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Peabody Public Schools
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Assistive Technology Resources
The following tools are available
through the Special Education Office at the Kiley School for use with students.
Tools to Assist in Writing
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Kidspiration
is designed for
elementary students. It is a visual learning tool that helps young
students to organize their ideas. The program includes a text reader
that reads back what the student has written and pictures to aid students in
representing their great ideas. This program is available at all Peabody
elementary schools. A free 30-day trial is available on the website.
Click
here to download.
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Inspiration
is a visual learning
tool for upper elementary through high school students. Students build
graphic organizers and outlines to represent concepts and relationships for
writing across all curriculum areas. The graphic organizer can
become an outline with one click. Inspiration has a text reader feature.
It is available at all schools in Peabody. A free 30-day trial is
available on the website.
Click here to
download.
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Write OutLoud
is
a talking word processor for students who struggle with writing. It has
a talking spell checker. Any text can be copied and pasted into the
program and read aloud by the computer. It is available through the
Special Education Office
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Co-Writer is
a linguistic word prediction program that can be used with any word processor
as a writing intervention program for students with limited spelling and
vocabulary skills that interfere with written expression. The program
predicts words with the correct grammar and spelling and reads the words to
the student. It is available through the Special Education Office.
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Writing
with Symbols is a picture/word processing program. It allows you to
type words with the option of having picture symbols appear with each word.
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AlphaSmart
is a portable word processor with a full size keyboard and text editing
capabilities. Students can word process, save, and print from these
battery operated keyboards. A variety of software programs are available
for AlphaSmarts including "Type to Learn". Alphasmarts are available at
all elementary schools and the middle school. Contact the Special
Education Office. Check this link for
tips for
using an AlphaSmart.
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Microsoft Office XP can be set to
read as a student types. This helps with proofreading. It is
available on all newer computers in Peabody.
- Specialized computer input devices
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Sam Trackball with
Switch Interface
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Intellikeys
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- Low Technology tools
that include specialized pencil grips, markers, easy to grip rulers, talking
calculators, hand-held spell checkers
Tools to Assist in Reading
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Digitized Text is available from
RFB&D Learning Through Listening.
Through a grant from the Edith Burbeck Trust Peabody Public
Schools has received a one year membership. CDs are played on a special
player provided by the organization. All the hardware was made available
through a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education. Teachers can order textbooks and outside
reading materials for students through this program by contacting Joan Ciampa
x 6070 at the special
education office. The title, author, isbn number, and publisher are
required to be sure that the correct book is ordered.
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eReader,
developed by CAST (Center for Applied Special Technology), is a talking and
reading software that makes any electronic text, including Internet sites,
accessible to struggling readers. 30 day trial available from the
CAST website.
This program is available at the Thomas Carroll School, the Samuel Brown
School, the Higgins Middle School, and Peabody Veterans Memorial High School.
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Kurzweil
3000 software is for individuals with learning disabilities or reading
difficulities such as dyslexia or Attention Deficit Disorder. It is used
for reading, writing and learning. Electronic text is highlighted and
spoken aloud. Any printed material can be scanned using Kurzweil 3000
and converted to electronic text. This program is available at the
Higgins Middle School, the Eagles program, and Peabody Veterans Memorial High
School.
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Thinking
Reader is a research-based reading program designed for grades 5 through 8
to increase reading comprehension skills. This program is available at
the Higgins Middle School.
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Read 180 is a research based intensive reading intervention program. It is
designed to confront the problem of adolescent illiteracy. Read 180 is a
universally designed program that uses a variety of modalities; video and
audio technology and print materials at high interest level to meet the
individual needs of students whose reading achievement is below proficiency
level. This program is available at the Higgins Middle School.
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Lexia
SOS for Struggling Older Students is available at the Carroll
School and the West School.
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Spire
is available in all elementary schools.
It is a multisensory reading
intervention system designed for the way struggling readers learn.
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Read Naturally Software
Edition is a software program available at the Carroll School and the
Higgins Middle School to increase reading fluency and reading comprehension.
Tools to Assist in Communication
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Boardmaker
is a program that has over 3,000
symbols to use in making communication boards, posters, calendars, labels, and
instructions sheets. This software is used to create overlays for
VOCAs.
Put Arounds
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Small talker
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Hip Talker
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Message
Communicators
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Pocket GoTalk
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Super Size
Communicator |
Tools to Increase
Access to the Curriculum
Tools for Sensory Integration
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The Cando® sensi-ball has a
specially textured "nubby" surface that adds tactile and visual elements to
ball therapy. Balls are used to improve balance, coordination, flexibility,
and strength and even just for fun and come in a variety of sizes small
enough to throw and large enough for exercise. |
Move'N Sit Wedge
cushions
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