Covid-19 - Australian Special Education Principals Association

COVID-19

We are at a crossroads - perhaps facing the greatest challenge of our generation. With global school closures now a very realistic prospect, it is important we think about how to support children who would normally have been attending special schools or accessing specialist provision. Some children may be at home for extended periods of time.

ASEPA have joined together with UK-based nasen (National Association for Special Educational Needs) to work in partnership to crowd-source free resources that may be useful in supporting children with complex and/or additional learning needs.

Given the compressed timescales and the fact this is a responsive course of action, we are unable to endorse these resources, but we do signpost them to you for your consideration.

May we take this opportunity to sincerely thank all educators, support staff, medical staff and ancillary staff in our sector and acknowledge their professionalism and dedication to the students, families and communities they work in.

Prof Fiona Forbes Board Chair ASEPA

Prof Adam Boddison CEO nasen

We thank all contributors and if you would like to add suitable free resources or a link to them please email details to leadinglearning4all@gmail.com.au

Compilations of Useful Websites

Microsoft Education

Learn about how to create a personalized and engaging remote learning experience for all of your students through the resources provided in these pages. These resources are intended for all educators, but will be especially helpful for educators and support staff who work in specialist education.

https://education.microsoft.com/en-us/resource/0c6e9c42

Comprehensive site with a huge amount of British resources collated in one place to support learners. Some are free and some are user pays.

https://sites.google.com/bridgend.ac.uk/alnhomeschool

A list of resources that are both free and user pays – with a 14- day free trial.

https://www.helpkidzlearn.com/updates/school-closure.html

https://www.tts-group.co.uk

Online Switch Games etc

Since some of our switch using students are staying at home so here is a list you can forward to families who are asking for things their child can access using switches. The student will require their switches and the computer-switch interface. If the student is using an iPad, they will require their switches and a switch-iPad interface.

https://tarheelgameplay.org/ free to use, can set up favourites. Songs and videos from YouTube that become switch accessible

https://www.senictsoftware.com/ Free subscription to the members area! Lots of songs etc that are switch accessible

https://www.gingertiger.net/en free trial available. Songs, games, etc that are switch accessible

https://tarheelreader.org/ free to use, can set up a favourites bookshelf. Lots of easy to read books about fave kids topics. Can select to have the book read to the student.

http://www.priorywoods.middlesbrough.sch.uk/page/?title=Switch+%2F+Touch+Screen+Videos&pid=231 free to use, Priory Woods School Switch resources

https://www.helpkidzlearn.com/ 14 day free trial

Online Storytime

TumbleBooks

Access through https://centraliapubliclibrary.com/4377-2/ then click on tumblebooks library button. Thousands of picture books that are recorded and available for children to watch and listen to.

www.vooks.com Parents get a month Free. Books that are turned into videos.

https://www.storylineonline.net/ Celebrities reading books in videos

https://kidlit.tv/category/read-out-loud/ Read alouds

https://growingbookbybook.com/online-literacy-resources/?fbclid=IwAR2EjSsftln46XphWs_-SAsBR1LCaiuHrN0qQoR17AzphZYTFGkACK3GiWQ

Authors doing Read Alouds https://www.weareteachers.com/virtual-author-activities/?fbclid=IwAR1e0FFGhzaK4JB7nWgZ5OPHAjArfwDyTAEhcJhd88VsbIxCAQw7DmpgFyM and https://coolprogeny.com/2020/03/operation-storytime/

Online Books https://storyweaver.org.in/ Free sign up

Other links

Virtual Excursions https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SvIdgTx9djKO6SjyvPDsoGlkgE3iExmi3qh2KRRku_w/preview?fbclid=IwAR2ChJDtoOzY5rdN4n1AtigVL7h9Wjx9Z5tHI3asv9ijAeoUgIIzsSpq2Tg&pru=AAABcQWBu48*JPFIkOETBI4t7jtjCMVL5w and https://adventuresinfamilyhood.com/20-virtual-field-trips-to-take-with-your-kids.html

Virtual Museum Tours https://www.travelandleisure.com/attractions/museums-galleries/museums-with-virtual-tours?fbclid=IwAR1ZbE-Pg6rVD3cIBuMm7V8bHt7uOOSHQujk9Iq6CQkueKKAjii6kOwdZvo

Free online learning resource list https://www.weareteachers.com/free-online-learning-resources/

ABC Kids Early Education https://www.abc.net.au/abckids/early-education/

Sen Teacher online learning resources https://www.senteacher.org/

Fun Brain online games https://www.funbrain.com/

Videos and Games https://pbskids.org/

Online activities https://www.highlightskids.com/

Companies offering free subscriptions https://kidsactivitiesblog.com/135609/list-of-education-companies-offering-free-subscriptions/

Free site for teachers to print and create send home resources for a large range of abilities https://www.twinkl.com.au/resources/australian-resources

TV resource – library of video lessons, projects and investigations to use for students. Username gifted insight Password GITas2014 https://www.byrdseed.tv/library/

A Maths site for extending students – many free activities for students https://www.amt.edu.au/amt-resources

https://www.studyladder.com.au/

https://www.khanacademy.org/

https://au.ixl.com/math/

Behind the news and teaching resources https://www.abc.net.au/btn/

Scholastic – resources included listen and read activities suitable for a variety of learners also includes interactive activities suitable for more challenging tasks.

https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/student-activities

Collection of short videos, easy to access games around a number of curriculum areas many of the games have sound https://education.abc.net.au/home#!/home

This site is available to access if your school has closed with free log in and access – you need to register. The videos have closed captions and it will read the text to you. The video has some easy to access quizzes that read to the student. There are printable worksheets for parents to access if they like or could be sent home in a learning from home pack. Based in America but good activities. https://www.brainpop.com/

https://www.cricksoft.com/us/clicker/covid-19-access

An example of modelling AAC with Ten apples up on top. ore vocabulary communication board highlighted within the video above here https://www.subscribepage.com/coreboard

http://bit.ly/SENSEableliteracyYT

AAC - Core words – location communication boards for printing for send home packs. http://www.project-core.com/communication-systems/

Literacy Interactive games, need Flash Player https://www.wordworld.com/

A collection of interactive Early reading games https://pbskids.org/games/reading/

Some online games and information for online or home learning packs https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/teacher-category/primary-resources/

Netflix: Home-schooling information including 150+ educational shows to plan learning activities for your students at home. https://homeschoolhideout.com/start-here/

This site has hundreds (if not thousands) of books where the user can select the age group, subject area, and each book can be read out with a click of the mouse. Many of the books are contributions from schools, but most are from authors around the world https://tarheelreader.org

https://www.scootle.edu.au/ec/p/home

Australian Need to sign up for this one – free trial available https://www.skwirk.com.au/

Australian for Year1 – 4 Free trial available https://app.learnprimary.com.au/

A focus on Clifford the Big Red Dog http://teacher.scholastic.com/clifford1/

An array of printable and easy to access Games for Students with additional Educational Needs https://www.senteacher.org/

Children with Low Vision or Who Are Blind

ABC Listen App - https://www.abc.net.au/radio/listen/

Audible - https://www.audible.com.au/

Epic Books - Home | Epic!: Read Amazing Children's Books Online ... https://www.getepic.com/

Text To Speech - Free App

· Seeing AI

· iBooks – used in conjunction with Accessibility features

Free Trials – Screen Readers - Upper Primary

· Download NVDA - Download and experience NVDA today! - NV Access

· https://www.nvaccess.org/download

https://apps.apple.com/au/app/vo-lab/id1227307699

For students who are blind (or have severe low vision) the Ballyland apps are fantastic. They are highly engaging and are applicable to a range of student ages/capabilities, from an interactive story (that teaches Voiceover gestures of drag and double tap) to coding apps for slightly older students. For teenage students there is another app by the same developer called VO Lab that also aims to teach VoiceOver Gestures.

Ballyland Stay Still Squeaky https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ballyland-stay-still-squeaky/id1385164168

Ballyland Magic Show https://apps.apple.com/au/app/ballyland-magic-app/id1077697759

Ballyland Sound Memory https://apps.apple.com/au/app/ballyland-sound-memory/id1231830645

Ballyland Rotor https://apps.apple.com/au/app/ballyland-rotor/id1178492542

Ballyland Cosmobally in Space https://apps.apple.com/au/app/ballyland-cosmobally-in-space/id1488257128

Ballyland Code 1: Say Hello https://apps.apple.com/au/app/ballyland-code-1-say-hello/id1384987610

Ballyland Code 2: Give Rotor https://apps.apple.com/au/app/ballyland-code-2-give-rotor/id1450019434

Ballyland Code 3: Pick Up https://apps.apple.com/au/app/ballyland-code-3-pick-up/id1455749044