 |
|
Kim Voss, Ashley’s Mom, is presenting a new workshop at Closing the Gap, October 18-20, 2007 in Minneapolis. Her workshop is:
An Exciting New Approach for Creating Talking Books
Quickly and easily design age appropriate and developmentally appropriate "talking books" for leisure and academics. Using custom perforated papers (prepunched for comb binding) and corresponding Boardmaker® templates, produce multi-paged tabbed books. Attach the tabbed book to a BookWorm™ or an IntelliKeys overlay with Sticky Back® Velcro®. Turn the pages of the book and push the tabs designed to correspond with the button locations of the BookWorm™ or IntelliKeys overlay to create custom talking books. Learn about the benefits, the variety of books, and the interactive activities that can be created by utilizing this exciting new approach.
Kim Voss has presented workshops at a number of local, state, national, and international conferences, including CSUN and Closing the Gap. Some of her presentations include the following:
It's a Snap to Create Customized Learning Materials for Students with Learning Differences: The No Excuses, Never "Too Busy" Methods
Create high quality customized instructional materials in the most time efficient manner to address visual perception, math, language, communication, reading, handwriting, and self-help: fill-in-the-blank decals with magnets, embossed images to facilitate coloring within the lines, authentic looking playing cards, sliders, game pieces, and much more! Print on special pre-perforated inkjet paper to eliminate time consuming cutting. Use commercially available templates, specialty fonts, and meaningful images. And learn how to effectively use media, layout, images, and text as you use your computer and color printer to create learning materials that are more meaningful, visually accessible, and much more kinesthetic for your learner.
The Evolution of a Truly Dynamic Augmentative Communication Device: Speaking Dynamically Pro and the Mini-Merc from Trial to Today
From trial to denial to appeal, and finally, to ownership of a portable dynamic AAC system for 21-year-old Ashley, this workshop will first walk participants through the necessary collaboration between family and speech-language pathologist for creating the argument for a dynamic system. Then the evolution of designing a truly dynamic device will be presented, using predicable and consistent layouts, meaningful images (real world and PCS), space-saving pop-ups, tensing, and more. The proof will be in Ashley's success and the changed perception of others as she and her dynamic system move from the classroom to her life in the community.
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...": A Tale of Technology as an Essential Component for Successful Inclusion
From personal experience, this workshop will share some of the legal issues of IDEA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act as it impacts moving from a segregated educational setting to one of "inclusion." The role of technology, its advances and shortcomings, are also discussed.
Using Speaking Dynamically to Promote Phonological Development and Other Real World Applications
As a parent of a child with multiple disabilities, Kim has developed a computer application utilizing Speaking Dynamically Pro™ and Boardmaker™ icons for a phonological approach to address language disorders. Available commercially from Mayer-Johnson as See, Hear, and Say, Kim will discuss its adaptability and personalization, including the utilization of digital photos. She will also share the uses of Speaking Dynamically Pro™ in the "real world."
Designing Computer Generated Materials for Teaching Reading, Spelling, and Writing
While much has been published about teaching reading through phonics, word families, matching, identifying, and writing, educators are typically left making materials by hand, generated by the more traditional methods of handwriting, cutting, and pasting. This workshop will provide methods to systematically design and generate by computer many multi-sensory materials for accepted teaching methods.
This will include the use of Mayer-Johnson's School Fonts for Beginning Writing designed by Kim Voss, as well as Boardmaker™ icons, IntelliKeys® with custom overlays, IntelliTalk®, audio card reader, digital images, and a set of plastic letters.
"Who Said I Have to Talk to Prove I Can Read?"
This workshop will explore the use of technology for designing a systematic approach for teaching reading without requiring the ability to speak.
From educational materials for reading single words, to constructing and reading simple sentences, to reading custom designed books, this approach builds on the use of word families and systematically taught sight words.The workshop will explore the use of a word processing application with painting/drawing to manipulate icons and digital images, Mayer-Johnson's School Fonts for Beginning Writing and Boardmaker™, IntelliTools Access Pac, and a set of plastic letters.
The QX3 Computer Microscope: Magnifying the World
No amount of effort, or instruction on the part of educators, will allow some students with disabilities to successfully use a microscope...until the QX3 Computer Microscope came along! The QX3 Computer Microscope attaches to a PC-compatible computer with a USB cable and allows magnified images to be seen on a computer's monitor. With magnifications of 10X, 60X and 200X, objects can be seen with amazing clarity.
This workshop will showcase the QX3 Computer Microscope, its creative software, and ways in which JPEG magnified images can be incorporated into other technology, such as IntelliTools' IntelliPics and Overlay Maker for IntelliKeys.
"Who Am I?" Beyond an IEP...Computer Designing a Dynamic Student Portfolio
This workshop will provide the "how to's" for designing student portfolios utilizing a word processing, database, and painting/drawing software application.
Communicate successful learning styles and educational strategies. Include databases for such things as words the student reads, says, and/or signs. Personalize the portfolio after building a Boardmaker library of your own clip art and digital photos. Embed links to Internet web sites for helpful resources, including technology vendors. Save it on disk, make changes throughout the years, and watch it grow and evolve.
As a parent of a child with multiple disabilities, Kim will share her ideas in designing a portfolio to facilitate Ashley's transition to middle school, providing invaluable information far beyond what is provided within an IEP.
"Hey, How'd You Make That Move?": Using Frame Animation, QuickTime Movies, and QuickTime VR in Curricular Adaptations
It's not a static world out there and curricular adaptations don't have to be either. IntelliPics will handle the files and the "intimidation factor" can be overcome. Show a clipper ship crossing the Atlantic Ocean. Integrate panoramas of Alaskan glaciers and design an overlay to negotiate them. Create an activity where word endings effortlessly appear on verbs. Produce beads of sweat running down the face of an icon to create a dynamic image.
Learn the "tips and tricks" to design flawless frame animations, or add a QuickTime Movie to an IntelliPics activity. Download QuickTime movies and QuickTime VRs from the Internet, or quickly create your own QuickTime VR using the appropriate hardware and software.
Kim also has extensive computer experience, including the following technology as it relates to designing curricular adaptations and solutions in education:
• digital photography including QuickTime VR authoring
• scanning
• Illustrator®, FreeHand®, and PhotoShop®
• font design
• desktop publishing
• Spell-A-Word
• Classroom Suite by IntelliTools®
• BuildAbility®
• text to speech, including Write:OutLoud®
• Boardmaker™
• Speaking Dynamically Pro™
If you are interested in a training opportunity, contact us at:
|
