Egg tastic

I recently started working with adults with traumatic brain injuries. There are unique challenges for individuals with TBI when it comes to cooking. One of my clients is always looking for something to help her with eggs. Due to her injuries she finds standard timers difficult. While watching a cooking show they showed a very cool egg timer. It is called the Beep Egg.

The Beep Egg is simple to use. The beep egg gets dropped into the water and indicates with a beep when the water is boiling. Now that is great for someone that needs to make pasta. If you are making eggs the BeepEgg will sing you are “Killing Me Softly” when the egg has reached the soft-boiled point.

If you here “I wish I was a Hen” than you egg has reached the medium boil egg. This is where my eggs typically landing without effort because I get distracted. Hard-boiled eggs are typically my specialty however for individuals that need assistance when you hear strains of "Carmina Burana."

This device is not available in the US at this time. I am finding that most of the cool and fun products are only found in the UK. The Beep Egg is available from http://www.firebox.com/product/2297/BeepEgg for £14.95 or $21.20.

I have one on order to check out how it works. I am hoping it helps my client and my father.

What I have learned

When I started to write this blog, work and the field of assistive technology or technology was very important to me. A little over a year ago, my family suffered a tragedy. Over the past year, I have been evaluating what legacy I would leave behind. This past year, I have sat on the sidelines and watched. Today, I am going to share what I have learned this year.

Family:

I have learned that family easily has to be your priority. We are so caught up in the things that we are doing that we often forget to pay attention to the people that in our lives. We think that our family will always be there and we will have time to talk, go out or spend time with them, we just have to finish this. However, sometimes we do not have the next minute, hour or day. We need to stop thinking of everything on our To-Do list and spend time with our loves ones. The things on our TO-DO list will be there tomorrow. You have to balance what needs to be done now with what you might be missing with your family. For me, my family is not just my sister, brother, nieces’, nephew or cousins it is the people that have stood by my side and supported me when I could not support myself. They are the individuals that held my hand and pulled me forward. They are the individuals that saw the sadness behind the wall. Family is what we make it.

Work

I have learned that work is what pays the bills. I have learned that work is not what should define who you are. I am a teacher. I am an assistive technology specialist. There are titles that define my job but they do not define me. I do not want people to remember me for my title but for the compassion and love that I have for the individuals that I work with. I treat my students, consumers or clients the way they should be with respect. I do reach out to them when they need me but I have learned that some issues do not have to be dealt with immediately. Before Brittany died, I would feel guilty if I did not answer an email or phone call immediately because someone needed help. Now, although I do answer quickly with 24 hours if it is just a question – immediately if a true emergency (something that can do harm). For the most part, I have learned that my job is 9-5. That after five, it is my family time. I have learned that I do not need to know it all and be the first to tell about it. I need to know what I am talking about. I need to share my experiences. I need to help when no one else has a suggestion. My help and support should be outside the box and not just cookie cutter.

Legacy

Everyone battles with what be remembered when he or she is gone. For me, it is that I was a good hearted person who cared for others. She went out of her way to help others in need. That her family was the most precious gift she was given. That she fought for the rights of the underdog. She spoke her mind and did not care who was listening. I want my legacy to be about my actions and not just the words that I wrote in a report or blog. I am still learning how to improve my legacy.

Fun and Laughter

I have come to terms that we need to have MORE FUN. We need to be able to laugh at ourselves and the things around us. The economy is horrible but having fun does not have to be expensive. The only cost to fun is your time. When Brittany was murdered, I could not even imagine laughing or smiling again. Nevertheless, those things happened and you feel guilty because the person is not here with you to share it with you however, you suddenly get how important laughter and smiling is. Laughter even in the darkest moment makes you realize that things are not as bad as you think. Take the time to have fun and laugh. You want to create those memories with your friends and loved ones. You want to sit around the table and laugh at the stupid things you have done together. These stories and memories are what life is about. So move away from the technology and have some great fun with the people that love you.

Technology

I love technology. But here is the thing… put it down and move away from the keyboard. Your email will be there when you are finished with the important things. Family, friend, and the great outdoors. Technology gives us a view of so much but what is right outside our window. It gives us connections with old and new friends. However, if you spend more time looking at a flat screen than you do a person you are wasting precious time. Make eye contact with the person you love. Really pay attention to the people you pass on the street. OK be careful you do not want to be over friendly or freak people out because of the staring. There are so many great things to do in real time. You want to make connections with real people in real time. Technology changes in a heartbeat but so do the people in our lives. The next best thing is tomorrow’s thing to complain about.

I also learned that technology could be a tool for prognostication. I now mark off times in my day that is email time, FACEBOOK time and web searching. I found that I was spending excessively too much time on things that took me away the important things. So now, I set a timer for 15 minutes for email and FACEBOOK every hour. In that 15 minutes, I get to answer what I can and move on. It sounds crazy but on any given day, I can have 200 or more emails that are from list servs. The beauty of list servs is everyone shares his or her experience and opinion. I do not have to read every single one and I do not feel the need to get in the middle of a disagreement unless I feel strongly about it. This makes me be more accountable to me and what I have to say and share.

This blog

I honestly do not know what this blog will or will not be. There are many things that I want to say but they are not always positive. I get frustrated that the educational system lacking a vision for students in special education or even regular education students. I have focused on students with an IEP. The students that are failing are not the students with IEP’s. The students are falling through the cracks are the students we need to start focusing on. We have students that are leaving our schools who cannot read, write or do simple math but were not disabled enough to have a 504 or IEP.

I am frustrated that we waste money on technology in education and no one wants to admit it. Technology is a tool. It can be a powerful tool but having it and not knowing how to use it is a waste. Do not complain that your school does not have something when you can walk past classrooms and the computers are not being used. Technology is a wonderful tool. However, if you do not use what you have you should not be asking for me.

I honestly do not know what this blog will be or not be. I am taking life one day at a time. There are days that I do not want to do anything. There are days that I am not motivated to leave bed. What I do know is that I am blessed to have individuals that are in my life and I am living a blessed life. If you choose to join me on my journey, I appreciate your patience with me. If you need to move on, I also appreciate the time you have spent with me.

Thank you for your time. Come back and visit if you wish.

Holiday Gift Ideas

With the gift season just around the corner, I wanted to share a few sites that I have used for gifts. I try to be unique in my gift giving. I try to think about the individual or couple that I am purchasing for. Last year the big drive for me was gifts that gave back. This year with the economy being what it is I thought I would find gifts that I could afford and that people in my life need. Everyone needs a good meal. There are times in our lives that we just don't want to cook or we just need some RR from our lives. So I have decided to purchase dinner and movie tickets for all everyone on my gift list. Sorry, if you are reading this and you are on my gift list there will be no surprise for you when you open your gift bag.

Like everyone I am on a tight budget. So to purchase gift cards for local restaurants I turned to http://www.restaurant.com/ . It is like buying a savings bond. You pay a fraction of the cost of what the cost it. For example, for a $25 gift certificate, I paid $10. You don't have the chain restaurants on this site. It is the Main Street restaurants that might be owned by a neighbor or friend. Giving back to your community is important. With the gift certificates being a fraction of the cost, I can purchase more for my money. Instead of getting one restaurant for $50, I can now send my friends and family out 5 times. Yes, there are some strings attached. Some restaurants require a minimum so when you purchase watch the little notes.

Discount movie tickets are the best. This is something that takes some practice. I use either the entertainment book or my credit union they have the best deals. You purchase one ticket and you get a ticket for free. The tickets are typically good for all movies times.

There is a risk to the gifts, I have purchased so many businesses have are going out of business. You need to make sure you have a well established business and that they are not going anywhere. The risk is there and you need to make sure it is a small a risk as possible.

Worse comes to worse, I spent ½ the amount I would have on holiday gifts that get no use like the Handheld game, the video camera they couldn't live without or the clothing that was so in when they picked it out but when they opened it on Christmas morning it was so yesterday.

Take the Time to say THANK YOU - it's FREE

You don't have to agree with the politics of the war. However, everyone should thank a solider for what they do. They are doing that many of us have made the choice not to do. These men and women are defending our freedoms. Without the military we would not have the right to openly agree or disagree about the things we don't like. So take a moment and say Thank you. Show the soldiers that are away from their familiar for the holidays that we appreciate them as humans. We of us have jobs that sometimes no one appreciates but in the end we have a pay off that makes it well worth the effort. Take the 1-2 minutes and just send a note of thank you. The card you write today may be the difference in that soldiers day, week or month.

Something cool that Xerox is doing...
If you go to this web site, www.LetsSayThanks.com you can pick out a thank you card that is designed by children of all ages, select a pre-written message or write your own message and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq. You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to a member of the armed services.

How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to send just one!!!
This is a great site. Please send a card.

Christmas Wish List

I really do try to keep going with the blog but life seems to keep getting in the way. So with Christmas fast approaching I thought it would be nice to see to suggest some toys. The toys are not specifically for children with special needs but are user friendly.

Wii Fit: If you can get your hands on the Wii Fit it is the toy for the whole family. Even if you exercise everyday this is a game that makes it a little more fun. The Wii fit goes along with the wii gaming system. It is a way to keep everyone active in a way that most are not. For the soccer game you have to stand on the Wii Fit unit and move left right forward back head the ball. How about Yoga, nothing like have your own personal yoga instructor. The Wii Fit system keeps track of your BMI. My wii character has been turned into a weeble wobble and she does fall down.

Tag System – LeapFrog – Yeah a toy that reinforces early literacy. The Tag System has a small infrared camera at the tip of the Tag reader which is a large pen. The Tag system can read letters, words and sentences. You have to use a huge selection of specialized program books that go with the Tag system. It does not work on books that do not have the specialized dot. This is a toy that allows struggling readers take control over their own learning. I remember trying to learn to read, sounding out the words, skipping words and trying to get content then going back to the word. This tool allows you to hear the word as many times as you need to have it read to you. It makes the words come alive for early learners and older learners.

Funny Phrases Game: Works with the Tag System. 250,000 silly sentences. What better way to learn language and literacy but by creating silly sentences. Touch the words with your Tag™ Reader and hear them aloud!

Tag Super Speller Team up with Ozzie and Mack to play interactive games and build more than 300 words! Additional learning activities include finding letter names and sounds and how to spell three- and four-letter words.

Poingo Reading System: If you are a fan of LeapFrom Tag system you will also enjoy the Poingo system. Unlike the Tag system the Poingo allows you to touch words and pictures that are in specialized Poingo books. The Poingo system has 6 different books at this time. You can hear sounds as well as music. The pen is a little easier to hold and the buttons are easier to work for a young child. I also like the built in picture walk. Here is a online demo: http://www.mypoingo.com/web/cars.jsp The sound is not as good as the tag system. But the features that are not in the Tag is nice in the Poingo.

Elmo Live – if you haven't had enough of Elmo here is another one. Elmo Live actually speaks through his mouth. It is just like the Teddy Rumpkins from the early 80's. The biggest difference is that the head moves back and forth as he speaks, his arms wave, sits and stands and even crosses his legs while telling stories and jokes. Elmo sings songs and plays games. This Elmo is all the past Elmo's rolled into one. Great toy for literacy and social interaction. What is better than a friend sharing jokes with you that you can share with another? Cost : $60.00 plus taxes

Fisher-Price Kid-Tough Waterproof Digital Camera – this is the camera I have been waiting for. Little kids need a camera that can be go the places they go purposely and accidently. The camera can hold roughly 170 high quality photos. The photos are stored on flash memory no SD slot. The camera is recognized by the computer as a mass media unit. No software installation is needed. My 4 year old niece loves her camera. She was able to take pictures, view the pictures, delete the pictures and even print her pictures. Cost: $50.00

Fisher-Price Disco Dancin Wubbzy - Disco is back baby! This is a character from a TV show for children. But really who can turn away that does cartwheels, the worm (not really Disco), head stand and the wiggle. So ok – Disco really isn't the right name for this toy. It is more of a 80's break dancing toy. But hands down kids love playing with this toy. It does require batteries.

Wild Planet Hyper Dash a toy to keep your children active and following directions. There are four different levels that allow improvement players skills. Level one uses colors. The device calls out a color and player dashes toward the target. Level two uses colors and numbers. The third level uses commands like strike, double strike, and reverse. The fourth level is the hardest level. The players have to solve math problems. There are other special commends that "team" playing. This is a race against the clock including activities as a memory game. This is a light touch toy. The toy has RFID technology which means Radio frequency. Rough play over a period of time will cause the toy to break.

UNO Flash the device calls the directions and colors. You have to pay attention when the device flashes red in front of you it is your turn. But if you don't pay attention your turn is up and you lose. All the rules are changed and the device takes care of them for you. If you like UNO this is a great game to have for the family game night.

The Exhibit Hall - Software

Ok I screwed up. I deleted my whole section on AAC. I will have to repost it tomorrow. I am sorry.

Slate Software, Inc. : Slater Software has upgraded their software Pixwriter and picture library. The library is roughly 9000 high – resolution Literacy Support Pictures They has also created additional science and health curriculum materials out. If you haven't checked out what Slate Software is doing you really need to have over to their site. The curriculum materials are very well constructed and developed. The most exciting thing is that the teachers do not have to spend their time create the materials and they can focus on the important things, teaching, interacting and enjoying their students. Slate software also has free materials on their website. Check their site and see the other products that they offer.

Stages software has developed a new Math program. Stages software has been around for a long time but this is the first time that they have moved from language/literacy to math. I had the pleasure of sitting through a workshop about this specific piece of software because it is an area in general that is lacking for our students. The author of this program has made sense of the research on math. The activities are well organized in an attractive package, easy to follow and it collects meaningful data. The software can be used with all students in your classroom. The software has screens that are about the task that the student is working on. The screens are clean and none distractible backgrounds. The software is not drill and skill software. It allows the student to demonstrate competency of what they know and don't know so you can focus on the skills they need based on the data collected.

More tomorrow …. Tired, sorry.

Workshop Sessions

8:00AM - How to assess, teach and use the Head as an Access site for AT: Given by Karen Kangas and Lisa Rotelli. If you get a chance, please take a class with Karen Kangas.  Karen's background is in seating and positioning. All I can say is WOW! She had me sitting up straight in my chair wide eyed and ready to learn at 8 am.

 
 

Here are the highlights of the presentation:

 
 

1. Get over the myth that the head isn't the place to start. Follow the development of the human body. The head develops before the trunk or limbs.

2. If you don't have proper position then you might as well start there without positioning then you can't have true control.

3.  Electronic switches vs. mechanical switch - the feedback isn't the click you hear but the success of participation.

4. Single switch access is the most difficult. Give two switch access to a student and you give a person independence.

5. Fatigue is cognitive not a physical fatigue.

6. Hands are the last extremity to develop. Control of the hands does not happen until puberty.

7. The Switch is not the activity. Do not make switch activation the activity. Making the switch the activity is similar to taking the pen cap off the pen and saying the student wrote a paragraph. Having the proper tool just makes the participating the activity.

 

Here is the task analysis of using a mechanical switch:

 

1. Location
   
2. Touch
   
3. Press it
   
4. Hold it
   
5. Release it
   

 

It requires graded movement. Majority of individuals that are using switches do not have graded movement. It is all or nothing but we expect control.

 

10:00 AM Cliff Notes about Nimas

 

This may not be the most exciting conversation but it is important to understand how NIMAS and NIMAC affect accessible text.

 

1. Students with a 504 are not eligible for NIMAS – NIMAC files.
   
2. State and local educational agencies are responsible for having it in their contracts with textbook companies. This is not a special education issue as much as it is the issue with the person who is ordering the textbooks. So that means we need to start with a conversation with the people that ORDER the books.
   
3. NIMAC and NIMAS are for elementary and secondary because they are covered under IDEA.
   
4. All states were required to be registered for NIMAS.
   
5. Definition of PUBLSHED the OSEP defines it as AVALABLE for PURCHASE from July 19, 2006 that means not that to book was created in July, 2006 but that it is STILL FOR SALE.
   
6. PRINT DISABILITY has not been defined by IDEA – it is defined in other laws so the OSEP hasn't at this time defined what it means.
   
7. All digital material is not accessible.
   

Websites of Interest:

http://aimcast.blogspot.com

http://aim.cast.org

http://nimas.cast.org

http://www.nimac.us/

 

12:00 – Taking applications with you. This is a workshop that talked about using the USB or flash cards to store portable applications. I didn't get a handout because I arrived late. I am hoping to get one from the presenter. But the presentation is about the applications that I wrote about in Sept.

 

2:00 – Closing the Gap 2008 Presentation, Portfolios That Work by Mary Ann Lowe SLP. D., CCC-SLP and Samuel Sennott: Portfolio's are not a new concept to education but the way that these portfolios are being used. The electronic portfolios are being used as a living document that grows and changes with the individual. It is a documentary of a child's progression in skills as well as keeping track of all the materials for the team in ONE location. No two portfolios are alike because individuals are not alike. The content materials are systematically placed but what goes into the content of the portfolio is left up to the individual. For more information, you can check out the website: http://alltogether.wordpress.com/

 

4:00 – Helping teachers understand UDL and Differential Instruction