Teaching Ideas, Resources, Links, Software & Hardware
The following is a list of ideas for lesson ideas, resources, web sites, hardware and software that I gathered during my 5 week international study tour. The ideas have come from a broad range of special education schools in over 5 different countries. Please feel free to use, share and add your own resources so that we can share and collaborate for the benefit of all our students!
* epals - students and teachers can connect and collaborate globally in a protected, project-based learning network.
http://www.epals.com/
* Wiki Spaces for Educators - free to create and allows teachers and students to share text, images, web links and audio-visual content.
http://www.wikispaces.com/content/for/teachers/
* Flickr - online photo management and sharing application. Allows users to create slideshows, upload pictures, make cards, calendars etc...
http://www.flickr.com/
* Digital Storytelling - using digital tools to tell a story. Stories use a mixture of computer-based images, text, recorded audio narration, video clips and/or music. Used to introduce projects, reinforce concepts and appeal to a variety of learning types. The web link below contains over 30 digital storytelling sites for students.
http://ilearntechnology.com/?p=3190
* Handwriting without tears - a handwriting program developed by an occupational therapist. A complete curriculum with multi-sensory hands-on materials, sing-along music, online activities and workbooks for each stage of development.
http://www.hwtears.com/hwt
* Sherston Suite of Games - Early Learning Home Edition CD ROM as well as online activities and games to ecourage and engage young learners.
http://www.shop.sherston.com/sherston/
* Downsed vocabulary - educational sofware for students with Down Syndrome.
http://www.dseinternational.org/en/gb
* Education City - educational games in the form of online activities for children and interactive whiteboard resources for teachers.
http://www.educationcity.com/
* Crick Software - innovative educational software for students of all ages and abilities.
http://www.cricksoft.com/uk/home.aspx
* Espresso Education - an extensive library of high quality, video-rich broadband teaching resources and student activities that motivates pupils and supports teachers.
http://www.espresso.co.uk/index.html
* 'Switch It' Hygiene Extra by Inclusive Technology - range of switching activities including picture builds, stories and flashcards on the theme of personal hygiene eg: showering, cleaning teeth, hair care, clean clothes, food hygiene and dressing.
http://www.inclusive.co.uk/switchit-hygiene-extra-p2351
* Splosh Paint - an easy to use application for young children originally developed specifically for education.
http://www.kudlian.net/products/splosh/
* Come Alive Phonics - resources to make learning about letter sounds and shapes playful, engaging and relevant for young children. Uses songs, movement, words and pictures, it adopts a multi-sensory approach using visual, auditory and kinaesthetic teaching activities.
http://www.softwaretime.com.au
* 2 Simple Software Games &Activities - create your own interactive screens, make jigsaws, sorting & grouping activities, picture quizzes & even create your own platform games.
http://www.2simple.com.au/2diy/
* Rapid Maths - Rapid Maths for students with special needs and struggling learners.
http://www.pearsonschoolsandfecolleges.co.uk/Primary/Mathematics/
* Visualisers - electronic imaging tools for displaying 3-dimensional objects, printed material, photos, organic matter or live visual aids by connecting to a projector.
http://edresources.com.au/category/audio-visual/visualisers
* iFlip - A portable video player with built-in flip out USB port.
http://content.photojojo.com/buy-this/flip-video-digital-video-camera-review/
* Talking Photo Albums - Use photographs, drawings, clippings from newspapers and magazines and more to create a 24-page talking flip book with 10 seconds of recording per page.
http://www.spectronicsinoz.com/product/21572
* Beebot - programmable floor robots that have been purpose-built for use with early phase and primary students.
http://www.learningplace.com.au/deliver/content.asp?pid=38840
* RM TuffCam - digital video and still camera designed for education and child-friendly.
www.videopro.com.au/p-2145-rm-edcam-tuff-cam-digital-camera.aspx
* Talk Time Cards - cards feature a built-in digital sound recording chip that enables student or teacher to record a brief voice file describing the drawing on the card.
http://www.taglearning.com/taglearning/talk-time-cards.html
* SEN Switcher - Northern Grid for Learning - a suite of programs designed to help teach early ICT skills to people with profound and multiple learning difficulties
http://www.northerngrid.org
* Free sensory stories - a compilation of free sensory stories
http://www.petewells.co.uk/
* Crazy Talk Animation using Reallusion software - uses innovative tools to create animation clips.
www.reallusion.com/crazytalk/
