Free Websites Suitable for Low Incidence Students
I. Programs Requiring Mouse Movements:
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Primary Focus / Description
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Content / Activities
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Target
Population
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Comments
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www.starfall.com
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An early literacy website, with a heavy emphasis on phonics instruction
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-Letter-sound correspondences
-Phoneme blending
-Sight words
-Word families
-Games
-Talking books
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-Designed primarily for Grade 1
-Also suitable for JK/SK, struggling readers, English language learners
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-Animated graphics
-Motivating for kids
-Not designed for switch access
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www.youtube.com
Search for Real e-fun books
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Animated, phonics-based storybooks and some songs designed by Montessori educators
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-Focus on early phonics, basic sight words, word families, simple sentences
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-Children 3-5 years
-Also suitable for older students with special needs
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-Books are ~1-3 minutes long
-Words reviewed at end of the story
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www.thewiggles.com
Click on: ‘Go to home’ à ‘Playground’ à ‘Games’
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On-line games based on the Australian TV show.
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-Music, matching games, colouring
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-Designed for preschoolers-Suitable for older students with special needs
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-Good for working on mouse control
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www.zacbrowser.com
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ZAC stands for: Zone for Autistic Children
-An internet browser / launching program for children with Autism
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-Music, books, games, videos
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-Designed for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder
-Also suitable for young children and some older students with special needs
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-Free download
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www.kidsspace.torontopubliclibrary.ca
Click on ‘Books & Stories’ ? Read-A-Story ? Tumblebooks Library ? Story Books
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“Talking e-books for e-kids”
-Can be located by author (e.g., Robert Munsch), title or theme (e.g., holidays, art, school, numbers/letters, health/safety, nature, sports/activities).
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-Popular picture story books with digitized speech and animated pictures (e.g., Robert Munsch books read by Munsch himself!); Some books have relevant puzzles and language activities (e.g., Verb Whack, Sentence Comprehension)
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-Kindergarten – Grade 5
-Can be accessed via a switch if click on ‘manual’ and leave cursor on ‘next page’ icon.
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-Can turn voice off for silent reading
-Some books available in other languages (French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Russian)
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www.helpkidzlearn.com
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A fun collection of leisure-based software from Inclusive Technology Ltd.
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-Games (e.g., Snakes & Ladders: for up to 6 players, Gophers, Big Bang Bugs)
-Creative Play (Making Music, Make a Snowman/Animal, Scribbling, Colouring,
-Find Out About (e.g., Calculator)
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-Designed for young children and those with learning difficulties
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-Creative Play is good for early mouse movements; some games require click and drag movements
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II. Programs Accessible with a Keyboard, Mouse Click, or Switch (with a switch interface box):
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Primary Focus / Description
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Content / Activities
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Target
Population
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Comments
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www.hiyah.net
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Cause-effect software:
Talking books developed in PowerPoint with coloured photos and pictures, including animated graphics
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-Nursery Rhymes
-Story Books / Classic Fairy Tales
-Holidays
-Community Living
-Basic Numeracy
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-Designed for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
-Also suitable for young children & older children with special needs
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-Can delete slides or background music in PowerPoint
-Accessed by a space bar or a switch
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www.kneebouncers.com
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Simple cause-effect software
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-Music maker
-Make things move (e.g., fish, vehicles)
-Alphabet, numbers, colours, shapes
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-Designed for very young children (as young as 9 months)
-Also suitable for older students with special needs
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-Can press any key to play
-Provides repetition
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www.papunet.net
Click on ‘English Pages’ ? ‘Game Pages’
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Games, exercises and stories for rehabilitation, teaching, and recreation
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-First Games (cause/effect)
-Colouring
-Puzzles
-Dominoes
-Memory Games
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-Designed for students with physical disabilities
-Also suitable for DD and young children learning to use a mouse
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-Switch or mouse accessible
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www.helpkidzlearn.com
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A fun collection of leisure-based software from Inclusive Technology Ltd.
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-Games (e.g., Pop Bubbles, Hoop Stars, Big Bang Patterns / Pictures Catch the Crocs)
-Stories/Songs (e.g., 5 Little Monkeys)
-Creative Play (Train Tracker, Mosaic Painter)
-Find Out About (e.g., Talking Clock)
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-Designed for young children and those with learning difficulties
-Suitable for DD and PD, as some activities are switch accessible
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-Many, but not all, activities are switch accessible
-British accent in stories
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www.judylynn.com
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Switch software for individuals with special needs
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-On-screen toys / Games
-Story Builder
-Learning 2-switch scanning
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-Single switch or 2-switch users
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-Free downloads terminate after 10-20 runs but can be downloaded again
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www.setbc.org
Click on ‘Accessible Books’
Under "Our Students"à ‘Download Free Books for You’
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A collection of teacher and student-made talking books created in Clicker 5 or Power Point.
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-Switch accessible talking books related to literacy and thematic/curricular units (e.g., ABC Rap for Boy/Girls, Sports, A Book about Egypt)
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-Designed for students with special needs at pre-primer to Grade 3 reading levels
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www.tarheelreader.org
Developed by: Center for Literacy and Disability Studies and the Dept. of
Computer Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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Switch-accessible talking books for “beginning readers of all ages”
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-Can select books by rating or topic (e.g., alphabet, animals, art, biographies, fairy tales, fiction, health, history, holidays, math/science, nursery rhymes, people/places, poetry, sports)
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-PD / DD across the ages, including mature themes for high school students (same sex relationships, alcohol, teenage pregnancy)
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- Important to preview books;
-While some are rated C for ‘Caution’, others might be inappropriate.
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Compiled by Shari Fronda, Speech-Language Pathologist, Reg. CASLPO, Toronto District School Board, December 2009