ictsan - ICT Support for Additional Needs

Early Adoption of New Software, Assistive HArdware

2007-08-21T21:14:00.000+01:00

In today's world of technology - and this certainly does not exclude ICT support for additional needs - products always come to the market too early. The first device or application of an idea usually spoils the market for the competition. So the temptation is to release early at all costs.

Early adopters take part in quality assurance.

Think twice before becoming an early adopter. Who is going to benefit?

Visual Impairment

2007-03-26T13:41:00.000+01:00

The life of visually impaired people has been improved by the use of new development in assistive technolgy over the years.

Improvement in the visual appearance of the computer screen and items on it can include;
- changing the accessibility options in the operating system
- changing the font size in documents
- using an alternative browser like Opera or Firefox to give better access to font and image maginfication
- using screen magnification software

Speech output can be added to documents using; WordTalk for MS Word; Screenreading software; utilities like Texthelp or Penfriend

Stand alone devices for the visually impaired
Two main types of hardware fall into this category; Scanner/readers and CCTVs. Actually CCTVs are not really closed circuit televisions any more, but people still call them by this name. Essentially they are cameras which output to a acreen to allow users access to a larger image of; something close to such as a book. Something further away like a whiteboard or work display.

Accessing the computer
VI users benefit from learning to touch type. Some standard software for this purpose are no use to VI users.
They also benefit from being taught to use keyboard shortcuts to computer operations in place of mouse clicks. There is a short list of the most useful shortcuts;
www.educationict.org.uk/ictsan/resources/keyboard-shortcuts.pdf

Access to the Curriculum
Large Print Books
There is a greater emphasis now on making the curriculum more accessible rather than providing tools to improve things for VI pupils.
If schools cannot but a book in large print format, they have the right under UK copyright legislation to create an accessible version of a book for a pupil (VIP Copyright Legislation 2002).

DAISY books
A book can also be made into a talking book. Of particular interest to VI users are DAISY books ( Digital Accessible Information Systems). These books can be listened to on dedicated DAISY players (adapted CD/MP3 players) or else on a computer with DAISY reader software installed.

For some examples of assistive technology and immaginitive use of ICT see the photogallery; www.flickr.com/photos/ictsan/sets

Some Uses of Symbols

2007-03-13T15:04:00.000Z

Symbols are a basic tool for staff working with pupils with communication difficulties.
- labels
- a means of communicating sequnces including activities that make up a school day
- an alternative to literacy
- support for literacy
- a means of producing games and activities
- a medium for delivering a Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)

A good guide to all the currently used sets of symbols and picures for use in communication can be found here- the CALL Centre, Edinburgh University.
Some examples of on-screen materials (printable) for communication can be found at www.symbolworld.org/

Here are some examples of PCS symbols - often known as Boardmaker symbols

I've put some pictures of PCS symbols in use in an ictsan flickr gallery-www.flickr.com/photos/ictsan

The ScannaR documentation

2007-03-11T20:46:00.000Z

The ScannaR is a very useful equipment for visually impaired people. It scans a page of a book, turns it electronic text and reads it out. It is in fact a computer with no screen or keyboard running a sophisticated piece of software.
The documentation that comes with ScannaR is thorough, but it does not present the functions of the equipment in the order that a user is likley to need it. The documentation created by Jo King is an exemplary piece of work in the way that it explains the way to use the Scannar.
Download it from here;

Some on-line activities

2007-03-11T19:15:00.000Z

Here are a few sites where software can be run without downloading it onto your computer. It runs within the browser window on the computer;

Freely usable literacy activities;
www.crick.northants.sch.uk/pageliteracy.html
www.sebastianswan.org.uk/ - some on- screen books
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/wordsandpictures/index.shtml
www.candlelightstories.com/
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/magickey/adventures/index.shtml

This list taken from a longer document by Jo King - to be found on the Education ICT website
Maths Sites - Take look at the list from the Education ICT Website
Also- some activities from Mape/Naace and Star Tower
Links from Langlee Primary School Site
BBC Skillswise

Commercial Sites - with some access for evaluation purposes
http://www.educationcity.com/
http://www.gridclub.com/ (free to Scottish schools)

Guidelines on Internet Use in Schools
Schools have to have a policy on safe use of the Internet. You'll find details here

The Clipboard in Windows

2007-03-05T07:56:00.000Z

Just a reminder of the features of the clipboard in Windows. It can be used to copy and paste text or pictures within a document or between documents. This can include using text and pictures from a website in your own documents.

Here's a useful, one page sheet of documentation that shows you how to do it.
www.educationict.org.uk/ictsan/docs/clipboard_in_windows.pdf

An Introduction to Accessibility Options in Windows XP

2007-02-27T12:13:00.000Z

The Accessibilty Options in Windows are useful but are not always easy to find.

Here are some examples:

Mouse Keys to allow use of the numeric keypad as an alternative to the mouse

Keyboard - Sticky Keys: Press Shift then a letter to get a capital. It also works with Ctrl, Alt and Fn Keys.
Keyboard - Filter Keys - filter out repeated presses and reduce repeat delay and repeat rate for a user with a tremor

Mouse Keys to allow use of the numeric keypad as an alternative to the mouse
Mouse - Buttons - Change over a mouse for a left handed user
Mouse - Large Pointers and Pointer Trails for the Visually impaired
Mouse - Pointer Speed can slow down the mouse pointer for pupils with fine motor difficulties, or the user of an alternative input device.

On-screen keyboard allows the user to look at the screen all the time and avoid change of gaze from keyboard to screen. Letters are entered by clicking on the 'keys'.

This is not the complete list.

Here is a link to a document that shows a presentation of these options on an RM CC3 network
educationict/ictsan/docs/accessibility_in_rm-explorer2.pdf

On a stand alone PC with Windows XP these items are found either in;
Settings -> Control Panel -> Accessibilty Options
or;
Programs -> Accessories -> Accessibilty

These are very useful resources that can make a great differnce to some users' acces to the computer, but the layout could be better.

Keyboard Shortcuts

2007-02-25T10:31:00.000Z

It is possible to carry out almost any operation on a Windows computer without using a mouse. However, these operations are rarely taught in school. It is far easier to teach the mouse clicks and menus that are required. However certain users are likely to benefit from being taught the keyboard shortcuts as standard. These include visually impaired users who probably cannot see the pull down menus well, if at all. Also some users with fine motor difficulties find it easier to control the computer through the keyboard.
Here is a guide to some of the more useful shortcuts.
For all users, an operation like cut and paste can be carried out more swiftly.
Ctrl+C - Copy to Clipboard
Ctrl+V - Paste from Clipboard

Some Free Software

2007-02-22T18:59:00.000Z

Sebran and Sebran-Mini
This software can be downloaded for installation onto your PC.
There are activities for pointing and clicking and pressing individual keys.
Download them from here

Moving Targets
Moving targets is a suite of five activities suitable for
mouse users, users of touch screen or interactive whiteboard.
You can run these straight from the internet.
This is where you find them

Priory Woods Software
This school regualrly uspdates its website with new activities which provide a
reward for pupils using switches, touch screen or a mouse. The reward is a short burst of video with music.
It's best to take a look at the Priory Woods School site

Some Commercial Suppliers

2007-02-22T13:09:00.000Z

Suppliers - somewhere to store links to supplier sites;

Crick Software Clicker, Clicker Paint
Dolphin Computer Access Supernova (magnification and Screenreader, Easereader, Dolphin Publisher
Ergo Computers
Iansyst Scanners, Abby Fine Reader OCR,
Inclusive Technology
Learning & Teaching Scotland (LT&S) Licences- Microsoft, Pinnacle Sudio, etc
Misco General computer supplies
Panilet Tables Adjustable height trolleys and furniture
Penfriend Ltd - Penfriend XP and LX
Widgit Software - Boardmaker, Communicate in Print

Spellcheckers

2007-02-21T09:01:00.000Z

Not all spellcheckers are equal. The last comparative study of spellcheckers that I am aware of was published as a study by the CALL Centre, Edinburgh University. I made a small contribution to the Document; Supportive writing software. The performance of various spellcheckers can be found here.

Take a look at the graphs on pp. 144 & 145.

To try out a spellchecker you need texts written by youngsters with literacy difficulties. You'll find some here

The intention is that you can copy and paste these texts into a word processor and see whether the author of that text is likely to be an effective user of a spellchecker.

There is also a printable version of some of the texts here.

Here is another text, written by a pupil with dyslexic style difficulties;

How to bild a longhouse

It shod be hiy abuv water anb flat lanbscap.
Then to cut don the tree for the longhouse and the tools will be a acx and ads and laders lumberjacs. Mijer the lenths of the wood stics and logs to mace the wals and to poot watil and dob is a clay ,hare, muck .Sume house have turf or fahc for turf you ned to get sum grass for the roof and mace som laders ut of wood. Lev a holl in the top of the roof to let smock escap.

There are 96 words here and 27 misspelled words - over a quarter!
There are 8 real word errors; 'shod' for should; 'mace' for make; smock for smoke, etc
Of the remaining errors the spellchecker in MS Word suggested the target word in 13 cases while it faiuled to suggest the word in 6 cases.

Textease - Using the 'Click to Speak' facility

2007-02-19T09:34:00.001Z

Textease has a wonderful 'Click to Speak' facility. Pupils are able to gain support for their reading from clicking on a word, and hearing it spoken. For most pupils, this is a more useful facility than continuous reading of a piece of marked text. Also, if a pupil is wearing headphones, an adult can be certain that the pupil is carrying out the task.
Bordertalk, Talking Tasks and Well Worth Reading all take advantage of this facility.
On networked computers, you usually have to reset the speech option every time. Here's a helpsheet that reminds you how to do this.
www.educationict.org.uk/ictsan/d ocs/textease-click_on_word_to_speak.pdf

Here are links to;
Bordertalk
Talking Tasks
Well Worth Reading

Bordertalk - short index of target words

2007-02-19T09:34:00.000Z

Here is the short index of the Bordertalk scheme. The essential to Bordertalk being successful for a pupil is to start him/her at the right level. They should start at a level that is a little bit challenging, but at which sucess is guaranteed. If ther is any doubt between which of two levels to start the youngster, use the easier level first. You can alaways leap forward. Going back is always disheartening.
Here's the list of the content of the levels. The full list is also available below.
www.educationict.org.uk/ictsan/docs/Bordertalk-short_index-target_words.pdf

Bordertalk - full index of target words

2007-02-19T08:46:00.000Z

Bordertalk is a programme of on-screen exercises to help a pupil develop awareness of the common phonic patterns and word attack skills. They require the use of a talking word processor - Clicker or Textease.
Here is the full list of all the target words in the Bordertalk scheme; Levels A1, A2, AB1, AB2, B1, B2, C1, C2.
www.educationict.org.uk/ictsan/docs/Bordertalk-index-target_words.pdf
For access to the scheme, in Textease version, and the rationale and method for using it, look here;
www.educationict.org.uk/ictsan/bt/

Clicker 4 - On-screen Keyboard - Additional Documentation

2007-02-19T08:15:00.000Z

The on-screen keyboard in Clicker 4 is a very useful facility. It is particularly useful for pupils who cannot easily transfer their gaze from the screen to the keyboard. The best way to make it available in Clicker 4 is to create a new user called 'On-Screen' keyboard, as has been done on all SBC primary networks.
Documentation for teachers or staff working with such pupils can be found here;
www.educationict.org.uk/ictsan/docs/Clicker_4-on-screen-keyboard.pdf

Handwriting Speeds - Update PATOSS

2007-02-15T12:39:00.000Z

It just goes to show, you really should use a search engine more. This topic seems to be well covered in a study published by PATOSS

http://www.patoss-dyslexia.org/Handwriting_speedtest.html

No time to read it yet. At least I've left the link here, so I'll remember!

Handwriting Speeds

2007-02-15T09:18:00.000Z

Very little work seem to have been done on the speed of handwriting. A certain pupil is said to be a to be a slow writer and in need of support through ICT. What does that actually mean? What are the norms? How fast do you need to be able to write - especially in an exam?
The work published in by Ken Dutton in 1990 - Handwriting under exam conditions: Establishing a baseline - is what I use as a basis for my work with such a pupil.
Is there anything more recent - or indeed anything else that is worth reading on this subject? I'd like to know