Study Groups Online

Web site melds study groups

By Catherine Tsai, Associated Press Writer | August 14, 2007

DENVER --Aaron Allina was newly out of college with an engineering degree when a former employer asked him to do a computer programming task.

Allina scoured online search engines and forums looking for programming help. From Portland, Ore., it took him three weeks to find someone in New York who took him under his wing.

Now in Denver, Allina has created a business and Web site, StudyCurve.com, to make the search for expert help much faster.

"It goes back to wishing I had something like that," Allina said.

StudyCurve melds social networking with education to help middle school to graduate school students find experts to answer questions and to form virtual study groups, Allina said.

StudyCurve users create online profiles with a list of their classes, interests and subject areas. They can post photos, form groups on various topics, and designate "study buddies."

Users can ask questions that StudyCurve sends out only to other users who tag themselves as having expertise on that topic. They can provide answers and rate other people's answers. People whose answers get a certain amount of high ratings become listed as experts.

Unlike "expertise location systems" that some companies use to help employees answer questions or find experts in-house, StudyCurve offers the potential to pick the brains of millions of users.

The site, which hopes to attract advertisers, also allows users to look up previously asked questions and their answers.

"The focus of this particular group is excellent," said Forrester Research Inc. analyst Charlene Li, who studies social networking. "A general site for `these are my friends and this is what music I like' -- that wouldn't fly in the age of MySpace and Facebook."

StudyCurve officially launched Tuesday from ground zero, after about 30 beta testers used the site for a month.

One tester, 22-year-old Bruce Clark, said he wished the site were around when he was still in school but that he will keep using it. The digital media studies graduate has swapped ideas on typography and layouts with other testers on the site.

"It's really cool to finally have a whole forum that isn't just completely text-based and is a little more personal," said Clark, who graduated from the University of Denver this spring.

"I really like Facebook, but I don't get a lot done there."

StudyCurve represents a new wrinkle in the educational possibilities of the Internet, which already allows students to chat online with far-flung tutors or take courses over the Web.

"That's exactly the way the new generation of workers wants to be able to get assistance, where they drive the learning. They're not waiting for someone saying you have to go to class," said Forrester senior analyst Claire Schooley, who looks at e-learning.

Instead of sending an instant message to a classmate on a calculus problem, a student using StudyCurve could potentially ask millions for homework help, if the site catches on.

"It's something we're going to see more and more of, is this need to learn when you want to, when you need to and when you're on the move," Schooley said. "It's the direct opposite of sitting down and listening to somebody in a classroom."

Metropolitan Community College

Metropolitan Community College - Omaha NE

Metro makes adaptive equipment available, if needed, to students with documented disabilities. Some items are issued to students on loan, while other items are made available for use on campus. This equipment includes but is not limited to:

Zoomtext
JAWS
WYNN
CCTV
Readplease
Adaptive Keyboard with touch sensitive mouse pad
Track Ball
Split Keyboard
Tape recorders
Victor Vibes and Wave for Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic
Talking Calculator
Comteck amplification system

Disability Support Services

CONTACTS Elkhorn Valley Campus/Fremont Center Adrian Lewandowski Voice (402) 289-1315 Fax (402) 289-1398 Fort Omaha Campus Melinda Classen Voice (402) 457-2580 Fax (402) 457-2788 Larella Rangel Voice (402) 738-4099 Fax (402) 457-2788 South Omaha Campus Chris Holst Voice (402) 738-4757 Fax (402) 738-4640 Larella Rangel Voice (402) 738-4099 Fax (402) 738- 4640 Sarpy Center Deb Eppenbaugh Voice (402) 537-3841 Fax (402) 537-3834

Online Video: The Next Step

The Next Step

This 19-minute video from the Texas Developmental Disability Council presents personal stories from five Texans with disabilities who enrolled in colleges, universities or technical schools. The video is well-produced – fun and engaging. It gives first-hand observations of the higher education experience for people with disabilities. This one takes a long time to load. Be patient. It is well-worth the wait.

/www.txddc.state.tx.us/resources/publications/NextStepVideo.asp

Assistive Technology & Transition Planning

Youth learn in all environments, not just in school. Therefore, it's critical to consider utilizing assistive technology in all the youth's environments including, home, schools and in the community. For example, independent living skills include tasks such as turning on lights, calling for assistance, changing the TV channel or talking on the phone. Typically these are more frequently part of home life, not the school day. However, often the expertise on how assistive technology could be utilized to develop these skills exists with the school and community based assistive technology professionals. Successfully combining assistive technology considertations in all youth enviroments requires communications between the family,school and community agencies which allows everyone to share their perspectives and expertise.

Let's Start Planning for Transiton with Assistive Technology

The steps below do not always occure in the same order and sometimes you have to go back and try again. But, they provide a starting point for evaluating how assistive technology can benifit youth in school and beyond into adult life:

• Establish an understanding of the youth's present level of academic performance by utilizing your state’s standardized grade level student's expectations to identify both areas of strength and where additional assistance may be needed.
• Develop a written vision of life after high school in a detailed post-school outcome statement.
  
• Consider whether assistive technology can help achieve the outcomes.
• Identify who’s going to do what in acquiring the technology, providing training in its use if needed, and funding it. Also determine whether the funding source will allow the technology to go with the student into post-high school education and work.

Finally, as the old saying goes, “The harder you work, the luckier you’ll get.” Good luck.

For more information go to Impact: Assistive Technology and Transiton Planning

Mid-Plains Community College

If you are a person with a disability and require an accommodation while attending this college, please contact: Robin Rankin, North Platte Community College-North Campus, 308 535-3637 or 800 658-4308, Ext. 3637; Sherry Mihel, North Platte Community College-South Campus, 308-535-3710; or Jeremy Jorgensen, McCook Community College, 308 345-8128 or 800 658-4348, Ext. 8128.

ADA Accommodations Materials at Mid-Plains Community College:
1.Talking Calculator
2.Talking Book Cassette player
3.Jaws Software
4.Write out loud Software
5. Carbon less notebook paper
6. Vibrating and Chime wireless personal pager
7.Amplified Telephone
8.Alpha Smart
9. Expert Mouse four button trackball
10.Kinesis keyboard
11. PC Armrest
12.Microcsset tapes and players to assist with recording lectures
13. Fanny packs for carrying recorders
For more information on what Mid-Plains Community College can offer contact the North Platte campus at 1-800-685-4308

Students Rights and Laws Pertaining to Transition and Assistive Technology

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a special education law which requires schools to provide a "Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)" to students with disabilities who meet eligibility criteria. Under this law, schools are obligated to provide transition services to eligible students which will enable them to develop skills necessary for adult life. These services must consider the student's transition needs pertaining to work, independent living, community integration, recreation and transportation.

IDEA and Assistive Technology

IEDA requires that Individual Education Program (IEP) teams consider whether the student requires any assistive technology devices and services.The term assistive technology device means "any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of a person with a disability." The term "assistive technology service" refers to any service the directly assist a person with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Section 504 requires equal access to federally funded programs, such as public school system, by people with disabilities. To be eligible for services under Section 504 you must be a person with a disability which interferes with one or more major life functions such as caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, learning, walking seeing, hearing, breathing, speaking, and working. People with a disability who are not eligible for special education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education ACT (IDEA) may be found eligible for services under Section 504.

Section 504 requires the provision of assistive technology to ensure equal access to programs. A 504 plan can include transition services and technology which will allow a student to participate in course work, career exploration, career/vocational experiences such as on-the-job-training or job shadowing, as well as opportunities to explore community integration and independent living needs. This technology can include assistive listening devices, interpreters, computers for written work, accessible work stations, taped or written materials, and more.

The American's with Disabilities Act (ADA)

The ADA is a nondiscrimination law pertaining to people with disabilities. The ADA prohibits discrimination and ensures equal opportunity for persons with disabilities in employment, State and local government services, public accommodations, commercial facilities, and transportation. It also mandates the establishment of telephone relay services.

For more information on Rights and Laws pertaining to persons with disabilities visit www.disabilityinfo.gov

Technology is all around us

Technology is in the classroom, used in the work environment, accessed for recreation, and may even be used at your local place of worship.
When reading a register that I get in the mail I recently came across an article titled "Tuning into technology" By Jennifer Burker. A church in Rochester in New York have a new way of reflecting on the weekly scripture readings, thanks to their pastor. Instead of flipping through the pages of a Bible, parishioners now can turn on their computers or iPods, download the most recent installment of the podcast of "Your Sunday Reader," then sit back and listen as the pastor reads and discusses the week's Scripture selections. What a great way to reach people. Each week the pastor post's a new podcast. For more information go to www.stmarycanadaigua.org.