Assistive Technology Blog Carnival "Mad Scientist" Edition

Happy Halloween! I hope your day is creepy and wonderful! I have been busy collecting submissions from other mad scientists out there as well as collecting some fun Halloween links for your browsing and surfing enjoyment - all on the mad scientist theme. So kick back with a witches brew and enjoy!

Kate Ahern M.S. Ed. of Teaching Learners With Multiple Needs has sent us 3 posts for our October edition below:

All for automaticity - which shares some valuable tips on multiple AAC boards, also, How you know and Low tech Eye gaze. Kate always has posts full of information and I am so pleased to have her share with us.

Alicia Odom of SMDTeacher has shared a couple of posts where she took the mad scientist theme and ran with it this month. She shares ideas on a Mad Scientist Halloween party which I posted this past Monday to give folks a chance to take some ideas and plan if they wanted the week to set up some of the activities. The second post contains a powerpoint activity and more to check out...You can read all about them below:

Mad Science and More Mad Science

Ricky Buchanan of ATMac has sent us 3 posts on AT using the Mac. She shared:

"None are really specifically about creating stuff, except creating accessibility! But that's what all the other creating can flow from, ultimately." I would say creating accessibility is huge, you are exactly right and we thank you Ricky for your contribution!

Video iPods In Special Education

http://atmac.org/2008/10/01/video-ipods-in-special-education/

Speech-to-Text: Dictation software for OS X

http://atmac.org/2008/09/22/speech-to-text-dictation-software-for-os-x-2/

iPod Touch Ideas For Stylus And Mouth Stick Users

http://atmac.org/2008/10/08/ipod-touch-ideas-for-stylus-and-mouth-stick-users/

Patrick Black of Teaching All Students has given us a couple of great posts from his blog:

Making Talking PowerPoint Books and Boardmaker Activity Pad

Lon Thornburg, No Limits to Learning: I am sharing a post I did last week leading up to Halloween on Creating Switch Adapted Halloween Toys.

Thanks everyone for your contributions this month!

Lon

Some Halloween Links for fun...

I spent some time just searching for links that might give us some mad scientist ideas. Here's what I came up with:

Mad Scientist Network: MadSci Network represents a collective cranium of scientists providing answers to your questions. For good measure they provide a variety of oddities as well. They have a search engine that allows you to seek out information. I prefer Wikipedia myself, but I thought this was fun and kind of interesting!
http://www.madsci.org/

Evil Mad Scientist: This blog/site is an incredible do-it-yourself site with all kinds of projects and photos. Check out the Halloween pages with mutant cyborg pumpkins :o)
http://www.evilmadscientist.com/index.php?msg=27

Their project - Make a Cylon Jack o'Lantern:
http://www.evilmadscientist.com/article.php/CylonOLantern#comments
A Video of it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7f2dgROVUg

Mad Science Kids Club: This site opens up some fun projects for kids.
http://www.madsciencekids.com/

For Nostalgia - Scary Battery Operated Toys Archive form the 1960's
http://www.ozziesrobots.com/id50.htm

Some Fun Videos:

A Real Mad Scientist: Tesla Documentary:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSR__YWOnRA

Superman (The Mad Scientist) Cartoon, 1941:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJfb-Jcx06I

French Illusionist Mad Scientist Act
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isOEPpOIHlo

Education:
Halloween Activities for School
http://www.educationworld.com/holidays/archives/halloween.shtml

Mad Scientist Game

And Finally, a mad scientist free download trial video game. I downloaded it and played some of it. I was sliding circuit boards across the floor to interconnect and turn on a large robot. It is a strategy game - fun to entertain you when you don't have anything else to do - anyone out there have time with nothing to do?!!

I hope you have a great Halloween and a great remainder of the fall. See you again in November.

All the best to you!

Lon