Audio+books

=**Audio books are recordings of books that can be listened to on a variety of devices.**=

Some of the **advantages of audio books** for differentiating instruction are:
 * Like other mobile technologies, they are easy to integrate, provide learners choices, offer options for private use, and are motivating.
 * [|Research] shows that using audio books [|builds literacy] skills and helps increase a love for reading.
 * Audio books can help [|special needs students] (and many resources are available free of charge for this group).
 * On mobile devices, audio ebooks can be used with print versions of books or ebooks to help students connect to the text.


 * If you have a **Palm handheld**
 * You will need an SD card to listen to audio. (If you don't one and are at the workshop, you can see Karen to borrow one.)
 * Find an audio book to download to your handheld. A good place to start is [|Lit2Go].
 * When you get the link of an MP3 file you want, **RIGHT-CLICK** it and save it to your desktop. (Clicking it will make the MP3 file play on your laptop, which isn't what we want.)
 * To install the MP3 file to your SD card, double-click the Palm Quick Install on your desktop, and drag the MP3 file to the bottom window. (It says "Drag files here for installation to expansion card.") Then just sync with the SD card in your handheld. (Note: Syncing MP3 files to your card is rather time consuming. If you use your Palm regularly for this, it is recommended that you get an SD card reader.)
 * To listen to MP3 files on your handheld, use the Real Player. (If you don't have it, you can [|get it here].) If you have P-Tunes or TCPMP, those will work too.
 * BONUS: Go to [|LibriVox] to explore more free audio books.
 * EXTEND YOUR LEARNING: More on [|using your handheld as an MP3 player is available here].


 * If you have a **PPC handheld**
 * Find an audio book to download to your handheld. A good place to start is [|Lit2Go].
 * When you get the link of an MP3 file you want, **RIGHT-CLICK** it and save it to your desktop. (Clicking it will make the MP3 file play on your laptop, which isn't what we want.)
 * Connect your handheld to your laptop with ActiveSync and copy the MP3 file to your handheld.
 * To listen to MP3 files on your handheld, use the the Windows Media Player.
 * BONUS: Go to [|LibriVox] to explore more free audio books.
 * EXTEND YOUR LEARNING: More on [|using your handheld as an MP3 player is available here].


 * If you have an **Apple iPod**
 * Find an audio book to download to your player. A good place to start is [|Lit2Go].
 * You can bring up [|Lit2Go] directly in iTunes or go to the iTunes store and search for audio books. You can also download the MP3 file by RIGHT-CLICKING it and saving it to your desktop. Then add it to iTunes by going to the File menu and selecting Add File to Library. Then select the file.
 * Sync your iPod with iTunes to transfer the file.
 * BONUS: Go to [|LibriVox] to explore more free audio books.


 * If you have **another MP3 player**
 * Find an audio book to download to your player. A good place to start is [|Lit2Go].
 * You can also download the MP3 file by RIGHT-CLICKING it and saving it to your desktop. Then connect your MP3 player and copy the file over. (If you have your player set up to sync through Windows Media Player, you can also transfer files that way.)
 * BONUS: Go to [|LibriVox] to explore more free audio books.


 * If you have a **Windows or Mac laptop**
 * Find an audio book to listen to. A good place to start is [|Lit2Go].
 * Just click the link to listen.
 * BONUS: Go to [|LibriVox] to explore more free audio books.

TO LEARN MORE
Listen to [|Karen's Mashup on audio books]. The post for this includes a list of sources for free audio books. For commercial audio books, you can visit [|Audible.com] or [|Amazon]. Check out your local library's web site for downloadable audio books. (They often lend commercial audio books for free.)