BeforeSunset: A Cutting-Edge Productivity App
Today we are going to look at a brand-new app that takes the traditional productivity/to-do list model to the next level. First, what do we mean by a productivity/ to-do list app? The examples are many, and we’ve talked about a few at length. If you haven’t already done so, go ahead and check out Todoist or Microsoft To Do to see an example of what those apps look like. Simply put, these apps are designed to digitize and organize your daily tasks by creating prompts, sending reminders, and connecting your tasks to your calendar.
We Have Solutions! – Episode 19: Apple Accessibility, AI as AT, Advances in Wearables, and More!
Joined once again by Nakia Singh, we discuss Apple’s new accessibility features, using AI as AT, advances in wearable technology, and more.
Using AI as AT: The Basics
Artificial intelligence (AI) is being used more and more every day to power all sorts of technology, including assistive technology (AT). And while this technology already serves as the backbone of a variety of apps and features that you already use, such as text-to-speech, speech recognition, AI assistants such as Siri, etc., there is another way of using AI that you may not be aware of. Today we are going to talk about AI chat bots, and we’re going to discuss some of the ways in which these open-ended tools could be used as assistive technology.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
September 30th is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Today we honour the children who never returned home and Survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process.
Neil Squire Solutions BC Team Adapts Toys Together
On Friday, our Makers Making Change team hosted our BC team for a build event, making switches and adapting toys. It was a great team building event, and best of all, the toys will go to local kids with disabilities as part of our #HackingForTheHolidays campaign.
Essayist: Essay-Writing Made Easy
For many students, essay writing is the most difficult and demanding type of writing they will ever do. This is due to a number of factors, but most students would agree that it’s the rigid structure of the document as well as the requirements for accurately cited references that proves to be especially difficult. For students with learning disabilities, this process can be particularly daunting, since there are so many steps and processes to follow, and for students with mobility challenges who rely heavily on speech to text, having to worry about properly formatted citations could mean hours and hours of extra work.
Essayist is an essay-writing app that is designed to allow students to focus on content rather than format. The app is available for iOS only, but there are Android-based alternatives available.
Flip Writer AAC – A Communication Tool with a Twist
We’ve briefly touched on AAC devices in the past, but due to the complicated nature of speech and language pathology, we tend to point potential AAC users towards the New Brunswick Association of Speech-Language Pathologists. That being said, while the app that we are looking at today does technically fall under the category of AAC, it’s broad enough in functionality that it’s definitely worth talking about today. Not to mention, compared to the more advanced AAC apps and devices available, this app is considerably more user-friendly.
Back to School? Neil Squire is Here for You
We know that not every teacher is aware of what Neil Squire does. Some of you may have never taught a student who required assistive technology, and some of you may be new to the profession. For that reason, we wanted to take some time to look at some of the services that we provide to schools in New Brunswick.
5 Back-to-School Apps for 2023
It’s just about that time again! Yet another school year is about to begin, and since we know what it’s like for both teachers and students during those hectic first weeks of school, we thought we’d take the time to discuss our top five back to school apps to consider this fall. The apps that we are going to recommend today are apps that we consider to be tried and tested and true, so you can feel confident that you’ll be making a solid choice with any of these options.
We Have Solutions! – Episode 18: Back to School 2023
In this solo-cast, Seaver explores his top five apps for going back to school in 2023. After that, we take the time to review some best practices when it comes to using the internet, including tips for avoiding phishing and other scams…