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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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…

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Guest Feature by Jonathon Beaumont

Having trouble writing a professional paper? Looking for a new correction checker or even wanting to learn a new language? By now you’re probably aware of the multitude of writing aids available online, but what you may not realize the extent in which these technologies have advanced in just a few years. The app that we are looking at today is one of the more advanced writing aids available right now, and it’s available in both of Canada’s official languages.

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In this episode we are joined by our summer student, Jonathon Beaumont. Jonathon is a relatively new AT user who has been diagnosed with a rare neurological condition known as Friedreich’s ataxia. We talk about what it’s like to be diagnosed with a neurological condition at age 13, which AT he uses and why, his experiences in university as an AT user, and much more.

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Today we are joined by Ainsley Congdon. Ainsley has worked at the Learning Disabilities Association of New Brunswick in many capacities since 2017 and has been the executive director of the organization since 2019. Coming to LDANB as a former classroom teacher Ainsley brings with her a unique, hands-on perspective on learning disabilities in the classroom. We talk learning strategies, types of accommodations, psych-ed assessments and why it’s so difficult to get one in New Brunswick, and much more.

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