Useful+Links+and+Resources

[|QWIKI] This is a site where you can view 2-3 minute informational clips compiled of information, photos and text accompanied with audio on any topic you can search. Very fun way to launch new units and great for students who are struggling readers- CT

TWITTER

MATH IN MOVIES []

[|www.zamzar.com] A free online file conversion site.

Think.com
[|Oracle/Thinkquest] This is a site that is very kid friendly and allows students to share with one another and practice web creation tecniques such as adding links, photos, videos, animated gifs and flash among many others Christine Turansky

[|Tikatok™] is the award-winning site endorsed by educators where students create and publish their own books.

[|Free technology ideas, lessons, tutorials] This site truly has it all. It's an invaluable resource!

[|Wonderopolis] A site that answers the kinds of questions kids ask in truly compelling ways

[|A Google a Day] A fun search activity that students can play with a timer or untimed. Each day's search has many pathways, but only one right answer.

Cool Tools for Schools This wiki is everything you need for teaching with technology: by teachers, for teachers

Free Tools

Photosynth

AutoCollage

WorldWide Telescope

Songsmith Free Trial

Photo Story for Windows XP __Note__: This is also a page on our wiki (under "Digging Deeper")

Interactive Classroom and Mathematics Add-in

Windows Live SkyDrive

WIndows Live Writer

Bing Search and Bing Maps

Chris Jordan

Bing Translator

[|Mouse Mischief]

Partners in Learning Network

**Some great resources for connecting classrooms:**
ePals

Global School Net

=Great resources for blogging:= [|www.blogger.com] (hosted by Google: blogspot) [|classblogmeister.com] Class Blogmeister is one of several blogging engines that have been developed specifically for classroom use. [|edublogs.org] Edublogs lets you easily create & manage student & teacher blogs, quickly customize designs and include videos, photos & podcasts - it's safe, easy and secure.

**Great resources for podcasting:**
[|Podcasting tools] [] = = =Richard Beach's Resource List:=

@http://digitalwriting.pbworks.com/w/page/17812805/Text-to-Speech-Software Students who are visually impaired, need assistance with reading, or benefit from hearing their writing read back to them can use text-to-speech tools that create audio versions of texts, tools such as Read&Write GOLD (@http://www.texthelp.com/page.asp), Readthewords (http://www.readthewords.com), NaturalReader Free (@http://www.naturalreaders.com/free_version.htm), iSpeech Free (@http://www.ispeech.org/free.text.to.speech.tts.software) TextAloud (@http://www.softsea.com/review/TextAloud.html).
 * Text-to-speech tools:**

@http://digitalwriting.pbworks.com/w/page/17812811/Translation-Software For students who are not fluent in English, you can employ translation software such as Google Translate (http://translate.google.com), IBM TradúceloAhora! (Translate Now!) software (@http://www.traduceloahora.org/en/home.html), Babylon (@http://www.babylon.com/mac.html), (http://babylonforfree.info), Power Translator (@http://www.lec.com/power-translator-software.asp), or Promt (http://www.promt.com) to translate texts they are reading into their own language or to translate their writing in another language into English.
 * Translation software:**

@http://digitalwriting.pbworks.com/w/page/17812755/Speech-to-Text-Dictating-S__oftware__ Some students who have difficulty with writing given physical (handwriting/typing) or learning disabilities can benefit from use of speech-to-text dictating tools. Voice-recognition or dictation tools assist students who have difficulty with editing/spelling issues by helping them focus on what they are trying to communicate. Students can use Dragon NaturallySpeaking (@http://www.nuance.com/dragon/index.htm), Dragon Dictation (for iPhone, iPad: http://www.nuancemobilelife.com), MacSpeech Scribe (http://www.nuance.com/for-individuals/by-product/dragon-for-mac/macspeech-s cribe/index.htm), Windows Voice Recognition that is part of Windows software, Talking Desktop (@http://www.talkingdesktop.com/mp3.htm), or Balabolka (@http://www.cross-plus-a.com/balabolka.htm). Dragon Naturally Speaking Preferred or Pro versions are particularly effective in that they provide verbal feedback to the student as well as synthesized reading back for what appears on the screen so that students can hear the text they have produced. In using these tools, students need to be will to initially train the software to recognize their speech, be fluent, articulate slowly, not have speech impediments, dictate punctuation, and recognize that dictated speech in writing still needs revision. http://digitalwriting.pbworks.com/w/page/17812584/Learning-disabilities-
 * Speech-to-text tools:**