SPECIAL EDUCATION ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE

Meeting Notes Date: March 18, 2005

Attendees: Sue Thomas, John Glenn, Diane Delahunty, Pat Contor, Karen Tracy, Carol Reppun

Topic : Budget

Summary : $20,722 left in budget

Next Steps : Diane Delahunty will investigate purchasing Type to Learn for resource rooms and report to next meeting so it can be purchased for next year.

Topic : Sehome Lifeskills equipment

Summary : Does Sehome Lifeskills have same equipment as all other Lifeskills classrooms?

Next Steps: Carol will investigate

Topic : Professional Development

Summary : Provide more professional development opportunities re assistive tech for staff. Need to focus on physical access.

Next Steps : Sue will see if Linda Schleef could provide this training

Topic : Closing the Gap conference

Summary : Need to provide info on conference to staff   

Next Steps: Carol will bring info to May meeting

Topic : Assistive Technology catalog   

Summary : Need 2005 catalog

Next Steps : Carol will order

Topic : 17” Touchwindow for AW Preschool donated large screen Mac

Summary :

Next Steps: Carol will check to be sure 17” Touchwindow will fit and if it does, purchase

Topic : Colligo Books – follow-up? Recommendation?

Summary : Discussion – this is a changing field – at present not much demand

Next Steps: Put this discussion on hold for now.

Topic : Purchase of Black Hawk for Carl Cozier Lifeskills student

Summary : Have they tried Go Talk? How did it work? Why would a Black Hawk work better?

Next Steps: Carol will check with Debbie Servoss. If explanation makes sense to Sue Thomas and Carol, committee approved purchase of Black Hawk.

Topic : Donation of “Discover Ke:nx” – plus software and hardware, and 2 alternate keyboards (Key Largo & Unicorn) by Roberta Wiley

Summary : Roberta requested that this equipment be placed at BHS Lifeskills

Next Steps: Carol will have equipment barcoded and deliver it to BHS Lifeskills

Topic : Reading Pen demo

Summary :

Next Steps: Carol will have Reading Pen barcoded and then place it with Pat Contor so he can try with his students and report to May 27 th AT Meeting.

Topic : Silver Beach Referral

Summary : Silver Beach student needs “at his desk” word processing

Next Steps: Carol will give Dana to Diane Delahunty for trial with student

Topic : Dragon Naturally Speaking 8.0

Summary : Per John Glenn, this version is much easier to use than previous versions

Next Steps: Info only

Topic : Next meeting – May 27 th – Room 212

Summary : Freedom Scientific's product representative will visit (re new AT for VI)

Next Steps: