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What's New - CAST
New Publishing Standard to Improve Education for Students with Disabilities — July 28, 2004 - August 12, 2004
CAST-led Panel Writes National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard
In a landmark announcement for students with sensory and other print disabilities, the U.S. Department of Education has endorsed the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS). The voluntary standard will guide the production and electronic distribution of flexible digital instructional materials such as textbooks so they can be more easily converted to a variety of accessible formats, including Braille and text-to-speech.
To read CAST’s press release, please click here or go directly to NIMAS
More About What's New at CAST:
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Recent additions to the CAST Web site:
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Digital Content in the Classroom Toolkit
- Updated September 29, 2003
This online toolkit for teachers was made possible by generous support from Verizon Foundation. By virtue of one essential feature - flexibility - digital media (text, images, audio, and video that have been digitized) surpass traditional media in their ability to meet diverse students' varied needs in a variety of instructional contexts. Using the "Digital Content in the Classroom" toolkit, teachers can learn digital content basics, find free online and low-cost sources of digital content suitable for the classroom, and create their own digital content and integrate it into classroom activities.
(See Press Release)
National File Format Initiative at NCAC
- Updated July 28, 2004
November 15, 2002: The U.S. Department of Education has awarded $199,911 to the National
Center on Accessing the General Curriculum (NCAC) at CAST to develop a voluntary national
file format for the electronic transmission of instructional materials for students who are
blind and students with other disabilities.
In a press release
issued by the Department of Education on November 15, Robert Pasternack, assistant secretary
for special education and rehabilitative services, speaks about why the proposed standard is
of significant importance for students with disabilities and the educators, publishers,
technology specialists and advocacy groups who serve them.
Using Technology to Individualize Reading Instruction
- Updated January 07, 2003
A chapter by David Rose and Bridget Dalton, CAST, Inc. To appear in the book Comprehension Instruction: Building on the Past and Improving Instruction for Today's Students. Examines how technology is radically changing the ways in which we can study human learning, and the ways in which we can foster it.
CAST eReader
- Updated September 13, 2005
CAST now offers hands-on training in using the CAST eReader Text-to-Speech tool.
CAST Products
- Updated December 03, 2004
Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age: Universal Design for Learning (May, 2002). This book is a comprehensive presentation of the principles and applications of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), a practical, research-based framework for responding to individual learning differences in the classroom.
The book is supported with a Web site which provides not only the text of the book online, but is enriched with multimedia examples of UDL as well a number of interactive tutorials, tools and templates. The Teaching Every Student (TES) Web site supports educators in learning about and practicing Universal Design for Learning.
Visit the Web site: Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age
The Thinking Reader Picture Books: A Technology-Based Instructional Approach to Support Beginning Reading in Children with Mental Retardation
- Updated May 21, 2004
This project is creating an interactive Web-based learning environment, using three digital picture book exemplars, to support the development of beginning reading skills and comprehension strategies in students with mental retardation.
Strategic Learning Editions: Embedding Flexible Supports for Learning Comprehension Strategies in Digital Text
- Updated March 03, 2003
Building on research conducted in the recently concluded Engaging the Text project, this three-year study is developing prototype "Strategic Learning Editions:" interactive, digital versions of short stories, novels, and informational Web pages with embedded reading strategy supports for middle school students with learning disabilities.
Universal Design for Learning: Implications for Large-Scale Assessment
- Updated September 20, 2002
A recent article from IDA Perspectives by CAST staff Robert P. Dolan and Tracey E. Hall explores applying the concept of universal design to learning and assessment.
Teaching & Learning: Professional Development
- Updated November 02, 2004
Institutes, Seminars, Consultations opportunities.
Teacher Practice
- Updated August 26, 2002
The Teaching Practices Group at the National Center presents three reports on the challenges of meeting the needs of every child in a classroom.
An Overview - Enhancements Literature Review
- Updated July 01, 2004
CAST conducted a review of the literature to determine what the research had to say about useful enhancements or adaptations to curriculum.
The Universal Learning Center
- Updated May 21, 2004
CAST announces the Universal Learning Center (ULC), a new Web-based resource that will provide immediate access to digital curricular materials to support a diverse range of K-12 students, including those with disabilities.
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| What's New at CAST, 2004: |
- Boston Sunday Herald article profiles CAST
Posted June 07, 2004
In her article "Making It Click," Boston Herald reporter Robin Ray profiles CAST and the educational software programs that have resulted from CAST's decade of research in Universal Design for Learning. These programs include "Thinking Reader," a new offering from Tom Snyder Productions that supports reading comprehension in struggling middle school readers.
To read the article, please click here.
- FableVision Partners with CAST to Take On Accessibility Challenges
Posted March 23, 2004
Boston-based educational media developer and publisher FableVision has unveiled its first digital “talking book” title made accessible with DAISY 2.02 technology (Digital Accessible Information System). Released in collaboration with CAST, The City Garden can be read by any DAISY 2.02 reader, including CAST’s newly released eReader 3.0™, which makes this powerful new human voice technology available to young readers with print disabilities for the first time.
For more information, please click here.
- Learning and Leading with Technology features CAST and Universal Design for Learning
Posted February 24, 2004
In the February 2004 issue of Learning and Leading with Technology, Author Kirsten Lee Howard, a first grade teacher at Young Achievers Science and Mathematics School in Boston, relates her experiences applying Universal Design for Learning to her teaching and how it helped her reach all 21 diverse learners in her classroom.
To read the article in PDF format, please click here.
- Tom Snyder Productions releases Thinking Reader software using CAST technology
Posted February 18, 2004
CAST is pleased to announce that Tom Snyder Productions, a division of Scholastic Inc., has released nine children’s novels as the Thinking Reader software program. Designed by CAST and validated by research, the Thinking Reader enables reading specialists, special education teachers, and classroom teachers to teach reading comprehension to students at all reading levels.
For more information, please visit: http://www.teachtsp.com/products/product_print.asp?SKU=THITHI
- Teaching Every Student study guide available at ASCD.org
Posted February 18, 2004
Teaching Every Student study guide available at http://www.ascd.org/cms/index.cfm?TheViewID=1200
- The Peter Jay Sharp Foundation and LD ACCESS Foundation fund research to improve educational opps.
Posted February 18, 2004
The Peter Jay Sharp and LD ACCESS Foundations announced a $200,000 two-year grant to CAST to continue a multi-year research and dissemination effort to improve educational opportunities for secondary students with learning disabilities as they prepare to make the transition to college or the workplace. Through 2005, CAST will further develop and evaluate a text-to-speech tool and technology-based testing environment for improving the accessibility, accuracy, and fairness of large-scale assessments for high school students with learning disabilities.
For more information, please visit: http://www.cast.org/udl/index.cfm?i=4512
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- NEC Foundation of America Supports Development of New Version of CAST eReader - Posted July 21, 2003
| NEC
Foundation of America has awarded CAST a $35,000 grant to help fund
the development of a new version of the CAST eReaderTM designed
for elementary-school-aged children with disabilities. Scheduled for release
in fall 2003, the new eReader will be the first program to use both
synthetic speech and natural voice to navigate a range of digital educational
content and provide critically needed reading supports for young readers
with disabilities as they begin to read independently. Gary Bates of Niteo
Partners, a NEC company, presented CAST Co-Executive Director David Rose
with NEC Foundation of America's check on May 30. NEC Foundation of America
focuses on projects with national reach and impact in the arena of technology
for people with disabilities. |
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David Rose (left) and Gary Bates (right) with student Sarah Connors.
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- OSEP Funds University of Kentucky/CAST Research on Universally Designed Large-Scale Assessments - Posted January 08, 2003
November 1, 2002: With funding from the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP),
the University of Kentucky Interdisciplinary Human Development Institute and CAST will
collaborate on a three-year research study examining the role of technology in creating
universally designed large-scale assessments. The Kentucky and Maine departments of education will
cooperate in the project. CAST's Bob Dolan
and the University of Kentucky's Jacqui Kearns are the co-principal investigators.
- OSEP Funds CAST Research on Universal Learning Editions - Posted January 08, 2003
November 1, 2002: The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has awarded CAST and the Center for
Community Inclusion at the University of Maine a three-year, $540,000 directed research grant to investigate
the efficacy of Universal Learning Editions (interactive digital texts with embedded reading comprehension
instruction) for improved literacy learning in students with significant cognitive disabilities.
Bridget Dalton is the principal investigator.
- CAST's Bridget Dalton Speaks on Universal Design for Learning in Taiwan - Posted January 08, 2003
October 27, 2002: Responding to Taiwan educators' growing interest in Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Chief Education Officer Bridget Dalton traveled to Taiwan to give the keynote speech on UDL at the Annual Conference on Special Education and Technology at Chiayi University. During her weeklong visit, Bridget was also the featured speaker at the first Taiwanese conference on UDL held at Gaujung University and made presentations at colleges in the cities of Taipei and Taitung.
- Copyright and Digitization Issues Examined in Groundbreaking Meeting - Posted January 08, 2003
October 17-18, 2002: Educators joined with representatives from major textbook publishers,
intellectual property attorneys, and technology developers in a ground-breaking two-day roundtable to
identify ways to reconcile students with print disabilities' need for digital textbooks with copyright law.
The National Center on Accessing the General Curriculum at CAST jointly developed and sponsored the event
with the Berkman Center for the Internet and Society at Harvard Law School,
the Harvard Children's Initiative, and the Association of American Publishers.
The group will publish findings and recommendations emerging from the meeting.
More information.
- CAST Receives Wired Kids Award - Posted January 08, 2003
October 15, 2002: Senior Information and Learning Technologies Designer
Jim Moore
represented CAST at the third annual Wired Kids Summit, hosted by
Wired Kids,
an organization with a mission to protect kids online.
Jim received the Educational Superstar award on behalf of CAST.
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- CAST Named "Tech Laureate" in the 2002 Tech Museum of Innovation Awards - Posted November 13, 2002
November 8, 2002: CAST was among 25 finalists honored by the San Jose-based Tech Museum of Innovation Awards for
technical innovation work benefiting humanity at a black tie awards gala on November 7.
Named a "Tech Laureate" in the education category, CAST was recognized for its work to develop "Thinking Readers,"
computer-based learning environments that support physical access to standards-based educational texts and the development
of reading comprehension skills. The awards drew 460 nominations from 59 countries in the fields of education, equality,
health, the environment, and economic development. "CAST's selection as a finalist provided a great opportunity for us to
meet and learn about innovators from around the world in our field, education, as well as others. It was truly inspiring,"
said Chief Resource Development Officer Ada Sullivan, who represented CAST at the awards.
- Chinese Delegation Visits CAST - Posted November 07, 2002
October 18, 2002: A delegation organized by the Chinese Ministry of Education visited CAST on October 18 to learn about special education in the U.S. - federal, state and local policies, how children with special needs are taught in both mainstream and special schools, and the uses of technology, among other areas of interest. The delegation is part of an ongoing exchange between the U.S. Department of Education and the Chinese Ministry. The National Committee on U.S.-China Relations hosts two Chinese delegations each year on different themes in education. The current delegation will visit schools, organizations, and agencies in four U.S. cities, including the Council for Exceptional Children, Gallaudet University and the National Association of State Directors of Special Education.
- Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) Funds Research on Universally Designed Science - Posted November 07, 2002
September 15, 2002: The Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) has awarded CAST and the University of Michigan a three-year, $1.5 million Reading Comprehension Research Grant. The award will fund an examination of the effect of universally designed science texts on children's concept knowledge and scientific inquiry processes. CAST's Bridget Dalton and the University of Michigan's Annemarie Palincsar are co-principal investigators.
More information.
- CAST's Mei Kennedy Awarded Student Initiated Grant - Posted November 07, 2002
August 10, 2002: The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has awarded CAST a one-year grant under its Student Initiated Research Projects Program to investigate the effectiveness of CAST's Thinking Reader approach for middle school students who are Deaf. The project will extend CAST's Thinking Reader technology -- digital learning environments with embedded reading comprehension supports -- to deaf students by adding sign language supports. CAST's Mei Kennedy, a doctoral candidate in Instructional Design for Online Learning at Capella University and a deaf individual herself, will act as the Student Investigator on the grant.
CAST and Gallaudet University Begin 2-Year Collaboration (August 1, 2002) CAST has signed a contract with Gallaudet University (Washington, DC) to collaborate on a two-year research project involving the development of 3 prototype "Universal Learning Editions" -- supported digital versions of educational texts -- for deaf students. CAST will be working with Gallaudet's Clerc Center, which has been mandated by Congress to develop, evaluate, and disseminate innovative curricula, instructional techniques and strategies, and materials" for the purpose of improving the quality of education for deaf and hard of hearing children and youth from birth through age 21.
- CAST Article in Exceptional Parent Focuses on Beginning Readers with Mental Retardation - Posted November 07, 2002
June 1, 2002: CAST Chief Education Officer Bridget Dalton and staff writer Lucinda O'Neill co-authored the article, "Thinking Readers Part II: Supporting Beginning Reading in Children with Cognitive Disabilities through Technology" for the June 2002 issue of Exceptional Parent. The article focuses on CAST's work to develop digital picture books with embedded supports designed to improve reading comprehension in young readers with mental retardation. The Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation has provided generous funding for this work.
- CAST a Finalist in the Tech Museum Awards - Posted October 18, 2002
CAST is among 25 finalists named by the Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, CA, for its 2002 Tech Museum Awards:
Technology Benefiting Humanity. The awards, presented by Applied Materials, Inc. in partnership with the American Council
for the United Nations University and Santa Clara University's Center for Science, Technology, and Society, honor for-profit
companies and public and not-for-profit organizations from around the world who are applying technology to profoundly improve
the human condition in the categories of education, equality, the environment, health and economic development. CAST has been
nominated in the education category for its work to develop "Thinking Readers" -- digital learning environments that support physical
access to standards-based educational texts and the development of reading comprehension skills. One finalist from each category
will be awarded a $50,000 cash honorarium at a November 7 black tie Awards gala.
CAST Press Release about Tech Museum Awards
Read the press release at TheTech.org
- CAST Announces New Offices - Posted October 15, 2002
CAST has moved to new offices at 40 Harvard Mills Square in Wakefield, MA, a suburb north of Boston. The new space -- designed in cooperation with the architectural firm Add Inc. and organizational consultant Fritz Steele -- reflects CAST's Universal Design for Learning mission, offering a variety of different work environments for different work styles. A central open seating plan softened by curving walls, modular furniture, and private meeting rooms tucked into corners are crucial elements in supporting the collaborative nature of the organization. "We always wanted to make sure that people had access to the ideas and feedback of others in the organization," said Co-Executive Director David Rose, "but we had outgrown our previous space. This move brings our work environment back in line with what we believe is most supportive to producing high quality educational research."
CAST Press Release about new office space
Directions to CAST's new office at 40 Harvard Mills Square in Wakefield, MA.
- Watchfire acquires Bobby - Posted September 16, 2002
Watchfire Corporation, a provider of Website Management software and services, has acquired Bobby from CAST. For over six years CAST has been dedicated to making websites accessible to all. CAST, a not for profit organization, has determined that Bobby will best serve Web developers if placed in the hands of a company that has the enterprise level software development and product marketing expertise necessary to take Bobby to the next level.
Watchfire will continue to support both the client version and free on-line Bobby service. Watchfire will shortly release Bobby 4.0.1, a free maintenance release to existing customers of Bobby WorldWide, and will also further develop and enhance the product. In order to meet the reporting and scalability needs of enterprise customers, Watchfire plans to integrate the accessibility functionality of Bobby into its enterprise Website Management platform, Watchfire® WebXMTM . Watchfire also plans to add accessibility reports to its website quality testing tool, WebQATM.
The Bobby WorldWide version remains available for purchase for USD $99.00 from Watchfire's website at http://bobby.watchfire.com/bobby/html/en/pricing.jsp. Watchfire will also continue to offer the free online Bobby service at http://bobby.watchfire.com/bobby/, designed for testing single pages for accessibility problems.
Read the press release.
About Watchfire
Founded in 1996, Watchfire provides organizations with comprehensive website management solutions that enable decision-makers to gain competitive advantage. Watchfire's analysis of business-critical content enables e-businesses to identify key issues that affect user experience, online risk, and e-business operational costs. Watchfire's solutions contribute to the effective management of e-businesses for profitability. More than 50 percent of the Fortune 500 rely on Watchfire to optimize their e-business success. Customers include HP, Lockheed Martin, First Union Bank, Nickelodeon Online and AT&T. Watchfire's alliance partners include PricewaterhouseCoopers, Inktomi, Interwoven, and Vignette. The company maintains dual North American headquarters in Ottawa, Canada and Lexington, Mass. Further information on Watchfire can be found online at http://www.watchfire.com/.
- Article about CAST and UDL in Ed. - Posted June 25, 2002
Appearing in the Spring 2002 issue of Ed.,
the magazine of the Harvard Graduate School of Education:
The Digital Revolution's New Bounty: Technology Can Now Tailor Lessons to Every Classroom Learner, by Eric McHenry
- Article on CAST and UDL in the Harvard Education Letter - Posted March 04, 2002
Appearing in the January/February 2002 issue of the Harvard Education Letter:
Curriculum Access in the Digital Age by David T. Gordon.
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- Recent contributions by CAST staff to Reading Online - Posted November 13, 2001
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Pisha, B., & Coyne, P. (2001, November). Jumping off the Page: Content Area Curriculum for the Internet Age. Reading Online, 5(4).
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Web Watch: LIFE Magazine Online, Susan M. Deysher
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Dalton, B., & Strangman, N. (2001, November). Literacy, the American Revolution, and "The Three R¿s of Our Fight for Freedom":
An Interview with Judy McAllister and Erica Lussos. Reading Online, 5(4).
- Microsoft Supports CAST and NCAM - Posted September 04, 2001
With $75,000 of funding from Microsoft Corporation, CAST (the Center for Applied Special Technology) and the National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM) of the WGBH Educational Foundation are working together to raise corporate awareness about the importance of Web accessibility in the hiring and retention of employees with disabilities.
more...
- National Consortium Hosts Workshop to Improve Math Instruction - March 14, 2001 - Posted April 30, 2001
On March 14, the National Consortium on Universal Design for Learning sponsored a workshop for teachers on reshaping mathematics instruction to make it accessible to all children in the classroom. Mahesh Sharma, Professor of Education, Provost and Executive Vice President of Cambridge College, presented an overview of a new teaching model, Vertical Acceleration, that helps teachers not only to meet new mathematics curriculum standards but also to address the needs of individual learners.
More information about the workshop.
- Brenda Matthis Presents UDL to Chicago Public Schools for Potential Adoption - February 23-24, 2001 - Posted April 18, 2001
CAST's Universal Design for Learning message has reached a new audience.
In separate presentations, Director of Professional Development Brenda Matthis introduced CAST's
UDL work to the Chicago Public Schools Board of Trustees, the Regional Board of Administrators,
and Chicago teachers. Chicago administrators hope to adopt UDL principles at the policy level and
integrate the approach into the curriculum at selected schools in this 601-school district serving
nearly 434,000 students.
- CAST Invited to Partner with National Center on Secondary Education and Transition - February 19 -20 - Posted April 18, 2001
CAST is participating in a Technical Assistance Network focusing on "Secondary Education Assessment and Curriculum,"
an initiative of the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition.
Headquartered at the University of Minnesota,
the Center seeks to increase the capacity of national, state and local agencies and organizations to improve secondary education and
transition results for youth with disabilities and their families. Dr. David Rose, CAST Co-Executive Director, and Chuck Hitchcock,
Director of the National Center on Accessing the General Curriculum based at CAST, will serve with other educators in this network
partnership.
- A Universally Designed SAT? CAST at Educational Testing Services - February 15, 2001 - Posted April 18, 2001
CAST Co-Executive Director David Rose and Senior Research Scientist Bob Dolan presented "Universal Design in
Learning and Assessment" to key staff at the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to begin discussions about
how CAST and ETS can partner to develop accessible testing methods for all students, including those with disabilities.
Based in Princeton, NJ, ETS is the world's largest private educational testing and measurement organization,
developing and annually administering more than 11 million tests worldwide.
- Massachusetts e-Commerce Association Honors CAST - February 13, 2001 - Posted April 18, 2001
CAST was one of five Massachusetts technology and education-focused charities to be recognized by
"Technologists with a Heart," a benefit hosted by Mass eComm.org, the Massachusetts Interactive Media Council,
the Massachusetts Software & Internet Council, the Mass Telecom Council, and the MIT Enterprise Forum. Board members Dr.
Milli Pierce and Walter Palmer joined representatives from CAST's staff at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel event.
- CAST Collaborating with Kentucky Department of Education on Testing Accommodations for Students with - Posted April 18, 2001
Senior Research Scientist Bob Dolan met with Scott Trimble, Associate Commissioner and Director of Assessment, and
other representatives from the Office of Assessment and Accountability and the Division of Exceptional Children Services
in response to Kentucky's statewide effort to begin implementation of computer-based high-stakes testing that provides
accommodations for students with disabilities.
- CAST Hosts Visitors from Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL) - February 7, 2001 - Posted April 18, 2001
PREL's Dr. Zoe Ann Brown and Steve Baxendale visited CAST to learn more about building
accessibility into an interactive, Web-based software program that addresses the needs of English as a Second Language
(ESL) students and their teachers. The Hawaii-based organization provides resources and products that promote educational
excellence for children, youth, and adults, particularly in multicultural and multilingual environments.
- CAST's Brenda Matthis presents at LDA Conference - February 8, 2001 - Posted April 18, 2001
Dr. Ruth Gottesman and Dr. Mary Kelly of the Fisher Landau Center for the Treatment of Learning Disabilities joined CAST's
Dr. Brenda Matthis in presenting "Reaching the Real World through Technology for Adults with Learning Disabilities"
at the Learning Disabilities Association (LDA) 38th Annual International Conference in New York City. Their presentation focused
on the role of the CAST eReaderTM in the Fisher Landau program for adults with learning disabilities.
CAST wishes to thank board member Anne Schneider for introducing us to the Fisher Landau Center and its valuable work.
- CAST Presents at OSEP Annual Project Directors Meeting - February 2, 2001 - Posted April 18, 2001
Dr. Bart Pisha and Dr. Bridget Dalton presented CAST's latest research in Universal Design for Learning at the
Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)'s annual Project Director's meeting in Washington, D.C.
Bart is principal investigator and Bridget is project director of the Engaging the Text project, a three-year study
investigating a new approach to reading comprehension for students with learning disabilities that combines
computer supports with the well-researched reading strategy known as Reciprocal Teaching.
More about Engaging the Text.
More about Reciprocal Teaching.
- Sheela Sethuraman Speaks on Textbooks of the Future at TRLD Conference - January 25, 2001 - Posted April 18, 2001
In a presentation titled "Textbooks Today, Web Tomorrow," at the Technology, Reading and
Learning Disabilities (TRLD) Conference in San Francisco, CAST's Sheela Sethuraman drew upon research findings
from the federally-funded Strategic Reader project to demonstrate how the interaction of "smart tools and smart
content" would look in the digital textbook of the future. Concluded in 2000, the Strategic Reader was a
two-year initiative to research and develop a technology-based instructional approach to social studies learning
for 11th grade students with reading disabilities.
More about the Strategic Reader.
- CAST's Bridget Dalton, Ed.D., Appointed Chief Education Officer - March 1, 2001 - Posted April 17, 2001
We are pleased to announce the appointment of Bridget Dalton as Chief Education Officer at CAST. A senior research scientist at CAST since June 2000, Dr. Dalton will lead efforts to translate the latest educational theory into innovative educational products. "This is a brand new position for us and to fill it we needed someone with both a strong background in educational research and a strong vision for the future of education in the era of the Internet. Bridget is one of the few people who has both, and she is a delight to work with," commented Co-Executive Director Dr. David Rose.
- Joyce Hakansson Joins CAST as Creative Director - February 2001 - Posted April 17, 2001
We are delighted to welcome award-winning educational software creator Joyce Hakansson as CAST's new Creative Director. A pioneer in the development of educational software for children, Joyce managed the development of Hollywood, Bailey's Book House, Millies Math House and numerous other acclaimed programs. "Joyce's record is unparalleled in the industry and her commitment to educating both regular and special needs students is evident in everything she does," said CAST Co-Executive Director Dr. David Rose. "Her preeminence in the field of educational software is excelled only by her reputation as a wonderful colleague who brings out the best in people around her."
- CASTs Bart Pisha, Ed.D., Named to International Dyslexia Association Board - January 2001 - Posted April 17, 2001
We are pleased to announce that Bart Pisha, Director of Research at CAST, has been nominated to the Board of Directors of the International Dyslexia Association. Bart is also chairman of the Technology Subcommittee, which advises the IDA on how to use technology to improve the dissemination of important information to the populations it serves.
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- CAST's Bart Pisha on OSEP Expert Strategy Panel - Posted December 11, 2000
Dr. Bart Pisha is participating in an Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)
Expert Strategy Panel to address issues of access to, participation in and progress
in the general curriculum by students with disabilities. The Panel is one of five
convened by OSEP to help the agency set goals for the next ten years. A principal
investigator on two OSEP-funded projects since 1995, Dr. Pisha is joined in this
work by research leads on other OSEP projects and representatives of national
disability advocacy organizations.
- Fisher Landau Uses CAST eReader in Adult Literacy Program - Posted November 03, 2000
An adult literacy program is using the CAST eReader
TM to helping adults with learning disabilities
read successfully for the first time.
The Fisher Landau Center for the Treatment of Learning Disabilities
at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City holds a year-long program annually for
self-selected groups of adults who struggle with reading. CAST's Dr. Brenda Matthis provides
consultation to the Fisher Landau Center in the use of the eReader as a literacy tool.
According to Matthis, engagement is a key component in reading success for adults with learning
disabilities. Using eReader, which provides reading supports for all forms of electronic text,
adults in the Fisher Landau program are able to access highly engaging materials for the first
time--from online editions of newspapers to romance novels and cookbooks. "The response has
been spectacular," Matthis reports. "The attendance rate for this program has moved to 90%,
the highest it's ever been." Dr. Ruth Gottesman, Director, and Dr. Mary Kelly, Associate
Director of the Fisher Landau Center will present research findings of this exciting work in a
joint presentation with Dr. Matthis at the Learning Disabilities Association (LDA)
International Conference in February, 2001.
- CAST to Present at IRA Annual Convention in 2001 - 10/18/00,CAST to Present at IRA Annual Convention in 2001 - 10/18/00 - Posted November 01, 2000
David Rose, Bart Pisha, Maya Eagleton, Bridget Dalton, and Peggy Coyne will present their work in CAST literacy initiatives at the 46th Annual
Convention of the
International Reading Association next spring. The Convention will be held
in New Orleans, April 29 - May 4, 2001.
- CAST Announces Strategic Alliance with WEBAble - Posted August 01, 2000
CAST has named WebABLE, a leading
provider of Internet-based business-to-business Web accessibility tools,
its preferred agent in conducting accessibility reviews of Web sites.
Coming at a time when many corporations, organizations and government
agencies are seeking to make their Web sites accessible, the CAST/WebABLE
strategic partnership is intended to extend the power of Bobby,
CAST's free public service for Web accessibility. "This agreement allows
corporations throughout the world to reap the benefits of WebABLE's
accessibility review and the use of Bobby as an accessibility tool,"
said Mike Paciello, Chief Technical Offer of WebABLE.
- New Federal Site "disAbility.gov" is Bobby Approved - Posted July 26, 2000
The new Federal disabilities Web site (www.disability.gov)
displays the Bobby Approved icon, announcing that it is accessible to
users with disabilities. Unveiled by President Clinton on July 26 to honor
the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities
Act, the new site provides one-stop online access to disability resources,
services, and information available through the Federal government. The
revised Section 508 of the Rehabilitation
Act of 1973 requires Federal agencies' electronic and information technology
to be accessible to people with disabilities, including employees and
members of the public.
- CAST's Michael Cooper on ABCNEWS.com - Posted July 26, 2000
Michael Cooper, Manager of CAST's Bobby Project, appeared on the July
26 edition of the Sam Donaldson daily Web
cast on ABCNEWs.com. That was the day the nation commemorated the
10th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act).
Speaking with ABC Anchor Cokie Roberts, Cooper shared his thoughts on
the importance of accessible Web sites and CAST's own efforts to promote
Web accessibility through Bobby,
the free Internet-based public service used by Web developers worldwide.
- CAST Participates in Vice President Gores Celebration of ADA Tenth Anniversary - Posted July 25, 2000
CAST’s Chuck Hitchcock and Lisa Poller were invited guests at Vice President Gore’s celebration honoring the tenth anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Held at the Vice Presidents home, the July 25 festivities included a "technology tent," where CAST, Sun Microsystems, Microsoft, and others demonstrated the latest in accessible technology to prominent members of the disabilities community.
- CAST's Service Cited in NPR Report on Web Access for the Blind - Posted July 12, 2000
The July 12 edition of NPR All Things Considered featured a segment
on Web accessibility for the blind and a link to CAST as the creator of
Bobby, the free Internet-based public service for Web accessibility. The
segment is available in RealAudio
at the following link: http://search.npr.org/cf/cmn/cmnpd01fm.cfm?PrgDate=07/12/2000&PrgID=2
- CAST's Skip Stahl Testifies Before Web-based Education Commission - Posted June 26, 2000
Skip Stahl, director of CAST's professional development programs, appears today in Atlanta as an expert witness before the Web-based Education
Commission, appointed by Congress to ensure that all learners are able
to take full advantage of the educational promise of the World Wide
Web. The Commission will recommend to the President and Congress policies
to assist education leaders in ensuring that all learners have full
and equal access to the capabilities of the Web. In a live Webcast hosted
by the National Education Computing Conference (NECC) meeting this week
in Atlanta, GA, Mr. Stahl will testify
on technology trends in the classroom and their implications for students
with disabilities.
The Commission is focusing on 13 policy
issues as part of its study to better understand the impact the
World Wide Web can have on transforming and improving learning and achievement:
The Commission will report its findings to the President and Congress
by November 2000.
- Bobby a Winner in the AAES Excellence in Access Awards - Posted June 21, 2000
The Association of Access Engineering
Specialists (AAES) announced today that CAST has won an Access Advancement
Award in the AAES 2000 Excellence in Access Awards for Bobby, a Free
Internet Public Service for Web Accessibility. The goal of the Excellence
in Access Awards is to "recognize individuals and companies that do
an exceptional job of developing products and services which are accessible
and usable by consumers with disabilities and to inspire others to do
more by using award recipients as role models," said Steve Jacobs, Chairman
of the Awards committee. CAST will receive the award at the RESNA
2000 Annual Conference on July 2, 2000.
- CAST Receives Universal Design Award - Posted June 16, 2000
CAST is one of seven organizations to receive the first Ron Mace Designing
for the 21st Century Award. Honoring the late architect Ron Mace's unparalleled
contribution to Universal Design, the award comes in recognition of
CAST's work to extend the boundaries of Universal Design to education
and learning. "(CAST's) pioneering work in Universal Design for Learning
has created unprecedented opportunity for curricula that responds to
the reality of human diversity," said Valerie Fletcher, Executive Director
of co-sponsoring organization Adaptive Environments. CAST Director of
Professional Development Skip Stahl accepted the award on CAST's behalf
at the Designing for the 21st Century International Conference in Providence,
Rhode Island, June 16.
- Can Learning Software Help Your Child Learn to Read? - Posted June 01, 2000
Dr. Anne Meyer, CAST's co-executive director and co-author of Learning to Read in the Computer Age, offers her thoughts on the role that learn-to-read software can play in helping young children take the leap to literacy in the article, "How Do Kids Learn to Read?" by Carolyn Jabs in the June 2000 issue of Family PC. The article is not available online, but Family PC online offers a variety of learning and informational resources for families.
- Concord, NH Public Schools Receives First UDL Partnership Award - Posted May 11, 2000
CAST is pleased to announce that it has selected the Concord, NH Public
Schools to be the first recipient of the National
Consortium on Universal Design for Learning's UDL Partnership Award.
The award recognizes schools or school districts that are committed
to incorporating the concepts of Universal Design for LearningT into
their teaching practices for the purpose of improving learning outcomes
for all students, especially those with disabilities. Donna Palley,
Special Education Coordinator at the Concord Public Schools, will join
CAST this summer as a UDL Fellow to share her experiences in implementing
UDL district-wide and to help lead a series of UDL summer institutes.
- CAST to Present at Universal Design Conference - Posted May 01, 2000
CAST's Dr. David Rose, Skip Stahl, Michael Cooper and Sheela Sethuraman
will lead a pre-conference seminar at "Designing
for the 21st Century II: An International Conference on Universal Design"
at Rhode Island Convention Center, Providence, R.I., on June 15, 2000.
Organized by Adaptive Environments, a Boston-based not-for-profit organization
founded in 1974 to address the environmental issues that confront people
with disabilities and the elderly, the conference will showcase state-of-the-art
universal design solutions in education and practice. "As the leader
in Universal Design for Learning, CAST has been invited to introduce
its unique work to our international audience," says Adaptive Environments'
founder Elaine Ostroff.
- CAST Offers a Downloadable Demo Version of CAST eReader - Posted April 11, 2000
Now available on our Web site is a downloadable demo copy of the Windows version of the CAST eReader. Interested
visitors to the Web site can go to the information page about CAST eReader
http://www.cast.org/tools/teachingtoolsreader.html and download the Windows demo. This demo version is a full-functioning
copy of the software that can be used for two weeks or ten executions from the time of download, whichever occurs first.
Visitors can also elect to purchase the software on-line through a link at the bottom of the CAST eReader information page
or by clicking the Purchase button in the demo version of the software.
- OSEP Web Site Posts 21st Annual Report to Congress on Implementation of IDEA - Posted April 10, 2000
The Twenty-First Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA) is available online and can be downloaded as a PDF or Word document. The IDEA Amendments of 1997 contain
provisions directed at providing students with disabilities greater access to the general education curriculum.
Read the report on-line.
- HalfthePlanet.com Signs on as Bobby Principal Sponsor - Posted April 07, 2000
HalfthePlanet.com has signed on as the first Principal Sponsor of Bobby and CAST's exclusive strategic partner for the
Internet Disability Portal Community. CAST and HalfthePlanet.com will work together to promote making the Internet a
fully accessible resource and to build awareness among companies using the Internet, as well as Internet users in general.
HalfthePlanet.com is a leading Internet gateway for people whose personal and professional lives are touched by disabilities.
The company's mission is to empower people within the disability community with the resources and information needed to
live full and independent lives.
- CAST Announces Year 2000 Bobby Sponsors - Posted March 01, 2000
CAST is pleased to announce that four Charter Sponsors of Bobby have renewed their support of the free public service for
Web accessibility for a second year. They are: IBM, Microsoft, Sun Microsystems, and Mitsubishi Electric America
Foundation (MEAF). In addition to their sponsorship of Bobby, each of the four sponsors is committed to a wide range of
accessibility initiatives.
Find out more about Bobby sponsors.
- CAST Hosts Launch Meeting of National Center on Accessing the General Curriculum - Posted February 23, 2000
On February 23, 2000, CAST hosted the first meeting of the project partners of the National Center on Accessing the
General Curriculum. Representatives from the Harvard Children's Initiative, Boston College School of Education, Council
for Exceptional Children, and U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) joined CAST
for the purpose of creating a cohesive working group and shared vision of the National Center's research and
consensus-building goals over the next five years. The National Center was established in late 1999 through a cooperative
agreement with OSEP to improve learning outcomes for students with disabilities.
Go to the National Center on Accessing the General Curriculum Web site.
Top
- Fall 1999 issue of Interfaces - Posted December 01, 1999
In this issue:
- A Message from Martha L. Minow, Professor of Law, Harvard University
- National Center to Address Making the General Curriculum Accessible to All Learners
- Meet CAST's Staff: Lynn Coppinger and Bernice Cheung
- Quicktakes: CAST Recognized at Two Award Events; Houghton Mifflin Bundles CAST eReader
- The Peabody Foundation, Raytheon Company, and LD ACCESS Foundation, Inc. Support CAST's Work
Read this issue.
- CAST Announces Award to Become National Center on Accessing the General Curriculum - Posted July 01, 1999
Drs. David Rose and Anne Meyer announced that CAST has received a five-year $2.5 million award from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs to become the National Center on Accessing the General Curriculum. CAST's partners in this initiative are the Harvard Children's Initiative/Harvard Law School, Boston College, and the Council for Exceptional Children. By becoming a National Center, CAST and universal design for learning are poised to make a significant impact within national educational reform, particularly as it relates to students with disabilities. Slated to get underway on December 1, the Center will provide CAST with an unprecedented opportunity to demonstrate how universal design for learning helps to ensure achievement within the general curriculum for students with disabilities and indeed all students.
More on the National Center.
- Summer 1999 issue of Interfaces - Posted July 01, 1999
In this issue:
- A Message from Anne Meyer, Co-Executive Director of CAST
- Learning to Look: CAST Explores the Power of Images
- CAST Research Informs Work on Study Support Software
- Meet CAST's Staff: Richard Jackson, Ed.D.
- Quicktakes: CAST Director of Research Bart Pisha Shares Perspectives About Learning Disabilities with Indian Educators; CAST Makes Strong Showing at CSUN Conference
- The Jessie B. Cox Charitable Trust and the Boston Annenberg Challenge Fund for Non-Profits Fund CAST's Work
Read this issue.
- Microsoft Renews Bobby Sponsorship - Posted June 18, 1999
CAST is pleased to announce that Microsoft Corporation has renewed its Charter Sponsorship of Bobby with a second grant of $50,000. For over a decade, Microsoft has been committed to improving technology so that people with disabilities have better access. Says Microsoft Product Manager Gary Moulton, "Developers need tools that check their products for accessibility. Bobby does that for Web site developers in an easy and informative way." Microsoft's renewed commitment to Bobby will help CAST pursue further major innovation of the free public service, including the creation of a repair tool, in collaboration with the Trace Center and the University of Toronto, that not only evaluates but fixes accessibility problems within Web sites.
- CAST's New "Access Writer Beta 1" Available for Testing - Posted June 16, 1999
Access Writer is a newly created accessible word processing environment for the classroom. Created by Charles Silverman, M.Ed, under a development contract with CAST, this Macintosh-based application offers a number of innovations for single switch access, including musical midi feedback, editable on-screen keyboards, new ways of working with single and multiple switch input, and multiple user settings. Access Writer is currently undergoing public beta testing at CAST (http://www.cast.org/betaproducts">http://www.cast.org/betaproducts). Be sure to participate!
- CAST Announces Release of Bobby 3.1.1 - Posted June 10, 1999
Bobby 3.1.1, available online and as a downloadable application, is a significant upgrade of Bobby 3.0 and a minor bug fix of Bobby 3.1 (released in early May). Bobby 3.1.1 implements the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines that became a W3C Recommendation on May 5, 1999. The Bobby Approval rating is now based on compliance with all Priority 1 guidelines, including those that Bobby can verify automatically and those that need to be checked manually. Pages that were previously Bobby Approved should be rechecked with the new version of Bobby within 90 days to ensure that they remain Bobby Approved.
Go to the Bobby site for more information.
- CAST a Finalist in the Computerworld Smithsonian Awards - Posted June 08, 1999
We are pleased to announce that CAST has been named a finalist in the 1999 Computerworld Smithsonian Awards for Bobby: A Public Service for Web Accessibility. As one of five finalists in the Education and Academia category, CAST was among those honored at an Award Gala at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. on June 7th. CAST and Bobby are now recognized in the Permanent Research Collection of the Smithsonian Institution. CAST was a recipient of the Award in 1993. We wish to thank SAP America for the award nomination, and our sponsors: IBM, Microsoft, Mitsubishi Electric America, Sun Microsystems, UNUM Life Insurance Company of America, and Aon Corporation, who help us provide Bobby to users worldwide.
- Hewlett-Packard Boosts Bobby Development with Server Donation - Posted June 01, 1999
CAST is pleased to announce that Hewlett-Packard Company has donated a NetServer and other equipment to support the further development of Bobby, CAST's free public service for Web accessibility. The new HP NetServer will host the on-line and downloadable versions of Bobby and test Web pages from all over the world, enabling CAST to meet the increased demand generated by the over three million requests it is receiving monthly. Hewlett-Packard is a leading global provider of computing and imaging solutions and services for business and home. HP's philanthropy has focused on improving education and increasing opportunities for the underrepresented in the areas of technology, math and science.
- Spring 1999 issue of Interfaces - Posted April 01, 1999
In this issue:
- A Message from Gregg Vanderheiden, Director of the Trace Research and Development
Center
- Microsoft and CAST Team Up to Improve Universal Design
- Charter Sponsors Give $50,000 Each to Support Bobby
- Federal and Foundation Funding Support Work on Cast's Reading Software
- Meet CAST'S Staff
- Quicktakes
Read this issue.
- Fall 1998 issue of Interfaces - Posted February 11, 1999
In this issue:
- A Message from Director of Applied Research Peggy Coyne
- Family Learning Centers Promote Literacy Nationwide
- Cast's Computer Camp Combines Research, Learning and Fun
- Meet CAST'S Staff
- Quicktakes
- NEC Foundation of America and SBIR Fund Cast's Work
Read this issue.
- Learning to Read in the Computer Age Added to Amazon.com Book List - Posted January 19, 1999
The print version of Anne Meyer and David Rose's book, Learning
to Read in the Computer Age, is now available for purchase through
Amazon.com
- UNUM Promotes Web Accessibility by Becoming Bobby Charter Sponsor - Posted January 12, 1999
We are pleased to announce that UNUM Life Insurance Company of America
has signed on as a Charter Sponsor of Bobby, CAST's free Public Service
for Web accessibility. "Bobby is helping to make the Web and
Information Age accessible to millions more people around the world,"
said Elaine Rosen, president. "And our Bobby sponsorship is another
way of showing our commitment that all people should have equal opportunities
for access, inclusion, and contribution within society." Headquartered
in Portland, Maine, UNUM Life Insurance Company of America is the largest
business unit of UNUM Corporation and the nation's leading provider
of disability insurance products.
Go to the Bobby site for more information.
- Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation Becomes Bobby Charter Sponsor - Posted January 11, 1999
We are pleased to announce that Bobby, CAST's free public service
for Web accessibility, has garnered a new Charter Sponsor in Mitsubishi
Electric America (MEA) Foundation. The MEA Foundation, established in
1991, is dedicated to helping young people with disabilities, through
technology, to maximize their potential and fully participate in society.
"We at MEAF are tremendously proud to be partners with CAST," said Rayna
Aylward, Executive Director.
Go to the Bobby site for more information.
- Bobby Featured in Boston Sunday Globe Article - Posted January 10, 1999
Bobby, CAST's free public service for Web accessibility, is
the subject of a recent article, "Peabody 'Bobby' Patrols Cyberspace,"
in the Boston Sunday Globe. With the Internet becoming an increasingly
important part of everyday life, the article examines Bobby's
role in ensuring that Web sites are accessible to everyone, including
people with disabilities.
Go to the Bobby site for more information.
- CAST Posts Web Version of Learning to Read in the Computer Age - Posted November 25, 1998
Anne Meyer and David Rose's book, Learning
to Read in the Computer Age, is available in its entirety on
the CAST Web site, making its contents more universally accessible than
the print version alone. The Web version provides color versions of
all the illustrations and direct links to featured learning Web sites
and software publishers' Web sites.
- CAST Nominated for 1999 Computerworld Smithsonian Award,CAST Nominated for 1999 Computerworld Smithsonian Award - Posted November 24, 1998
Jeremy Coote, President of SAP America, Inc. nominated CAST for a Computerworld
Smithsonian Award in the Business & Related Services category for Bobby:
A Verifier of Web Site Accessibility. CAST's nomination comes in
recognition of Bobby's impact on Web accessibility throughout
the world. Each year the Computerworld Smithsonian Awards Program "identifies
and honors men and women whose visionary use of information technology
produces positive social, economic and educational change." Five finalists
in each category will be announced in April 1999, and honored in an
Awards Ceremony in June. In 1993 CAST won a Computerworld Smithsonian
Award in the Education & Academia category. CAST's submission materials
on Bobby will become part of the Smithsonian's Permanent Research
Collection for the benefit of future generations.
- Brookline Books Releases Learning to Read in the Computer Age
by Anne Meyer and David Rose - Posted November 20, 1998
Drs. Anne Meyer and David Rose have written a book on using computers
in reading instruction called Learning to Read in the Computer Age.
Published by Brookline
Books, the book is one volume in a new series edited by Dr. Jeanne
Chall, eminent reading researcher and past professor of both Meyer and
Rose. According to Chall, the series, entitled What Research and
Practice Say to the Teacher of Reading, will provide teachers with
current, non-technical information on recent research and best practices
in reading instruction.
- Aon Corporation Joins Bobby Charter Sponsorship Program - Posted September 30, 1998
We are pleased to announce that Aon Corporation has joined technology
giants Microsoft, IBM, and Sun Microsystems in becoming a Charter Sponsor
of Bobby, CAST's free public service for Web accessibility Corporation.
Based in Chicago, Aon is a leading international insurance brokerage,
consulting services and consumer insurance underwriting organization.
Aon supports educational activities that promote a better quality of
life.
- IBM Becomes Bobby Charter Sponsor - Posted September 29, 1998
We are pleased to announce that IBM has become the latest Charter Sponsor
of Bobby, CAST's free public service for Web accessibility. As
a leading technology and solutions company, IBM Corporation has a tradition
of leading the industry in providing accessible technologies to people
who have disabilities. At IBM
Special Needs Systems, IBM sees its technology as a way to enhance
the employability, education, and quality of life of those with disabilities.
"Sponsorship of Bobby supports IBM's accessibility strategy,"
said Chuck King, Manager of Special Needs Systems. "We hope millions
will be assisted through the Bobby tool."
- Sun Microsystems Signs On as Bobby Charter Sponsor - Posted September 22, 1998
We are pleased to announce that Sun Microsystems, Inc., has become
a Charter Sponsor of Bobby, CAST's free public service for Web
Accessibility. Sun Microsystems is a leading provider of hardware, software
and services for establishing enterprise-wide intranets and expanding
the power of the Internet. Bobby is written in Java, Sun's cross-platform
programming language, and implements the latest Java accessibility features,
making the Bobby application itself accessible to users with
disabilities.
- CAST Posts Teaching with WiggleWorks Section of Web Site - Posted September 14, 1998
The "Teaching with
WiggleWorks" section of the CAST Web site is now up and running.
Information posted here was gathered during a project funded by the
U.S. Department of Education
entitled Beyond Assistive
Technology: Policy, Curriculum, and Technology for Inclusion. The
Teaching with WiggleWorks site provides an on-line forum for CAST to
disseminate practical strategies for using WiggleWorks' Scholastic Beginning
Literacy System to teach literacy skills and to customize learning for
individual students. Included are a series of tips categorized by literacy
skill areas collected from teachers who use the program and from Cast's
classroom research. The site also provides guidance for working with
the program's key features in an area called WiggleWorks
Basics. Teaching with WiggleWorks is designed to incorporate future
submissions from teachers around the country including new tips, input,
and feedback.
- Microsoft Supports Bobby through Charter Sponsorship - Posted September 01, 1998
We are pleased to announce that Microsoft Corporation has become a
Charter Sponsor of Bobby, CAST's free public service for Web
Accessibility. As a leader in the software industry, Microsoft recognizes
its responsibility to develop products and information technologies
that are accessible and useable by all people, including those with
disabilities. "By becoming a Charter Sponsor, Microsoft reconfirms its
strong commitment to making technology accessible to the largest number
of people, including those with disabilities," said Gary Moulton, Microsoft
Product Manager. "Our support of Bobby will assist us¿and the
entire PC industry by insuring Web designers and Web masters are familiar
with accessibility design features that are responsive to the needs
of . . . individuals with disabilities."
Top
Page updated April 24, 2001
© 1999-2009 CAST,
40 Harvard Mills Square, Foundry Street,
Wakefield, MA 01880-3233,
USA.
Telephone: +1 (781) 245-2212
Email:
cast@cast.org
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