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Practical teaching activitiesPlease choose and complete one or more of the following activities: 1. Use of the keyboard Identify a pupil for whom letter by letter writing activities are appropriate. Consider how their use of a keyboard can be made easier for them. 2. Accessibility Options Spend some time investigating the Accessibility Options within Microsoft Windows software or on a Macintosh. Record the various facilities you find there and identify what type of difficulty each might be helpful for. Use one or more pupils as examples, if possible. 3. Learning to control a computer screen pointer Think of one of your pupils who has, to date, not achieved successful pointer control. Identify devices, software and techniques which will enable them to learn this skill. 4. Using a touch screen Identify a pupil for whom a touch screen is an appropriate device to enable them to control the computer. Explain your choice and think of five ways that their access to the curriculum could be enhanced through its use. 5. Using an overlay keyboard Choose a pupil for whom an overlay keyboard is appropriate. Design three overlays which would be appropriate for the pupil to use to support his / her developing literacy. 6. Rollerball versus mouse Explain what a rollerball is and why it may be easier for some pupils to use than a mouse. What can you do if a pupil is unable to use the mouse or rollerball buttons? What adjustments might you make if a pupil finds it difficult to reach a target successfully? Illustrate your answer with reference to a pupil you have worked with. 7. Software to speed up writing What software have you used with children you work with to help them speed up their written output? Explain how you have used this and list the advantages and disadvantages of the programs you have selected in a practical situation. 8. Helping a child with spatial difficulties What input devices and programs might you use with a child who has spatial difficulties? Describe a child you work with who has these difficulties. How do they effect his / her daily life? What results did you get when using the hardware and software? Explain these. 9. Planning to use voice recognition software Identify a pupil for whom you think voice recognition software might be appropriate. Would they find discrete word-by-word or continuous speech more appropriate? Contact a supplier and find out what specification of computer is needed and the cost of the system. Arrange for a demonstration with the pupil. Plan time in the timetable for introducing and supporting this innovation. 10. Positioning of equipment Take a ‘before’ photo (digital if you can) of a pupil whom you teach, who seems to be uncomfortable and badly positioned. Watch the pupil working at the computer and consider
Can altering any of these make things easier for the pupil? Take an ‘after’ photo and describe any change in performance you have noted as a result of these alterations. Appendix 1 - Suppliers' addressesAndrea
Electronics Appendix 2 – Alternative keyboards and keyboard accessoriesCompact Keyboard – a ‘laptop-sized’ keyboard (also known as Cherry keyboard). Has an optional keyguard. No numeric keypad. (Inclusive Technology, Special Access Systems) Little Fingers – a small keyboard with built-in rollerball. No keyguard currently available. (Semerc) Tash WinMini – a very compact keyboard which has a membrane surface rather than individual keys. A very specialized (therefore expensive!) keyboard. (Cambridge Adaptive Communication) BigKeys Plus – a simplified, larger-than-standard keyboard with optional keyguard. One-inch square keys. Comes in ‘QWERTY’ (almost – the ‘m’ is in the wrong place!) or alphabetic layout. Does not have a conventional shift key (uses the space bar + key) and so cannot be used with sticky keys for one finger use. Punctuation keys are not easily accessed. (KeyTools, Inclusive Technology, Semerc) Tash WinKing – a larger-than-standard keyboard with 1.25-inch, slightly recessed keys. Like the WinMini, it is a very specialized and expensive keyboard. (Cambridge Adaptive Communication) IntelliKeys – an overlay keyboard with additional ‘access’ facilities. A range of optional keyguards available. Has a wide range of prepared resources. (Inclusive Technology, KCS, Semerc) Concept (overlay) keyboards – come in A5, A4 and A3 sizes and with software to enable you to design and make overlays. (Semerc) Maltron Range – a range of ergonomically designed keyboards. Very specialized and therefore expensive. (Enabling Computer Supplies [ECS], KCS) Lower case keyboards – standard keyboards but with lower case letters on the keys. (Research Machines [RM], Inclusive Technology, Semerc) Keyguards – a reasonable range available but not for every keyboard. From Special Access Systems, Semerc or as an optional extra when you purchase some keyboards (e.g. BigKeys, Compact keyboard, etc). Keyboard stickers – to make your existing keyboard keys lower case, high visibility. (KCS, Inclusive Technology, Semerc) Adjustable height tables – useful to ensure the optimal positioning of keyboards and other access devices for individual pupils. (Techcess, Inclusive Technology, Varitech, James Leckey, amongst many others) Appendix 3 – Mouse alternativesKidsball – a simple rollerball with a large yellow ball. Software supplied with it enables the screen pointer speed to be controlled. (Semerc, KCS) Penny & Giles Roller – a large balled rollerball with guarded ball and buttons. Has an additional ‘drag lock’ button. (Inclusive Technology, Semerc) Penny & Giles Joystick – joystick version of the Roller. Optional large sponge or t-bar grip. PS/2, serial or USB connection. (Inclusive Technology, Semerc) Penny & Giles Roller Plus – similar to the Roller but with extra ‘double click’ and ‘speed control’ facilities. Optional switch adaptor box which enables button facilities to be activated by a switch press. PS/2, serial or USB connection (Inclusive Technology, Semerc) Penny & Giles Joystick Plus – joystick version of the Roller Plus. Optional switch adaptor box which enables button facilities to be activated by a switch press. Optional large sponge or t-bar grip. PS/2, serial or USB connection (Inclusive Technology, Semerc) Head controlled systems – HeadMouse (Don Johnston Special Needs), Head Operated Mouse (Semerc) and Headway (Inclusive Technology, Semerc) are the main three. See suppliers for details. Glidepad – ‘plug-in’ version of a device usually found built in to laptop computers (from Inpace). Biggy software – provides a wide range of alternative pointers. Much wider variety of size and visibility than is available through standard Microsoft software. (Liberator) Microspeed KidTrac – standard rollerball with three buttons and latching drag. (Inclusive Technology) Microspeed PCTrac – standard rollerball with three buttons and latching drag. (Inclusive Technology) Appendix 4 – Some useful Web sites and further readingACE Centre –
www.ace-centre.org.uk ACE Centre-North –
www.ace-north.org.uk
Advisory Unit –
www.advisory-unit.org.uk Crick Software Ltd –
www.cricksoft.com and
www.clickergrids.com Don Johnston –
www.donjohnston.com
Inclusive Technology Ltd –
www.inclusive.co.uk
KCS –
www.keytools.com
MAPE –
www.mape.org.uk
Meldreth Manor School –
atschool.eduweb.co.uk/meldreth/ Semerc –
www.semerc.com
Words+ –
www.words-plus.com
Further ReadingSpecial Access Technology, Paul Nisbet and Patrick Poon, CALL Centre publication, ISBN 1 898042 11 X Voice Recognition Technology in Education, Factors for Success, Mick Donegan, ACE Centre publication, ISBN 1 903303 00 1
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