Borders.Definitions of Nations and Cultures.Roles of teachers and students.

Universal Tools for EducationUniversal ICT Tools

Shifting Control.Enabling different paths.Enabling different “winners.”Expanding the universe of educational “winners.”

Free Technologies – Using commercially based services for our own needs.

Ubiquitous Technologies – using multi-purpose commercial and/or open source systems that are already widely in use.

Collaborative Technologies – systems which allow non-hierarchical “student” relationships.

Multi-Modal Technologies – which allow for multiple representations.

Lifespan Technologies – learning technological paradigms that will support learning and communication outside of “school.”.

multimodality: digital technologies allow content to be presented using a diverse range of systems of representation and a combination of different semiotic means of meaning-making. Kress, G & Pachler, N. Thinking about the ‘m’ in m-learning (2007)

In the emergent literacy view, aspects of language — both oral and written — develop concurrently rather than sequentially (Goodman, 1986). According to this view, literacy learning does not happen only in formal classroom settings, but also in informal settings, in both oral and written modes, and in collaboration and interaction with others.Ryokai, K, Vaucelle C, and Cassell, J. Virtual peers as partners in storytelling and literacy learning

An open definition of literacy and “reading” and “writing” – “web 2.0” means students should be allowed access via whatever system works best for themselves.

Flexible Communication – multi-modal structures that allow varying participants to participate various ways.

Options – Synchronous/Asynchronous – systems which allow communication across rooms, learning times, even time zones and cultures.

BasicsGoogle DocsGoogle CalendarFirefox plus Add-OnsSkypeVoiceThread Webspiration Ghotit SMSBlogsSocial NetworksMobiles

Free Text-To-Speech in FirefoxWindows – Mac OS

http://clickspeak.clcworld.net/downloads.html

Input

Vista Speech Recognition

DSpeech

Mobile Keypad Input

DKey

Tapir

On Line Text-To-Speech

http://vozme.com/

http://www.yakitome.com/

Phone Text-To-Speech

http://www.dial2do.com/

VLingo

Phone Speech-to-Text

http://www.abbyme.com/

Phone Text Conversion

https://www.qipit.com/

http://www.topocr.com/index.html

http://www.scanr.com/

Backchannel in the Classroom

Today’s Meet

Twitter with Twitterfall

OnLine Sources

Project GutenbergProject Gutenberg Australia

University of VirginiaLiterature Network

ABC BooksBookshare

Simple DownloadableWindows Text-To-Speech

http://www.naturalreaders.com/

http://www.readplease.com/

Simple Mac OS TTS

Open System Preferences - it’s the fourth item in the Apple menu. In the “System” section, usually about the fourth line of icons, there is an icon labeled “Speech” which looks like an old fashioned microphone. Click on the Speech icon.

Simple Mac OS TTS

Select any key combination that isn’t already used for something else. Now all you need to do is select some text in an application - I suggest you try it first with Safari or Text Edit - and hit your keys and you should hear Mac OS X read out whatever you have selected!

Multi-Featured DownloadableWindows Text-To-Speech

Microsoft Reader with Text-To-Speech engine and Read in Microsoft Reader (RMR) add-ons - FREE

http://www.microsoft.com/reader/downloads/pc.asp (laptop/desktop PC)http://www.microsoft.com/reader/downloads/tablet.asp (tablet PC, with "write

notes in the margins!")http://www.microsoft.com/reader/developers/downloads/tts.asp (Text-To-

Speech)http://www.microsoft.com/reader/developers/downloads/rmr.asp (RMR,

creates one-click conversions from Microsoft Word)http://www.microsoft.com/reader/downloads/dictionaries.asp (Dictionaries)

Downloadable MS Office Text-To-Speech

WordTalkhttp://www.wordtalk.org.uk/

PowerTalkhttp://fullmeasure.co.uk/powertalk/

http://www.tx2ph.com/

Downloadable Audio SoftwareWindows – Mac OS

Audacityhttp://audacity.sourceforge.net/

Mobile Web Builders

http://www.ubik.com/ http://www.mobilemo.com/main.php

Flash Drive Suite

AccessApps

Universal Tools

Ira David Socol – Michigan State University College of Education

socolira@msu.eduhttp://speedchange.blogspot.com