special education Archives

cool tools

Photon Robot and Teaching Kits

September 15, 2026

One robot, multiple subjects, and hundreds of ready-to-use lessons: Photon Robot, from Photon Education, gives schools a flexible way to …

leadership

Managing Freefall: Why District Systems Matter Most When Budgets Tighten

February 04, 2026

When financial pressure rises, districts need more than spreadsheets and guesswork. Integrated cloud ERP platforms connect student services, staffing, and …

leadership

Helping Teachers See Every Student

October 24, 2025

Social worker and education innovator Moshe Fried is on a mission to help every child feel seen and supported. INTERVIEW …

leadership

Flying Into the Future: How AI Is Transforming Special Education

October 15, 2025

Former fighter pilot turned edtech innovator Ranan Lachman shares how his mission-driven approach and human-led AI tools are helping schools …

cool tools

Streamline from Better Speech

July 28, 2025

As school districts nationwide face growing special education demands and staffing shortages, Streamline, a new AI-powered special education management platform …

cool tools

enCORE from TeachTown

December 12, 2024

Here’s an interesting cool tool—an entire curriculum, really—it’s called enCORE from TeachTown and appears to be the only K-12 standards-based, adapted …

cool tools

PECSTalk

August 26, 2024

Here’s a great communication tool for learners with autism. Pyramid Educational Consultants, the pioneers behind the Picture Exchange Communication System® …

cool tools

Bouncy’s Ready to Learn Resilience Program from Ripple Effects

August 19, 2024

Bouncy’s Ready to Learn Resilience Program is anchored by Breathing Bouncy(TM), a bilingual animatronic service dog. The program uses a …

cool tools

axis3 by Creatively Focused

August 16, 2024

Educators working in Special Education have a new friend in this very cool tool. In axis3, Creatively Focused connects special education …

cool tools

BuddyBooks from ObjectiveEd

August 02, 2024

BuddyBooks, funded through a National Science Foundation grant, helps struggling readers, such as students with dyslexia, ADHD or other reading …

cool tools

Amplio Learning

March 12, 2024

The Amplio Special Education Learning Platform is perhaps the first and only learning platform designed exclusively for special education in …

trends

Text-to-speech No Longer Just for Students with Disabilities

January 13, 2023

As capabilities have improved, text-to-speech software has become a powerful tool for helping all students learn. GUEST COLUMN | by …

trends

Are Your Digital Materials and Tools Accessible?

December 21, 2022

Educational publishers face additional responsibility for digital accessibility. GUEST COLUMN | by Raymond Rose and Mary Rice Online and digital …

cool tools

Vizzle

November 15, 2021

Vizzle is a student-facing online special education platform that treats each student like the individual they are. As learning environments …

leadership

Championing the Mission of ‘Literacy for All’

July 27, 2021

This edtech CEO wants to change the way literacy works. INTERVIEW | by Victor Rivero Andrew Friedman, CEO of Learning …

leadership

Supporting Students with Disabilities in Accessing Higher Education Online

June 18, 2021

An opportunity for better and more inclusive education by rethinking our strategies. GUEST COLUMN | by Cathi Allen The pandemic …

cool tools

Cool Tool | IEPPLUS 5 from Sungard K-12

December 30, 2016

With the focus of special education shifting to Results-Driven Accountability, the IEPPLUS 5 special education management solution provides a more …

guest column

The Best Methods

September 14, 2016

Transforming special education through measurement science. GUEST COLUMN | by Rick Kubina Since the passage of the landmark Public Law 94-142 …

cool tools

Cool Tool | IEPPLUS

March 07, 2016

SunGard K-12 Education’s IEPPLUS allows district staff to efficiently manage the entire special education process; from referral, evaluation, and IEP …

guest column

A Special Mission in Denver

July 17, 2015

How data and technology can make a difference for students with autism. GUEST COLUMN | by Gene Bamesberger, Jo Gunderson, and …

guest column

Special Blend

December 23, 2013

Creating new opportunities for students with special needs. GUEST COLUMN | by Clay Whitehead Special education can be a confusing …

cool tools

Cool Tool | SMART Table

February 07, 2013

Just a letter off from ‘tablet’ makes a big difference – but will the new SMART Table 442i from SMART …

trends

Trends | SIIA Report: EdTech $7.5 Billion Industry

November 29, 2011

The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) Education Division released their report, the 2010 U.S. Educational Technology Industry Market: PreK-12. First in …