Azu Ike

During my career as a professor and assistive technology consultant which has spanned over 30 years, I have seen the many benefits of providing students with visual and graphical supports to help them understand material. As much as students have benefited from the use of mind maps and graphic organizers, I would have to say that if anyone has derived benefits from  using these tools, it has been me. Early on in my teaching career, as a Professor of Education, I needed to come up with a strategy to deliver content to my students in the classroom that could provide a quick way to attach documents, notes, and links to web sites. As I was reflecting on this need, I quickly realized that I could use MindMeister to help me organize my in-class lectures and resources. MindMeister could provide me with a very fluid and powerful way to organize my lectures and provide my students with the resources that they would need for class. MindMeister provided me with a set of tools that would make ...

For the past 6 months I have been using the WACOM Bamboo Slate and iPad to create info-graphics for many of the assistive technologies that I have been using with students. What started out as a just a way for me to explore some new gadgets quickly became an enjoyable activity for me at the end of a busy day. In the evenings, to relax, I will take out my Bamboo Slate and using a mechanical pencil begin to draw a screen shot or gadget and then ink it with the Bamboo pen. Once the drawing is inked, I send it to my iPad and begin to color it using the Bamboo Paper app. I have to tell you that I find it very relaxing creating these info-graphics and there is something engaging about drawing the images. I have received a great deal of positive feedback and some educators have approached me about wanting to purchase them for classroom use. I am in the process of putting together a list of the info-graphics that I have created and will be offering them lamin...

When I came across the C-Pen Reader at the FETC conference  this past year, I knew that I had to request a review unit to test it out. After contacting the company, they approved my request and C-Pen Reader provided me a C-Pen Reader  for the review. The opinions reflected in this blog are my own. I have been in the field of assistive technology for over 25 years and over these years have looked at a number of portable hand held reading solutions that promised to make the reading process easy and quick from scanning to reading text.  The first time you pick up the  C-Pen Reader you will be amazed by it size and weight (1.7 oz.) and a  bright OLED  256 x 64  display. The  C-Pen Reader packs a lot of technology into a rather small package making it easy to pack in your backpack or brief case. The  C-Pen Reader comes with a Quick Start Guide which gets you up and running quickly. In the box you will find the C-Pen, a USB to Micro USB cable...

Sometimes you just scratch your head and say, "how come I didn't think of that?" That's what I said to myself when I received the Betabook to review. The Betabook is a portable whiteboard bound between two covers to resemble a book. I received the small A4 Betabook with a black marker and fleece eraser to try out. For the past year I have really delved into sketchnoting and thought that I would give the Betabook a try. The Betabook is extremely portable and you would hardly know it was in your bag to carry it. Owing to the fact that it is an analog device-it is extremely easy to use, just open the Betabook take the cap off of the supplied dry erase marker and you are ready to go. The whiteboard surface is smooth, bright and easy to write on, with the fine point dry erase marker. I did go out to Staples and purchase a set of multi-colored dry erase markers to supplement the black marker that was included. The colors looked great on the Betabook and when it was time to ...

If you have been following me on Twitter (@assistivetek) or Instagram (@assistivetek) you will have noticed that I have been creating infographics on a number of different educational hardware and software. Some of you have emailed me and asked me how I am creating these infographics, which I would like to share with you. About 6 months ago, I was sent by WACOM a Bamboo Slate (A4) to review, which opened the door to my flight of infographic ideas. The WACOM Bamboo Slate is a hardware device that captures everything you write on a paper pad with a a ballpoint pen that comes with the device. Once you get your ideas down you sync the device over Bluetooth to your IOS or Android device to Inkspace, the WACOM tablet app. Once your ideas and drawings are in Inkspace  Inkspace you can then export your drawings to a variety of different formats for further editing.The   WACOM Bamboo Slate marries the best, of being able to use pen and paper for creation and then store and m...

With the expansion of co-teaching as a means to improve student outcomes, technology can be an invaluable resource.  Co-teachers need to plan collaboratively, jointly implement lesson plans, and cooperatively assess student progress.  This reference guide provides practical  strategies on how technology can facilitate co-planning, expedite sharing of student data, and streamline many other tasks that ultimately assist in accomplishing co-teaching's goal: improved student outcomes. Whatever your preferred computer platform, co-teachers can apply these strategies and applications to accommodate all learners' needs. Written by the nation's foremost authority on co-teaching, Marilyn Friend, and Brian S. Friedlander, an expert in the use of instructional and assistive technologies, this handy tool  features an overview of co-teaching fundamentals, along with recommendations of over t...