Bridges Events

Keep checking back soon for updated Bridges events!

2012 Webinars

Symbolize IT with Communicate InPrint:
Affordable Symbols for Inclusive Teaching

Learn how Communicate: In Print can deliver engaging, colourful school materials to learners of all ages at a fraction of the price of other publishing software with symbols.

Designed from the ground up for classrooms, it’s so easy to create:

worksheets
visual schedules
flashcards
books
posters
communication boards and more

For schools in diverse communities, Communicate: In Print is an invaluable tool for communicating with parents and creating an inclusive environment for the entire school community. In this presentation we’ll look at how the Widgit symbols with their unique support of curriculum language can be applied to students:

Learning new science, social studies, math or other subject specific vocabulary
With communication and cognitive challenges
Who are English as a Second Language Learners

Plus all attendees will automatically be entered in a draw to win their own copy of Communicate: In Print.

Dates (Click date to register for webinar):

Communicate: SymWriter – Write with Symbols and more!

Learn how Communicate: SymWriter (made by the creators of Writing with Symbols) can support and help develop writing skills for a wide range of students.

Whether reluctant writers, ELL’s, students on the autism spectrum or individuals with intellectual, sensory or physical challenges, your learners will find Communicate: SymWriter a motivating, engaging, easy-to-use and effective writing tool.

With Communicate: SymWriter, teachers can create symbol-supported poems, stories and articles for whole class or individual instruction. Educators love how easy it is to design errorless writing environments to build words, sentences, paragraphs or illustrate structures.

In this session we’ll look in detail at:

How the 11,000+ Widgit symbols set uniquely support literacy
Cut and paste symbolizing of stories, articles and poems
Creating writing environments
Full bilingual support of French and English in the Canadian version
Symbol-supported spell checking

Plus all attendees will automatically be entered in a draw to win their own copy of Communicate: SymWriter.

Dates:

Equals – Age-Neutral Math Curricula for Students with Special Needs:

This session will introduce Equals: the first complete, age-neutral, standards-based mathematics curriculum, specifically designed for students in special education. We'll look at how research-driven Equals, now Canadianized by Bridges, was designed from the ground-up for students with mild to severe disabilities.

Including:

Workmats posters and all manipulatives
Worksheets and handouts
Letters home
And Assessments.

Dates:

Web Accessibility with Point & BrowseAloud:

Open your website to all your visitors! Learn how BrowseAloud and Point can make your website accessible for individuals with a print disability, the elderly, new Canadians who struggle with English or French or even kids. BrowseAloud adds speech and visual enhancements, Point adds on demand symbol support to illustrate text meaning on websites.

These supports are ideal for individuals with visual impairments, cognitive challenges, learning disabilities, the elderly or those for whom English or French are not their first languages. A grant is currently available from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) that could pay for most of your implementation of BrowseAloud and Point.

Dates:

educATe Webinars

Dates:

This session will introduce educATe, the new Canadian web delivered assistive technology (AT) support service. educATe delivers the tools and curricular content teachers and students need to get their AT working in their classrooms. EducATe builds capacity through ready teaching resources, how to's, ready made templates, guides, webinars, courses, on-demand support, AT tips and tutorials in video and print format.

Also highlighted is the new optional Directed Assistive Technology Learning Program. With the Directed AT Learning program your district can easily deploy an accountable, relevant e-training program for your educational assistants.

2012

Bridges to Learning National Technology in Education Conference:
Dates: May 10th–12th, 2012
Location: University of Toronto, Mississauga Campus, Mississauga, ON

Learn about the latest research on educational and assistive technology, Universal Design for Learning, Smart Inclusion, implementing and training technologies in schools, augmentative communication, alternative access and more. Registration materials and Call for Presentations coming soon!