Assistive technologies and accessible instructional materials are making a big difference in the lives of many students with disabilities--expanding their learning opportunities, personalizing their instruction, and allowing them to participate in school activities alongside their peers.

Federal law requires public schools to provide an equal opportunity to students with disabilities to participate in, and receive the benefits of, the educational program. When applied to instructional materials, this requirement means that any materials used for instruction must be accessible to students with disabilities. In instances when that is not possible, accommodations or modifications must be provided.

A comprehensive online resource for learning about accessible materials is the National Center on Accessible Instructional Materials (http://aim.cast.org/). This website focuses on how schools can serve students who are unable to read or use standard print materials, through the use of specialized formats (braille, large print, audio, and digital text). There are articles and research about effective practices, technical information about NIMAS and related technologies, tutorials, webinars, online forums, and more.

Resources: Fun & Informative Sites

Practice of General Academic Skills

• http://www.helpkidzlearn.com/
  • NEW! Fun games for young children and those with learning difficulties. Activities designed for use with single-switch, two switches, touch screen or mouse.
• http://www.funbrain.com/
  • Reading and math games – Grade k-8
• http://www.coolmath-games.com/
  • Pre-math games, shapes/colors, logic, memory activities. (Spike's Game Zone are "non-thinking type" games). Shapes and colors-feed fribbit, skill rotate and roll, games for little kids-jumping arrow
• http://cyberkidzgames.com/
  • Math, geography and literacy games. Simple activities that work well with a touch screen. Age 4-balloon pop (touch window), creative- painting, music 3
• http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/
  • Games to teach colors, shapes, time, arithmetic, animals, science, history. There are puzzles, brain games and painting activities.
• http://www.sandiegozoo.org/pandacam/
  • Live San Diego zoo cameras on habitats for pandas, polar bears, elephants, and apes.
• http://www.helpkidzlearn.com/
  • FREE games for young children and those with learning difficulties.
• http://video.kidzui.com/videos
  • Fun online games, silly videos and websites that have been approved by parents and teachers.
• http://www.speakingofspeech.com/Materials_Exchange.html
  • A library of picture communication boards (Boardmaker) and activities in a variety of categories including: Auditory Processing, AAC/AugCom, Language, Life Skills, Literacy Skills, and Cooking
• http://www.childcareland.com/
  • Early learning activities - games, lacing, printable materials
• http://www.makinglearningfun.com/index.html
  • Early learning- printable activities by theme
• http://www.pbs.org/parents/fungames/
  • Early learning - games and resources (some are online, some are materials you create)
• http://www.sproutonline.com/sprout/home/jump.aspx
  • Early learning – recipes, games,
• http://www.Nickjr.com/
  • Early learning – games, printables, crafts
• http://www.dltk-kids.com/
  • Early learning – printable crafts, games, books and more
• http://www.kidsknowit.com/
  • Elementary skill level – games and free websites: science, social studies, math, reading
• http://www.arcademicskillbuilders.com/
  • Elementary skill level – arcade format multi-player games targeting language arts, math, and geography skills

Reading

• http://roythezebra.com/
  • Guided reading and reading games. Includes words that rhyme, high frequency words, capital letters and periods.
• http://www.yourchildlearns.com/letters/letter-sounds.htm
  • Free online phonics games
• http://www.yourchildlearns.com/bridge-to-reading.html
  • Bridge to reading. Letter matching words with visual cues.
• http://www.storylineonline.net/
  • Streaming video program featuring famous actors reading children’s books aloud. (sponsored by the Screen Actors Guild Foundation)
• http://www.readingquest.org/
  • ReadingQuest is designed to provide social studies teachers with the philosophical bases for sound comprehension strategy instruction, directions for a range of comprehension and content reading strategies, and printable handouts and masters for transparencies.
• http://www.mrcpl.org/literacy/lessons/sight/index.html
  • Flash media games for learning Dolch words

Social Skills

• http://www.cccoe.net/social/skillslist.htm
  • Social skills for middle school students
• http://www.cloudnet.com/~edrbsass/affectiveeducation.html#socialskills
  • This page consists of links to lesson plans and resources for the affective domain including building community, social skills, friendship, kindness, self-esteem, feelings/emotions, values/character education, and bullying prevention. Grades k-12.
• http://benziesangmassocialstoriesforautism.blogspot.com/
  • Social Stories: Power tools for Autism
• http://www.filefolderheaven.com/autism-tasks/folder-stories
  • Free file folders of social stories

Graphic Organizers

• http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/
• http://www.graphic.org/goindex.html
• http://www.freeology.com/graphicorgs/

Resources for Teachers

• http://www.teachinglearnerswithmultipleneeds.blogspot.com/
  • Resources and ideas for teachers of learners with severe, profound, intensive, significant, complex or multiple special needs.
• http://assistivetech.net/about/index.php
  • Information on AT devices and services as well as other community resources for people with disabilities and the general public. Can browse for information about AT tools by function, by item, and by vendor.
• http://www.autisminternetmodules.org/
  • The Autism Internet Modules were developed with one aim in mind: to make comprehensive, up-to-date, and usable information on autism accessible and applicable to educators, other professionals, and families who support individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Written by experts from across the U.S., all online modules are free, and are designed to promote understanding of, respect for, and equality of persons with ASD.