TECH Tidbits from TASK
Team of Advocates for Special Kids' Assistive Technology E-Mail Newsletter 

July 2016
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Upcoming Assistive Technology Workshops
  

Assistive Technology Tools for Transition
Tuesday, July 19
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Parents' Place
West Covina
Please call (626) 919-1091 for more information or to register.

  
Apps for Older Students
Wednesday, July 27
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Carolyn E. Wylie Center
Riverside
Please call (951) 328-1200 for more information or to register. 


APPsolute Fun: iDevice Apps
for Early Learning
Wednesday, August 3
9:00 am - 12:00 pm 
UCP Assistive Technology Center
San Diego
Please call (866) 828-8275 for more information or to register.
   

Getting to Know Proloquo2go
Tuesday, August 9
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Parents' Place
West Covina
Please call (626) 919-1091 for more information or to register.
 
 
For more workshops, including our workshops on special education and parental rights and responsibilities under the law, please visit the full workshop schedule on the TASK website.  
  
  
  
TASK Membership  
  
  
Please consider joining TASK as a member! Members receive the following benefits: 
  • Free TECH Labs
  • Bimonthly 28-page TASK newsletters 
  • Membership is tax-deductible
Membership is as low as $35.00 per year, per family. We need your support to continue to provide a central resource center for legal rights and responsibilities information and to continue providing TECH Center services. You can join online; visit the Membership page on our website for more information. 
  
  
 
Hello and Happy July!

Summer is in FULL SWING! Just a reminder that we are here and have many services available throughout the summer! Camp TECHie began on July 7th and we are having a great time with our Superhero theme! We have individualized lab appointments available by appointment and we are offering TECH Connection, our social, life and communication skills group for transition-aged youth and adults on the third Wednesday of each month.

This month, I am focusing on "Life Skills", which Wikipedia defines as "T he skills we need to deal effectively with the challenges in everyday life, whether at school, at work or in our personal lives." This subject is very broad and includes many aspects. Below is a list of resources that I hope you will find helpful .
Life Skills Apps:
  
Pepi Play Apps  focus on every day skills, but in a really FUN way! Apps include: Pepi Bath, Pepi Bath 2, and Pepi House. We haven't met a kiddo yet that didn't enjoy these interactive and funny apps. Pepi Play apps are available in apple, google play and amazon platforms.  

iDo is a set of applications designed to teach daily activities. The apps include: iDo Hygiene, iDo Getting Dressed, iDo Chores, iDo Community and iDo Food.

The Attainment Company has really helpful software and applications on the topic of life skills (and social skills). Titles include Personal Success, Computers at Work, Dollars and Cents, Community Success and Read to Learn. All Attainment apps have a free trial version before you buy the full version.

myShopi - Shopping list allows you to customize your shopping list by store. Templates include: Albertsons, Costco, Flys, Kmart, Kroger, Safeway, Sams Club, Target, Smiths, Trader Joes, Whole Foods, Walmart, and more. My Shopi has pictures and text for each item and you can customize prices and add your own stores and items. This app is truly amazing, and did I mention, it is FREE? For more information, visit the myShopi website.

Complete Laundry Care App (FREE): So...you're relatively new to this whole laundry thing. Maybe you haven't done much of your own, or you've resorted to the "throw everything in at the same time" technique. Ever throw in a load of laundry and forget about it? Ruined an item of clothing because you ironed it the wrong way? In any case, you've sought out some help, and you've come to the right place! This app will tell you load by load, step by step what to do. With a timer to let you know when your loads are done and many more helpful tips, laundry will be simpler than ever! 

Plan it, Do it, Check it Off is a real photo "To Do" app that can be fully customized by the user. Twenty six pages with real picture images are included to illustrate events that can be used for a visual "To Do" list. All the photos pages of different activities can personalized by importing your own photos, changing titles, adding custom text and audio or make your own book from scratch with all your own photos. This is a great app for individuals that need visual supports. For more apps by this developer, visit the I Get It! Apps website.
Life Skills Websites:

PBS Parents has TONS of great lessons ranging from money math to fire safety.

PBS It's My Life Games has a bunch of great games that focus on life skills, such as "Beat the Bully," "Mad Money," "You're in Charge" and "Spending Smarts."

FunBrain Change Maker: Figure out how many of each bill or coin that you expect to get back when you pay for something. For example, if something costs $3.75 and you pay with a five dollar bill, you would expect back one quarter and one dollar bill. If you get the answer correct, the amount of change is added to your piggy bank. If you get the answer wrong, the correct amount of change is subtracted from your piggy bank. The more money you get in your piggy bank, the harder the questions will get.

GCFlearnfree.org has a wonderful selection of "Everyday Life" lessons that are interactive. Life is filled with chaos, and we have to learn how to work and solve problems in the midst of it every day. These interactive lessons give you the opportunity to experience these daily challenges without real-world consequences. You can also visit their website to view the learning objectives for each lesson.

Kids Math Games (Money): These fun money games for kids are great for teaching young ones about counting and using money. Learn how money works with a range of free interactive games and activities that kids will love. Teachers will find excellent activities and practice exercises related to coins, prices, spending money, shopping and more. Open a lemonade stand, start a coffee shop, count coins, run a farm and enjoy all kinds of fun online games that will help kids learn about money.
A Special Invitation: Tobii Dynavox and Rett University 2016 Workshop Series

Our friends at Tobii Dynavox and Rett University invite you to Learn...Develop...and Grow at their 2016 series of workshops. You'll spend the day learning how to support complex communication learners, dive into the world of augmented and alternative communication, and get hands-on training with Tobii Dynavox devices.
  • July 20: San Francisco, CA
  • July 22: Seattle, WA
  • July 27: Long Beach, CA
  • July 29: San Diego, CA

For more information, including class details and biographies of the presenters, visit the Rett University page.

  
Last, but certainly not least, I would like to express our SUPER thanks to SuperPlus (makers of SuperSpeak) for donating over a dozen superhero capes for this year's Camp TECHie Super Kiddos!
 
As always, if you would like any information on our TECH programs or specific questions about assistive technology interventions, please feel free to contact me at  [email protected] or call our toll-free number, (866) 828-8275.


Happy APPing!
 
Laura Simmons-Martinez
Assistive Technology Program Manager
Team of Advocates for Special Kids

TASK is a nonprofit Parent Training and Information Center that serves all ages and all disabilities. TASK is funded in part by grants from the U.S. Department of Education and the California Department of Education. The views expressed in this e-mail newsletter do not necessarily represent those of TASK, the U.S. Department of Education, the State of California or any other funding source, nor are they an attempt to aid or hinder the passage of any bill before congress. Advertisements or refernces to trade names, commercial products or organizations do not constitute endorsement by any of the above.