FluidTunes is a free Apple OS X software that uses gesture recognition to control your iTunes library. In other words, by harnessing the power of the iSight camera, the user swipes their hands at the buttons to play the music, stop the music, flip to the next song or flip to the previous song. I first heard about FluidTunes on the fantastic gtd blog Lifehacker. Check out the video I made demonstrating the interface and explaining a few thoughts about how people with the label of special needs could use technology like this.

[Youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27Z0o9ubZ_s]

Okay, so we are not yet in a full on Minority Report experience where Tom Cruise uses complex gestures to  control his computer screen that is projected into the air.  Nor are we going to see this instantly become a popular access method for individuals with the label of special  needs.  Yet, it sets our minds ablaze.  We have all watched the progression of the eye tracking work move into eye gaze control systems that are really starting to work for individuals with physical disabilities.  For nearly four years now, I have been doing a test of the eye gaze systems where I emulate the frequent movements many of my students often display.  The systems are now starting to pass that informal test, as of this summer.  It seems eye gaze computer control has moved from a potential and a cool thing in the conference exhibit hall to something that works.   TobiiAti, PRC, and Dynavox are all  committed to its implementation.  So what will happen with the concept of gesture recognition? Well, in a way, it already is happening.  Just see ASL’s excellent selection of various types of proximity switches.   Karen Kangas has championed the concepts behind the benefits of using switches of this type. For these switches, you simply need to move within the right range to activate the electronic switch, which can control your wheelchair, computer, etc…

How terrific is it that the developer, David Frampton, made this application available for free?  I am personally having a blast with FluidTunes.  Much respect and thanks goes out to him for sharing it and for setting our minds ablaze thinking of the possiblities for individuals with the label of special needs.  As we approach the release of Mgestyk, the comercial gesture based control system, we can certainly consider ourselves warned that this is coming to the mainstream.   With an estimated cost of roughly the price of a high end webcam, it looks like this technology will be applicable in the assistive technology field.  See the following Mgestyk videos.

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I for one am going to have fun playing music with this tool and let my mind wander as I do.  Yet, I am not going to go gorilla arm with this concept.  Although, even at the moment I can imagine practical implementations of gesture based switches that could be created with a usb hub and a couple different webcams.  What do you imagine?

Keyboard shortcuts can help you work more efficiently.  Whether you use the basics such as cutting and pasting, or some more advanced combinations to access taking screenshot, using keyboard shortcuts can streamline your workflow, help keep your concentration on your task, and save time. In my GTD system, they are very important to keeping my workflow going.  Karen Janowski just posted a terrific printable reminder handout here: http://teachingeverystudent.blogspot.com/2008/11/shortcut-keys-pass-these-out-to-your.html.

Here is the Mac OS X Keyboard Shortcut list:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1343

Here are two keyboard shortcut posts from the always fabulous atmac.org.

• http://atmac.org/2008/10/16/finders-keyboard-shortcuts/
• http://atmac.org/2008/04/05/create-keyboard-shortcuts-for-self-modifying-menu-items/

Last, but not least, here is my favorite shortcut list of all, the GMAIL shortcut list:

http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&ctx=mail&answer=6594

Some of my favorite mac-centric shortcuts are:

• command-tab to toggle open applications
• command-space to open the spotlight search feature
• command -number keys in Firefox to toggle different open tabs
• shift-command-4 to do a screenshot that saves as a picture
• shift-control-command-4 to do a screenshot that saves to the clipboard
• command-c to copy
• command-v to paste
• command-x to cut (copies and then erases is another way to conceptualize this)
• command-z to undo ( in most applications)

Enjoy.

There is much to say about the terrific time experienced at the ASHA Convention 2009 in Chicago this past week.  It was terrific to be with friends in Chicago.  From being picked up at the airport by a family who facilitated me coming to consult at her daughter’s school to stumbling upon the famous Gino’s and eating deep dish pizza with a friend, to walking Chicago, to the terrific people met at the convention, I enjoyed the experience thoroughly.  All of the fun seemed to help the learning sink in deeper.  Overall, I was very much impressed with the beauty of downtown Chicago.  Plus for me as a house music fan it was a special experience to visit the place where the term house music was formed.  Yet, before I get to the technical, here is a visual review of some of the experience.

ASHA

The Mass of ASHA

Meeting Schuyler @ ASHA

The Bean

Swirl @ the Bean

The Art Institute

Sun, Lion @ AI Chicago

Art Institute Chicago

Navy Pier

Chicago Skyline

Dancing

Chicago is One of the Cradles of House Music

Deep Dish Pizza @ Ginos

Gino

Watch the video: http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1185143625/bctid1418562363

Read the Article: 

Late-game heroics for Lawson, Norwell

By Monique Walker

HANOVER – With 1:02 left in the game, Norwell boys’ basketball coach John Willis made the call. His team had a 66-49 lead against Hanover last night, and it was time for a sub.

Norwell guard Andrew Lawson (left), who has Down syndrome, gets some coaching advice from coach John Willis before going into the game against Hanover Thursday. 

Coming home last night to see the destruction that occurred while I was away in Chicago was pretty heavy.  Definitely made me think about the preciousness of life and also the temporal nature of possession.  I wrote this poem.

Gayle Porter reported to me today that she has sent the US Letter of the PODD (Pragmatic Organisation Dynamic Display ) Templates to the publisher!  They are taking advanced orders at the Spectronics website.  http://www.spectronicsinoz.com/product.asp?product=27918

To learn more about PODD, see Linda Burkhart and Gayle Porter’s terrific handouts on www.lindaburkhart.com

*NEW – Instructional Course – Presented at ISAAC in Germany – July 2006*

Partner-Assisted Communication Strategies for
Children Who Face Multiple Challenges

PODD Communication Books – Gayle Porter

Linda J. Burkhart and Gayle Porter

Switch-Adapted Flip….enough said….. other than thanks RJ Cooper….http://rjcooper.com/flip…and Santa’s job just got that much easier….

From RJ Cooper’s site:

Switch Adapted Flip Camcorder

(click pic for larger image)

This is a switch-adapted, simple camcorder.  The Flip is quite popular on the current market.  It is completely self-contained, with its own 2 GB flash memory (1 hour of video).  Simple to operate, saves AVI files internally.  Shows up as just another drive on your system, so that *any* software (like my Point to Pictures) can import directly from the Flip.

I have offered to post press releases from companies of whom products I appreciate. Crick Software just sent this release regarding WriteOnline.  I tested WriteOnline and heard John and Anne Crick present on it @ Closing the Gap last month and this is by far the immediately available product I am most excited about in all of technology in education and communication!  If you have not tried it, get yourself right to their 30 day trial.  They just won an Java award from Sun for their work : http://www.cricksoft.com/uk/products/WriteOnline/awards.aspx.

Press Release
For more information:

Crick Software, Inc.
usinfo@cricksoft.com
203 221 2697

Crick Software adds more personalization to WriteOnline

WESTPORT, CT (October 10, 2008) WriteOnline, Crick Software’s new online word processor, can now be used by even more students thanks to the addition of more personalization and accessibility options.

Crick Software is well-known as the developer of Clicker, the writing tool for younger students that is now used extensively in elementary schools.. WriteOnline is rapidly becoming equally popular in middle and high schools.

“We designed WriteOnline for all students, from budding authors to those who really struggle with writing,” said CEO John Crick, “and we’re really excited that now even more students can reap the benefits.”

WriteOnline’s unique Wordbar® brings curriculum writing tasks within the reach of all learners by giving easy access to an unlimited number of words and phrases. It is here that Crick has added the on-screen keyboard, integrated into Wordbar so that it can easily be displayed with a single mouse click.

John Crick explains: “Students who struggle to use an ordinary keyboard often find an onscreen one a better alternative – it means they only have to look in one place while they are writing.”

For students unable to use a mouse or tracker ball, Crick has added switch accessibility, making WriteOnline a truly inclusive tool. Other new personalization options are included that will benefit all students.

All of WriteOnline’s support options, such as speech, word prediction, and the new accessibility features, are personalized for the individual, ensuring that just the right support can be provided The preferences are all saved online, so are they automatically applied whether the student logs in at school, home, or elsewhere.

Saturday…November 15, 2008….North Pomfret, Vermont….thinking….working…communicating

Vermont Mist

I had a cool experience today where I was chatting with a friend using GMAIL’s chat feature and then he pulled up a video chat.  I had set it up the other day.  I frequently use iChat and Skype, but the spontaneity of this struck me.  My satellite connection here up here in the mountains of Vermont did not allow for us to stay connected by video for long, but it struck me how things really have changed.  I sat an ate dinner tonight with a group and we spoke about how when some of them were growing up there were no cell phones, no personal computers in schools, and certainly no iPhones!  Yet, I question the concept of digital imigrant as I have been skyping with my grandmother!    Check out this partial list of popular online communication tools.

1. www.skype.com Skype, the internet telephone
2. www.aim.com AOL Instant Messenger
3. http://mail.google.com and http://mail.google.com/videochat Google Mail and their new video chat!
4. http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/ichat.html Apple’s iChat….(my personal favorite)
5. www.facebook.com One of the big social networking applications
6. www.myspace.com One of the big social networking applications
7. www.ning.com You can create your own social network…see ours:  assistivetech.ning.com
8. www.twitter.com The most popular microblogging client.

The Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress‘ Educators Forum held on November 7th, 2008 at The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA, was a terrific experience.  I had the opportunity to lead a viewing and discussion of the film Including Samuel.  Ironically the first group had about ten people and the second group, nearly eighty, a good percentage of the whole group.  During the discussion, I took notes on the white board and this handout is generated from those conversations.  I would love to hear any comments about customized workshop handouts or addendum to workshop sessions.

Download: Resources from the Including Samuel Discussions Handout