The midden » JISC http://sumdy.edublogs.org education, technology, change Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:02:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 en hourly 1 AccessApps – a collection of open source and freeware assistive technology applications http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2008/10/09/accessapps-a-collection-of-open-source-and-freeware-assistive-technology-applications/ http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2008/10/09/accessapps-a-collection-of-open-source-and-freeware-assistive-technology-applications/#comments Thu, 09 Oct 2008 07:44:44 +0000 Will Stewart http://sumdy.edublogs.org/?p=127 AccessApps

AccessApps is a collection of over 50 open source and freeware assistive technology applications for Windows PCs, that can be used directly from a USB memory stick without the need to install anything onto your computer.
The applications have been collated by the two Scottish JISC Regional Support Centres (Scotland North & East and Scotland South & West) in partnership with JISC TechDis.

They consist of 12 categories of applications with options to download all (the Works), a pre-defined selection (Lite) or your own chosen selection (Pick n Mix). The applications include the Open Office tools, a range of multimedia tools (Audacity, GIMP, Artweaver) as well as some presentation tools and utilities. There are also an impressive collection of assistive applications, such text to speech readers, accessible browsers and keyboard alternatives.
The AccessApps team have also put together a number of excellent tutorials and video screencasts to help get started with some of the main applications.

All-in-all, a useful selection of applications for all learners, including those with additional support needs.

]]> http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2008/10/09/accessapps-a-collection-of-open-source-and-freeware-assistive-technology-applications/feed/ 0 Making it happen: teaching the technology generation http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2008/07/07/making-it-happen-teaching-the-technology-generation/ http://sumdy.edublogs.org/2008/07/07/making-it-happen-teaching-the-technology-generation/#comments Mon, 07 Jul 2008 17:11:44 +0000 Will Stewart http://sumdy.edublogs.org/?p=114 This is a video of my presentation to the JISC Regional Support Centre for Yorkshire & Humber on June 10th at Bradford University. The sub-title of the presentation was Beyond “no significant difference”, on the basis that, in education, we use technology to do things the same way as we have always done rather than use it to do things differently. The theme of the presentation was that we, the teachers, rather than our students, are the technology generation. Because the use of digital technology has been completely normalised and fully integrated by our students, they don’t see it as technology. They are the “no technology generation”, and it is us who need to be taught how to use it in ways that engage our students and make their education relevant.


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