Past Tech Tips
March 2024: Did you know that Avaz AAC app allows the AAC user to choose an emoji to vary the tone of their expressed message!? For example, an AAC user could sarcastically express “Yeah right,” using the correct tone of voice! Other tones include anger, happiness, excitement, and sadness.
February 2024: The Brisk Writing extension has a handy new feature that will "inspect" student writing by using the revision history in Google Docs. Not only does this show how students wrote the paper, it will also identify large portions that were copied and pasted.
January 2024: Eduaide.Ai is an AI-driven platform that helps educators create lesson plans, teaching resources, and assessments. You can create a free account and explore the options available there.
December 2023: Weave Chat AAC is a free AAC app that is now available in Google Play, Amazon app store and Apple App Store.
November 2023: Chrome reader mode extension enhances the reading experience on websites by providing a simplified and distraction-free view of the content. It aims to make reading articles, blog posts, and other text-heavy web pages more comfortable and enjoyable. It also allows users to change fonts, use text-to-speech, etc.
October 2023: Have you heard about the AI Magic School? This tool uses the magic of AI to help educators write lesson plans, level text for reading, differentiate IEPs, write newsletters and more! If you’re looking for other AI tools, look no further than There’s an AI for That. It is the largest database of AIs available, that is searchable to find the best AI tool to use for any situation.
September 2023: Using the expression 'Control + Space' will combine text values with multiple formats on the Microsoft platforms.
June 2023: Switching between tabs on a Chromebook: Anytime you've got multiple tabs open within a single Chrome window on your Chromebook, a sideways swipe with three fingers on your trackpad will toggle you over to the next or previous tab in the list (depending on whether you swipe right or left, of course).
May 2023: Danmar Products, typically known for helmets and wrestling gear, also has a wide range of adaptive swimming equipment that ensure safe flotation while still allowing for mobility to exercise.
April 2023: Canva Magic Edit: You can easily remove distractions or add new things to your photos with a few clicks. Magically transform your photos by brushing over the areas you'd like to modify and then describing what you want to add.
March 2023:
Using Rocketbook Beacons you can convert any writing surface into a smartboard. Rocketbook Beacons are $15.99 and provide four restickable, reusable triangles that allow digitizing, streaming, and sharing through the free Rocketbook app.
Using Rocketbook Beacons you can convert any writing surface into a smartboard. Rocketbook Beacons are $15.99 and provide four restickable, reusable triangles that allow digitizing, streaming, and sharing through the free Rocketbook app.
February 2023:
Did you know you can move multiple apps at once on an iPad/iPhone?!? Here's how:
Did you know you can move multiple apps at once on an iPad/iPhone?!? Here's how:
- Long press an app icon until the action menu pops up. Select “Edit Home Screen” to enter wiggle mode.
- Hold your finger on an app you want to move. At the same time, tap another app with another finger. The second app will move on top of the first app you selected, creating a stack – you’ll see a number badge on the stack.
- While holding down your finger, continue tapping apps until all the apps you want are in the stack.
- Move the stack of apps to a different page by dragging them to the left or right edge of the screen.
- You can add the apps to a folder by dragging the stack onto a folder
- Let go, and all the apps will be released to the new page or folder.
- Tap Done or, on earlier models of the iPhone, press the Home Button to exit wiggle mode.
December 2022:
The Butterfly Pig specializes in dolls and accessories that instill the values of self-love, respect for diversity, and inclusion of all. They have their own line of doll-sized medical devices, including AAC devices, that have been uniquely designed and created at The Butterfly Pig.
The Butterfly Pig specializes in dolls and accessories that instill the values of self-love, respect for diversity, and inclusion of all. They have their own line of doll-sized medical devices, including AAC devices, that have been uniquely designed and created at The Butterfly Pig.
November 2022:
Fat Brain Toys has a page dedicated to special needs toys and provide recommendations based on target skill areas. Each listing is accompanied by detailed reviews written by real parents, teachers, and therapists. That way you can get a much clearer idea of how these toys can actually help children with special needs develop their skills and enjoy pure, authentic play.
Fat Brain Toys has a page dedicated to special needs toys and provide recommendations based on target skill areas. Each listing is accompanied by detailed reviews written by real parents, teachers, and therapists. That way you can get a much clearer idea of how these toys can actually help children with special needs develop their skills and enjoy pure, authentic play.
October 2022:
The Envision AI app is now free and available on both iOS and Android devices! It is a fast, reliable, and award-winning Optical Character Recognition (OCR) app that speaks out displayed content from the device’s screen. Point the phone’s camera at text, people, objects, products, etc. from the surrounding environment, and Envision AI will express the information with spoken language!
The Envision AI app is now free and available on both iOS and Android devices! It is a fast, reliable, and award-winning Optical Character Recognition (OCR) app that speaks out displayed content from the device’s screen. Point the phone’s camera at text, people, objects, products, etc. from the surrounding environment, and Envision AI will express the information with spoken language!
September 2022:
You can create a custom soundboard to have up on your board/computer to easily add fun sound effects to your classroom! This can help with engagement, transitions, providing cues, supporting content, enhancing vocabulary instruction, and more! These can be made in Google Slides. Eric Curts has a step-by-step guide to make them.
You can create a custom soundboard to have up on your board/computer to easily add fun sound effects to your classroom! This can help with engagement, transitions, providing cues, supporting content, enhancing vocabulary instruction, and more! These can be made in Google Slides. Eric Curts has a step-by-step guide to make them.
June 2022:
The Apple iOS 16 update includes live captioning which will turn audio into text in real time.
The Apple iOS 16 update includes live captioning which will turn audio into text in real time.
May 2022:
Appointment Slots is a new to Region IV Google calendar feature. It allows for ability to set appointment blocks for individuals to register for. They can select virtual or in person and the time and duration of the appointment.
Appointment Slots is a new to Region IV Google calendar feature. It allows for ability to set appointment blocks for individuals to register for. They can select virtual or in person and the time and duration of the appointment.
April 2022:
Make it BIG app: free app that allows the user to type/dictate a message and fits the text to the mobile device screen. When the user shakes the device, the screen flashes to get the partner’s attention.
The Apple Original film CODA won an Oscar for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Adapted Screenplay. It is the first motion picture starring a predominantly Deaf cast in leading roles to win Best Picture. During production, they used this Make it BIG app as a universal support to share notes with their actors behind the camera. You can read more about it, and other applications they used, here.
Make it BIG app: free app that allows the user to type/dictate a message and fits the text to the mobile device screen. When the user shakes the device, the screen flashes to get the partner’s attention.
The Apple Original film CODA won an Oscar for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Adapted Screenplay. It is the first motion picture starring a predominantly Deaf cast in leading roles to win Best Picture. During production, they used this Make it BIG app as a universal support to share notes with their actors behind the camera. You can read more about it, and other applications they used, here.
February 2022:
Morphic pulls accessibility features from iOS or Windows computers and puts them in a toolbar so that they are easier to use and find. Morphic is being installed on all U of M computers, read about it here.
Morphic pulls accessibility features from iOS or Windows computers and puts them in a toolbar so that they are easier to use and find. Morphic is being installed on all U of M computers, read about it here.
January 2022:
Logan Tech has recently released an updated iPad case to use when the iPad is being used as a dedicated communication device. This case is offers great protection while amplifying the voice. It can be easily mounted to a wheelchair or table, includes a strap and handle and they have snap-on keyguards available.
Logan Tech has recently released an updated iPad case to use when the iPad is being used as a dedicated communication device. This case is offers great protection while amplifying the voice. It can be easily mounted to a wheelchair or table, includes a strap and handle and they have snap-on keyguards available.
December 2021:
With iOS 15, you can use Live Text to copy and share text within photos, translate languages, make a call, and more. And with Visual Look Up, it's easy to identify objects found within your photos.
With iOS 15, you can use Live Text to copy and share text within photos, translate languages, make a call, and more. And with Visual Look Up, it's easy to identify objects found within your photos.
November 2021:
Apple Support has an App! Easily get help, for all your apple products, from a real person. Talk with a real person to troubleshoot an issue, or get guided, step-by-step solutions to resolve it yourself via iMessage.
October 2021:
On iPadOS 15, you can work with multiple apps at the same time using Split View. Open two different apps, or two windows from the same app, by splitting the screen into resizable views.
September 2021:
CoughDrop is a powerful and versatile augmentative communication application/website. It can be used, to communicate, on any device that has internet access, can work offline, and is cost effective.
June 2021:
Floor mounting solutions can be hard to figure out. These two floor mounts are liked by many of the Region IV AT Consultants.
May 2021:
Vocable AAC allows those with conditions such as MS, stroke, ALS, or spinal cord injuries to communicate using an app that tracks head movements, without the need to spend tens of thousands of dollars on technology to do so.
April 2021:
Apple Accessibility support site or call 877-204-3930. Apple provides free support 24 hours a day. Provide feedback from educators for accessibility problems or potential solutions we encounter by emailing [email protected]
March 2021:
Kumospace is a Free Immersive Video Chat - everyone gathers in the same room and can “mingle” to different conversations and different groups.
February 2021:
ReaderQ, developed by Quillsoft, is an extension for the Chrome browser, available in English and French, which provides tools to help you paraphrase text from the web while reducing plagiarism.
January 2021:
Changing features in Google Meet for multiple languages
Video Tutorial
December 2020:
How to Use the iPad as a Whiteboard on Zoom
November 2020:
Discovery Education has many built-in accessibility features.
October 2020:
iOS update
September 2020:
Did you know you can show 2 windows (splitscreen) on the Chromebook at the same time? You do this by pressing "Alt ["
To quickly share a presentation, change the word "edit" to "present" at the end of the URL.
When presenting in Slides and still have other Tabs open - use the same link and the tabs to toggle back and forth.
Apple Support has an App! Easily get help, for all your apple products, from a real person. Talk with a real person to troubleshoot an issue, or get guided, step-by-step solutions to resolve it yourself via iMessage.
October 2021:
On iPadOS 15, you can work with multiple apps at the same time using Split View. Open two different apps, or two windows from the same app, by splitting the screen into resizable views.
September 2021:
CoughDrop is a powerful and versatile augmentative communication application/website. It can be used, to communicate, on any device that has internet access, can work offline, and is cost effective.
June 2021:
Floor mounting solutions can be hard to figure out. These two floor mounts are liked by many of the Region IV AT Consultants.
May 2021:
Vocable AAC allows those with conditions such as MS, stroke, ALS, or spinal cord injuries to communicate using an app that tracks head movements, without the need to spend tens of thousands of dollars on technology to do so.
April 2021:
Apple Accessibility support site or call 877-204-3930. Apple provides free support 24 hours a day. Provide feedback from educators for accessibility problems or potential solutions we encounter by emailing [email protected]
March 2021:
Kumospace is a Free Immersive Video Chat - everyone gathers in the same room and can “mingle” to different conversations and different groups.
February 2021:
ReaderQ, developed by Quillsoft, is an extension for the Chrome browser, available in English and French, which provides tools to help you paraphrase text from the web while reducing plagiarism.
January 2021:
Changing features in Google Meet for multiple languages
Video Tutorial
December 2020:
How to Use the iPad as a Whiteboard on Zoom
November 2020:
Discovery Education has many built-in accessibility features.
- In the search bar there is a mic to search by speech.
- Most videos are captioned.
- You can search by one topic and many different formats of materials will show up each with accessibility features.
- Images all have alt text descriptions
October 2020:
iOS update
- Magnifier now has an app
- Translator for iPhone
September 2020:
Did you know you can show 2 windows (splitscreen) on the Chromebook at the same time? You do this by pressing "Alt ["
To quickly share a presentation, change the word "edit" to "present" at the end of the URL.
When presenting in Slides and still have other Tabs open - use the same link and the tabs to toggle back and forth.