Easily Create, Review and Share Compelling Documents with Greater Productivity Across OrganizationsSAN JOSE, Calif., — Oct. 18, 2010 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today introduced the Adobe® Acrobat® X software family - Acrobat X, Reader® X, the Acrobat X Suite and new document exchange services at Acrobat.com - that empowers professionals to innovate and create higher quality content, driving tighter collaboration and productivity across teams in today’s dynamic business environments."Companies today need to work with their customers and partners in multiple time zones, languages and cross-functional teams," said Melissa Webster, analyst, IDC. "Seamless, fluid content creation and collaboration is critical to how organizations use, repurpose and share information - it is no longer a ‘nice to have’ - it is an imperative to success in today’s business world."Acrobat X delivers new guided Actions to simplify multi-step document preparation and publishing processes; completely new customization capabilities in PDF Portfolios unify multiple file types into a compelling presentation. New document services available at Acrobat.com give individuals the ability to collaborate more efficiently. Integration with Microsoft SharePoint enables consistency of PDF documents across the enterprise; re-use of content is now easier with higher quality export to Microsoft® Word and Microsoft® Excel.New Acrobat X Highlighted Features ·         Automate routine, multi-step tasks with new guided Actions and easily share them with coworkers and collaborators, reducing the burden of training.·         Change how users view, think and interact with content and its context with PDF Portfolios using new layouts, visual themes and color palettes.·         Maximize the power of Adobe Photoshop® and Adobe Acrobat to easily create dynamic communications with the new Acrobat X Suite. Quickly capture, edit and combine digital content right from the desktop.·         Increase productivity across the organization with new Microsoft® SharePoint integration. Check-in, check-out PDF files for reviewing and editing shared documents.·         Streamline the process for large organizations to deploy, configure and manage updates and conform to ISO standards, in both Adobe Reader X and Acrobat X, including support for Microsoft SCCM and SCUP.·         Display the most commonly used tools all in one pane with the updated user interface.New in Adobe Reader X ·         Commenting is now available in Adobe Reader X, with Sticky Notes and Highlighter tools available to all users.·         Expands PDF access to mobile devices with free Adobe Reader X for Android, Windows® Phone 7 and Blackberry Tablet OS.·         Safer viewing of PDF files with new Protected Mode security capabilities in Reader X.New Services via Acrobat.com ·         Adobe SendNow, a valuable new document exchange service at Acrobat.com, enables users to send and receive large files and track them with proof of receipt, avoiding e-mail gateway issues, complicated FTP servers, or the costs of expensive overnight mail.·         Adobe CreatePDF for easily converting files to professional PDF documents from within Adobe Reader X or any Web browser.QuotesKevin M. Lynch, vice president and general manager of Acrobat, Digital Enterprise Solutions Group, Adobe·         "Today, more than ever, people need to communicate and collaborate reliably and professionally with people outside their organization. Acrobat X is a response to this dynamic - to drive more fluid collaboration and to create richer experiences in today’s fast-paced, complex business environments."Larry Hawes, lead analyst, Collaboration and Enterprise Social Software, at Gilbane Group·         "Collaborative documents is a visionary collaborative content model that is just now beginning to be realized. Perhaps the clearest, productized articulation of this vision that I have seen is the PDF Portfolios component of Adobe Acrobat, enabling content creators to bring together multiple related files into a single space without altering them, and then share that bundle with others. Think of a PDF Portfolio as a ZIP file in which the relationship between the individual files in the container is defined and sequenced, as are the slides in a presentation."Bill Rue, chief information officer, HASSELL, international network of architectural design studios·         "Using advanced Microsoft SharePoint functionality in Acrobat X, we can seamlessly integrate documents into our workflows, simplifying projects and helping to ensure we have the right people working on the right project, at the right moment."Johnny Chloride, solution delivery manager, HASSELL·         "Acrobat X offers a sleek user interface and tool panes that make the software extremely easy to use for anyone."Mason Farmani, COO and managing partner, Barkley Court Reporters, the largest court reporting firm in California·         "With Acrobat X, streamlined document commenting and collaboration improves sharing ideas and information. For us, it helps accelerate our internal learning processes and gives our clients the tools to work together more effectively."Ron Usher, managing partner, Bell Alliance, real estate and estate planning leader·         "The Action Wizard in Acrobat X empowers our staff to transform many of their time consuming tasks into simple one-step processes."·         "In the latest release, Adobe has found a great balance between rich features and delivering an intuitive application with a modern, clean interface."Helpful Links·         Adobe TV: Top 10 New Acrobat X Features ·         Adobe TV: Insights on Protected Mode with Brad Arkin·         Adobe TV: Insights on the Future of Services with Rick Treitman·         Adobe TV: Customer video on Acrobat X: Bureau Veritas·         Adobe TV: Customer video on Acrobat X: Universal Mind ·         Acrobat X product box shots and screen shots·         Acrobat blog·         Acrobat Twitter account·         Acrobat User Community Product FamilyThis release line-up includes the following Acrobat X products:·         Acrobat X Standard·         Acrobat X Pro·         New: Acrobat X Suite, includes Adobe Photoshop® CS5, Adobe Acrobat X Pro, Adobe Presenter 7, Adobe Captivate® 5,  Adobe Media Encoder CS5, Adobe LiveCycle® Designer ES2 software.·         Adobe Reader X·         Acrobat.com services, including new Adobe SendNow and Adobe Create PDF online document exchange services. Pricing and AvailabilityAcrobat X and its associated products are scheduled to ship within 30 days, with availability through Adobe Authorized Resellers, the Adobe Store and Adobe Direct Sales.·         Estimated street price for:o    Acrobat X Standard is expected to be US$299 ($139 upgrade)o    Acrobat X Pro is expected to be US$449 ($199 upgrade)o    Acrobat X Suite is expected to be US$1199 ($799)·         Pricing for Education available through the Adobe Education Store.·         Free 30-day trial of Acrobat Pro will be available upon product ship. About Adobe Systems IncorporatedAdobe revolutionizes how the world engages with ideas and information - anytime, anywhere and through any medium. For more information, visit www.adobe.com.###© 2010 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All rights reserved. Adobe, the Adobe logo, Acrobat, Captivate, LiveCycle, Photoshop and Reader are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

When I first learned about AnyBook Reader from Franklin I knew I had to get my hands on it and give it a test run. The idea behind AnyBook Reader is very straightforward. Pick a book any book, activate one of the provided stickers, record the page, and then let your child hear your voice reading the book. When my AnyBook Reader arrived from Franklin, I was excited to give it a whirl. I first installed the 2 AAA batteries and then followed the simple instructions that were provided and within seconds I was able to hear myself read the book. Following the sequence in the instructional  guide was made even easier as AnyBook Reader provides auditory cues to let you know when you are ready to record the page. Once you record the  page you simply touch the AnyBook Reader to the sticker and voila your page is read. AnyBook Reader comes with package of reusable stickers as well as stickers with pictures on them that make fun sounds and noises. It is easy to remove the plain stickers and re-record over them when you are ready to use them with another book. If you need to you can always reorder additional stickers. The AnyBook Reader is available in two different models- one that can store 60 hours of recording and another model which can store 15 hours of recordings. AnyBook Reader is priced at $59.99 for the higher capacity reader and $39.99 for the lover capacity reader. Children will find it easy to adjust the volume when using the AnyBook Reader and will enjoy the high quality audio when listening to the pages being read. AnyBook Reader makes it difficult for students to re-record a page by virtue of the sequence that is required to do so. As much as I enjoyed using AnyBook Reader- the true test for AnyBook Reader had to take place in the classroom. I was so excited with the potential of AnyBook Reader that I decided to demonstrate it to one of my advanced assistive technology classes that I teach. All of my students immediately saw the value of AnyBook Reader  and could think of many ways to use it in the classroom. With this in mind, I decided to loan AnyBook Reader to one of my students who teaches preschool children so that she could field test it. I went over the directions on how to record the pages and set her off to give it a try. The preschool class had the opportunity to use AnyBook Reader for a two week period and when my student came to class to share how it went, she was so excited to share her observations. My student shared the she couldn't believe just how wonderful AnyBook Reader was in allowing her preschool children to sit and have the book read in her voice. She shared that the students were enthralled with AnyBook Reader as they sat there and listened attentively to the book being read. It was very exciting to hear this feedback and know that this is from an experienced teacher who actually field tested it in her classroom. I know that she will go out and purchase one for her classroom. The only comment that she made was that she wished there was a way to plug in a headset or ear buds. Which I would concur. For more information about AnyBook Reader click here. If you are looking for a quick and easy way to make books accessible then you have to take a look at AnyBook Reader from Franklin. This is an affordable and fun way to engage students in the reading process. And along the way I'm sure you will come up with interesting ways to use this device to modify all kinds of materials :-).

For many students with learning disabilities, taking notes can be a daunting task. In classrooms where teachers are providing in-class support having access to PaperShow for Teachers can be invaluable. PaperShow for Teachers is a digital pen and paper technology that allows teachers to easily share written notes with the entire classroom. Simply plug in the PaperShow for Teachers USB key into your Mac or PC and start writing on the notebook paper that is supplied. With your computer connected to a data projector now all of the students can see what is recorded in real time. Just imagine for a moment that as the support teacher, you are writing the notes with PaperShow for Teachers and everything that you are recording is able to be seen by the classroom.  After the class is over you can easily save what you have recorded and export the notes as a PDF or PowerPoint file. So if you are looking for way to add a new strategy to your bag of tricks - look no further and give PaperShow for Teachers a try.  For more information please feel free to contact me via email.

A couple of weeks a go I had the opportunity to work with a student who was having difficulty in the area of fine motor skills and decided to bring my iPad along. I had downloaded a number of apps to trial with the student but was counting on using the  iWriteWords app to see how the student would do with it. To say the least it was incredible to watch the student use the app and to see just how focused he was while working with it. His special education teacher and some of his therapist who watched the demonstration were amazed at his task engagement and attention. It has been really exciting to see the iPad move into the realm of special education and I know for myself that it will find a place that is dear to the heart of special educators. There are lots of stellar apps out there that have the potential to change the way we think about assistive technology and the delivery of the services that we provide. Apple has always been at the forefront of accessible technology and recently added a Special Education section to the iTunes App Store. So check it out and let me know what apps you plan on trying with the students you work with.

I was talking with my wife and daughter, who are both musicians about PaperShow for Teachers and how it could be used in the music classroom, when it dawned on me how great this could be for writing music on staffs that everyone could see. In order to accomplish this with PaperShow for Teachers I did a quick search on Google for musical staffs in a PDF format that were in the landscape orientation. I found a rather good site to download some staffs in the landscape mode and then I launched PaperShow for Teachers, imported the musical staff into the application and then printed it on the PaperShow for Teachers interactive paper on my HP Color Inkjet printer. Once I had the page printed I was able to draw the G Clef and add a couple of notes. Now imagine for a moment that you are a music teacher in the classroom just how handy this could be. Everyone can clearly watch you as you write the notes on the staff and when you are through you can export it as a PDF and send it to all of your students.

For someone who has been in the field of assistive technology for over 25 years it is really very exciting to see how far technology has come to assist students with special needs. For as long as I have been in the field, I know just how important it is for special education students to have have access to assistive technology. Unfortunately, not every school has the personnel who are knowledgeable about the latest advances in the field of assistive technology and so students are generally not offered the opportunity to try these tools. It is with this in mind that this webinar came to be. I reasoned that if parents became more knowledgeable about what assistive technologies are available- that they could become their child's best advocate in the schools and begin to request these services. In this 1 hour webinar, Assistive Technology: From Knowledge to Advocacy- Dr. Friedlander will review the rules and regulations that pertain to assistive technology and talk about technologies  that can be employed to support access to the curriculum. Emphasis will be placed on meeting the needs of students with mild to moderate needs. Dr. Friedlander will talk about tools for reading , writing, organization, and math. Come learn about some of the new and exciting ways that computers, iPads, and eReaders can be used to address the needs of students with special needs. The fee for the webinar is $24.95 and includes the 4 page Assistive Technology Laminated Guide: What Every Educator Needs to Know About Assistive Technology which was recently just published- it is chock full of information about what you will need to know to advocate for assistive technology for your child. So join me for this informative webinar on November 19th at 1:00 pm. Sign up early and get your laminated guide mailed to you before the webinar! Once you are signed up you will receive via an email, the link for the webinar and information about how to connect to the teleconferencing center. To pay for the webinar cick on the PayPal button below:

During the course of a week, I am spending more and more of my time working with teachers, providing them with professional development on various assistive technologies that can be implemented in the classroom. For many of the teachers that I work with this is their first encounter with many of the assistive technologies that are being introduced. Not being on site, I often leave access to software guides and reference materials on my Google Site for the teachers to access- should they need help. There are those times when these materials are not enough to pinpoint a particular issue and technical support is needed.  Just last week I received an email from a middle school teacher who was puzzled why the software was not  working as she had anticipated. Rather than emails going back and forth, I set up a time for her to speak with me as well as a link where I could see and remotely control her screen. As part of my services to schools, I offer "Just in Time Training and Support." Using Glance an easy to use screen sharing tool, I was able to email the teacher a link so that when we spoke I could see her screen and take control of her computer. Once we connected on the cell phone and I started the screen sharing session I was able to see the teachers screen and she was able to walk me through the steps so that I could see the process. While doing the screen sharing - the teacher realized that she had left out a step which could explain why the program did not work as expected. We quickly went through a new scenario and added the missed step and all of the issues were quickly resolved. What would have taken weeks to solve was handled in 5 minutes using Glance. If you have not had a chance to use Glance click here to find out more information. Glance has become an indispensable tool which I use for doing webinars and for providing on the spot technical support. If you are looking for "Just in Time Technical Support" for your assistive technology program let me know and I would be glad to send you a proposal. In the end the teacher was up in running in minutes and now is confidently going back into the classroom and using the software with her students. Without this support the teacher would have put the software aside until I had our next scheduled training session. To make sure you are getting the most out of your software investment consider contacting me for "Just in Time Technical Support."

Wow if only they had used Ginger to check the spelling! In any case-I just got into Phoenix yesterday where I will be helping out at the Ginger Booth at the 60th Annual International Dyslexia Association Conference. It was great meeting and talking with all of the educators who had a chance to come over and see Ginger in action. Each attendee received a free copy of Ginger which they can download to their own computer when they get home. Everyone who I spoke to yesterday was in awe as they watched Ginger process the spelling errors and make the correct suggestions. With each and every release of Ginger the spelling and grammar correction gets better and better. A new spelling intervention module will be added in the upcoming weeks that will identify specific lessons based on the students pattern of errors. Look for a post when this is released. If you are attending the conference please stop by Booth 200 and say hello. Regards from Phoenix!

I know it might seem like a little thing, but not having a carrying case for my IPEVO Point 2 View USB Document Camera at times really got in the way of carrying it with me. Since I have been using the IPEVO Point 2 View Document Camera I have kept it in the original box was somewhat bulky and would stick it in my duffel bag. when doing presentations. I have to be honest there were times that I decided not to take it because it was too bulky to carry in the original packaging. However, that all changed today when I received my IPEVO Point 2 View Document Camera Carrying Case specifically designed for the camera. The carrying case secures all of the cables and the stand and makes it an elegant portable solution which is easy to carry and store the camera. If you own the IPEVO Point 2 View USB Document Camera this is essential. I know that once you have the IPEVO Point 2 View Document Camera Carrying Case that you will be more inclined to take it with you when you are on the road and making presentations.

In a previous post I shared my experiences using the Kindle 3 which to date is probably the best selling eReader in the marketplace. I'm sure that the Kindle 3 will be on top of the list for gifts this holiday season with nearly every big box store carrying it. One of the reasons why I had decided to buy the Kindle 3 was that it was the only dedicated eReader that has built in text to speech. Working with a lot of students with reading disabilities I wanted to see how the Kindle could be used by them, to access their books with text to speech support. While a lot of the publishers at their discretion can turn off the text to speech component it is still exciting to think of all the ways students can access text using this device. Now imagine the ramifications of your students who have access to Bookshare being able to read their NIMAS books on their favorite eReader the Kindle. Well it is now possible and let me share with you how you can do this. Just this week Don Johnston released a new application for the Mac and Windows called  DAISYtoEPUB that can convert DAISY (Digital Accessible Information System), NIMAS and Bookshare files to the popular ePub format.The ePub format is the most popular format for ebooks and is supported natively on the iPad, iPod Touch, iPhone, NOOK, and Sony Readers. If you are using the iPad, once the file is converted you can turn on VoiceOver and have the the book read aloud with the text to speech. DAISYtoEPUB is extremely easy to use and within seconds the file is quickly converted. Once you have used DAISYtoEPUB to convert the file getting the books onto the various aforementioned devices is quite straightforward. This is not the case if you are using the Kindle. While the Kindle supports a number of different eBook formats, unfortunately it does not support ePub. However, not all is lost in the conversion. You see, using the free application Calibre, you can bring the ePub book into the Calibre library and convert it to the Mobi format which is in fact supported by the Kindle. Using Calibre you simply drag the ePub formatted book into the Calibre Library and using the Conversion tool save it as Mobi formatted file. From here I simply plugged my Kindle 3 into the computer and sent the file from the Calibre application to my Kindle 3. It really was that easy. Now when I opened my Kindle I had the NIMAS file in the Kindle and using the text to speech feature the Kindle could access and read the pages, complete with the graphics. While it did take me a couple of steps to accomplish this - just imagine how useful a tool this can be for someone to be able to access their DAISY, Bookshare, or NIMAS files on a small and lightweight eReader like the Kindle 3. If you have any questions- please let  know . I would be interested in your comments. So if you have the chance take a look at the Don Johnston's latest application- DAISYtoEPUB.