 |
|
Home | What's New | Articles Archive | Washington Archive | Resources Archive | Positions Archive | Reviews Archive | Links | Conferences | About Us |
|
|
Home | What's New | Articles Archive | Washington Archive | Resources Archive | Positions Archive | Reviews Archive | Links | Conferences | About Us |
Technology Assistance for Special Consumers
2075 Max Luther Drive
Huntsville, AL 35810
(256)-852-5600 x 103
http://tasc.ataccess.org/
I used to think that I was pretty clever in my ability to adapt childrens’ books into accessible format. Then I got a look at what the people at Technology Assistance for Special Consumers (TASC) are doing and I was humbled. Working under a grant, the folks at TASC have adapted over 100 storybooks making them accessible through electronic and manipulative media. The project, Packet of Adaptive Literature (PAL) lending library provides an opportunity for children with disabilities to access reading just like their peers. I was lucky enough to review two books, both of them favorites with my own kids, once upon a time: There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly, and Meet the Little Engine That Could.
Most of the books have been adapted into electronic media using Intellipix Studio. The pages have been scanned in and text has been added to each page. Custom buttons have been added to turn the page forward and back; go back to the beginning and to activate the read aloud feature. For those of you who are familiar with Intellipix, you will already know the options that are available for accessing the story for switch users. For those of you who are not familiar with IntelliPix, the story can be accessed by switch users including those children who use automatic and two switch scanning. Because the stories have been adapted using IntelliPix, it is also possible to create custom overlays with Overlay Maker to access the book using Intellikeys adaptive keyboard. The text boxes that have been added to each page will “read” the text aloud giving the reader auditory reinforcement as well as a voice for shared reading. Additionally, some of the electronic stories have been enhanced with IntelliMation enabling them to come to life through movement and sound.
The magic does not stop here; each book has also been transformed into a tangible format, making them user friendly for all children. The pages of each adapted story have been color copied and laminated ensuring durability and resistance to moisture; text has been added as well as visual supports such as picture symbols to help ensure versatility. The best part is that each book has something unique to interact with. In "There Was an Old Lady", the adapted, manipulative version of the storybook includes a removable icon for each one of the animals on its corresponding page. The reader or a partner can pull the icon off of the page and place it into a picture of the “Old Lady” that has a transparent film over her, making it possible for all of the animals to end up in her belly just like they do in the traditional book! "The Little Engine" book was adapted using a picture writing program and contained the corresponding icons and vocabulary words at the end of the book. It also contained a laminated cutout of the Little Blue Engine itself; I could not resist making it chug along while saying “I think I can, I think I can” (prompting a number of bizarre stares from co-workers).
All of the stories come in a sturdy, plastic folder and include the original storybook, the laminated, adapted book, and a CD rom with the electronic version of the story. Each CD contains a copy of IntelliTools Classroom Suite Player so that anyone can use the story on their computer even if they don’t have IntelliTools installed. The books are part of a lending library and are available to borrow. TASC is a program of the United Cerebral Palsy of Huntsville and Tennessee Valley. A nominal fee to join the library is requested to help defray the cost of handling/maintaining the materials. For more information contact TASC at TASC@hiwaay.net
I never grow tired of seeing the creative fruits of amazing minds; the PAL program is truly wonderful and will open the doors to literacy to many children for whom they might have remained shut. Well done, TASC!
© 2006 ConnSENSE Bulletin