Financial constraints often mean that technology programs operate on a "shoestring" budget with little cash available for buying software. Thanks to some outstanding free programs and services available via the Web, even severely underfunded programs can offer students outstanding tools to support their learning. Below are links to some of the best sites and free programs we've found on the Web. The list provided is not exhaustive, but it is indicative of the breadth and quality of resources available to educators at little or no cost.
General Sources of Free Software and Other Resources
This site provides information about a plethora of free services and applications. From free web hosting to free virus protection. You want it? They probably have it!
Need fonts? Hundreds are available here!
The Freeware networks provides loads of free applications.
Sue has created an impressive list of free tools to be found on the Web. The tools range from games like puzzlemaker to teacher tools like calendars.
A huge database of software available for downloading. Much of it is shareware, but some free programs are available too.
Another high-quality source of freeware and shareware, operated by CNET.
ESC (Educational Software Cooperative) is a non-profit corporation bringing together developers, publishers, distributors and users of educational software. Click on "Download Files" and choose "Education" for some great downloads.
This site has many links to sites that provide free anti-virus software.
Help in Putting Your Class on the Web
Google is more than just a search engine. Now it offers cool Web site building tools, along with email, a word processor, a spreadsheet program and more.
MySchoolOnline is the fast and easy way to create your own site and connect to parents, students, colleagues, and other community members. It is a complete website building and hosting solution for K-12 classes, schools.
A site dedicated to making it easy for teachers to post class information on the Web.
This site allows you to create a personalized class Website. It has page templates and all the tools you need to put your class on the Web.
A listing of free Web space providers, provided by Freebielist.com
Kathy Schrock provides a step by step guide demonstrating exactly what you will need to create a Web page for your class. Her whole site is outstanding and is one of the best and best known sites for educators on the Web.
This site provides guidelines on how to make Web pages as well as many examples.
This site shows you how to build a Web page while using html code. It provides a examples for easy learning.
Resources from the Discovery Channel Web Site
Puzzlemaker is a puzzle generation tool for teachers, students and parents. Create and print customized word search, crossword and math puzzles using your word lists.
Helps you create customized worksheets in very little time. Includes templates for fill-in-the-blank, matching, multiple choice and more.
The Discovery Channel provides plenty of great clipart focused for the classroom.
Quiz Center is a powerful tool you can use to create, administer, and grade quizzes online.
This is the page on the Discovery Channel site that gives links to the above tools. Other information available here as well.
Specific Recommended Free Software
The Hot Potatoes suite includes six applications, enabling you to create interactive multiple-choice, short-answer, jumbled-sentence, crossword, matching/ordering and gap-fill exercises for the World Wide Web. Hot Potatoes is not freeware, but it is free of charge for those working for publicly-funded non-profit-making educational institutions, who make their pages available on the web.
A free alternative to Microsoft Office. Includes word processor, spreadsheet, presentation package, web editor and more.
You can record sounds, play sounds, import and export WAV, AIFF, and MP3 files, and more. Use it to edit your sounds using Cut, Copy and Paste (with unlimited Undo), mix tracks together, or apply effects to your recordings.
A free digital image editor.
A free, easy to use, image editing program. We have included versions for Windows XP and 98. Other versions are available.
A link to the download site for a trial version of this powerful, yet user-friendly image editor. Photoshop Elements is the "little brother" to Adobe Photoshop, the image editing choice of the pros. This download will function for 30 days before self-disabling, and will give you a great chance to see how much the low educational price will buy for you.
VNC is a program that allows you to remotely control a computer across the internet. Can be a great tool for supporting users without leaving the office.
Free virus protection software. Not as powerful as more expensive prgrams, but useful nonetheless.
A free service designed to let you make your photos available to friends and family via the Web.
This site has many links to sites that provide free anti-virus software.
Windows Movie Maker makes home movies amazingly fun and easy, letting you create, edit, and share your home movies right on your computer with a few simple drag-and-drop moves. Add special effects, music, and narration. Then share your movie via the Web, e-mail, or CD. (Requires Windows XP)
Miscellaneous
This site provides a search engine for a huge database of lesson plans and other educational resources. Turn on the "free" switch
The best known and most used search engine on the Web
Use Google to find images you need on the Web
A terrific edition to Internet Explorer. It also acts as a pretty good popup add blocker.
A service for creating and maintaining online calendars. Free for the Educational Community.
For corrections, recommendations, or other modifications to this site, email chrisp@clemson.edu.