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Susan's Story - The Facts About Traumatic Brain Injury
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an injury to the brain caused by the head being hit by something or shaken violently. Learn the facts about this all-too-common injury along with helpful tips for parents and teachers.
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Dragonfly: Specials Needs and Universal Access Resource
Universal Access Educational Video Games and Software.
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Smart Alex - PC-Mac-Networkable
Note: Review only, product no longer for sale.
Learn to interpret facial expressions - perfect for kids with autism or PDD!
Smart Alex is a larger than life cartoon character that laughs, talks, cries, blows raspberries and does many other actions. Alex can also do over a hundred faces, expressing many different emotions. At a higher level, keyboard users can hold a simple conversation with Alex and talk about their likes and dislikes. There are eight different levels to choose from, making this an easy program to adapt to the needs of various students. At the first level, students click on Alex's mouth and eyes to later his facial expressions. Higher levels allow students to choose emotions and tell Alex to express them by selecting from Mayer-Johnson and Rebus Symbols. Alex can express emotions such as fear, anger, happiness, confusion, boredom, shyness, curiosity, courage, and frustration. Students can even conduct a simple conversation with Smart Alex, sharing likes and dislikes and teaching him new words. This program is ideal for autistic individuals, and can be used with a mouse, touch screen, or keyboard. Smart Alex can be male or female, black or white. Use the sound recorder to make Alex talk using your own voice! Touch screen accessible.
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Play Tip!
Trying saying one name for each emotion Smart Alex shows, and then use the same word and show the same emotion at appropriate times during your time away from the computer. Setting up a mirror near the computer can be a good way to practice smiling, frowning and other expressions as well.
Typical Access Profile
Auditory Normal Low Extremely Low Not Using Hearing Hyper-Acute |
Vision Normal Low Extremely Low Not Using Vision |
Gross Motor All Some Few Not Using Gross Motor |
Fine Motor All Some Few Not Using Fine Motor |
Developmental Age Range 0 - 2 3 - 5 6 - 8 9 - 12 13 and Over |
Language Typical Some Spoken Receptive Only Sign Assistive/Augmentitive Not Using Language |
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PLAY Tip
Sensory Integration Ideas
Kinesthetic awareness is an important part of healthy sensory integration. Challenge your child to use the sense of touch only and identify different objects with the What Is It? Tactile Discrimination Game. Try dividing the objects by theme. Good examples are: objects from nature, dishes and cutlery, or grooming aids. To make the game easier, try offering fewer choices and supply a picture of the objects under the cover. Can your child tell the toothbrush from the hairbrush?