Technology Resources

FDLRS Heartland provides assistance and support in the appropriate use of a variety of technologies for students, teachers, professional staff, and parents.

Support services are available in the areas of assistive technology, instructional technology, and virtual/online instruction.

In addition to the Technology Specialists at all local FDLRS Centers, FDLRS includes 5 Regional Local Assistive Technology Specialists, a statewide assistive technology loan library (TSLL), statewide services for students who are deaf & hard of hearing (RMTC), and statewide services for students who are blind or visually impaired (FIMC).

FDLRS Tech Personnel provide support in the following areas:

• Provide training and information activities in the use of technology to support student achievement, including low, medium, and high tech accommodations;
• Provide training and information in the effective use of digital tools in the classroom;
• Promote local awareness of assistive and adaptive technologies;
• Provide training and information activities in the preparation for online curriculum and online activities; and
• Provide opportunities to explore equipment, components, and program solutions that may expand learning options for students through the use of new and emerging technologies.

Classroom Tools

• Center for Accessible Technology in Sign (CATS) - Dedicated to providing accessibility to learning via sign language to enhance language, literacy and general world knowledge by providing tools which make text, captions, video, web pages, and multimedia accessible to deaf users, particularly children.
• Children's Story Books Online - Illustrated children's stories for kids of all ages.
• Education World "The Educator's Best Friend"- Information on lesson planning, professional development, school issues and technology integration.
• FDLRS (RMTC-D/HH) Resource Materials & Technology Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing - resources for all grade levels and subject areas.
• Funbrain.com - Fun learning activities and games for students and recourse materials for teachers.
• Lesson Planet - Teachers... Find Online Lessons Fast! Search from over 80,000 online lesson plans that are teacher-reviewed and correlated to state standards.
• PBS Kids- Learning tools and adventures for your students with characters they know.
• PBS Learning Media - Free Pre K-12 resources to support learning at home and at school.
• Scholastic - Scholastic.com is an award-winning portal for school-based professionals including teachers, administrators, librarians, as well as families and kids.
• Starfall.com - Where children have fun learning to read.

Educational Technology

• Apple Education
• ATIA - Assistive Technology Industry Association
• Closing the Gap - Assistive Technology Resources for Children and Adults with Special Needs.
• Educational Technology & Mobile Learning - A resource of educational web tools and mobile apps for teachers and educators.
• Edutopia - The George Lucas Educational Foundation publishes stories of innovative teaching and learning through a variety of media -- a magazine, an e-newsletter, CD-ROMs, DVDs, books, and this Web site.
• eSchool News Online - A monthly print newspaper providing the news and information necessary to help K-20 decision-makers successfully use technology and the Internet to transform North America's schools and colleges and achieve educational goals.
• Microsoft Educational Resources - Provides links to educational competencies, lesson plans, case studies and more.
• Reading Rockets - A national multimedia project offering information and resources on how young kids learn to read, why so many struggle, and how caring adults can help.