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AAC News
Autumn 2009
Welcome
Welcome to the Autumn 2009 edition of the AAC Newsletter. The education team at AbilityNet have been very busy with work for Becta on the innovative projects for AAC users, in the pilot for the Home Access scheme, adding to the loan bank, setting up courses, details below.
If you have any suggestions or comments for future issues, then please let me know. Please forward within your organisation to relevant people
Best Wishes
Mike Williams
mike.williams@abilitynet.org.uk
Latest News!
AbilityNet’s “Exploring AAC” Website Launched
Please take a look at our web resource and tell us what you think. Feel free to tell your colleagues and clients.
Index
- 30 free AT and AAC Assessments for children
- Training Courses
- Home Access Programme
- New Developments
- Loan Bank Contents
- Changes in Text to Speech packages from the Technology Update Course
30 free AT and AAC Assessments for children
As part of the Innovative Projects grant form Becta we will be delivering 30 free AT and AAC (Augmentative and Communication) assessments for children. We will aim to work with local Speech and Language therapists, teachers, parents and Occupational Therapists where appropriate to provide the assessment. Please circulate this information to the Speech and Language teams, special schools and other relevant people within your organisation. Prior to any assessment we will discuss with the referrer the needs of the child to make sure we can support them.
Assessment Numbers are now filling up so apply early to take advantage of this free service!
To request an assessment please call 0800 269545 or email education@abilitynet.org.uk.
Training Courses
Below are the training courses we are running up to April next year. Each course runs from 9.30am - 4pm, lunch and refreshments will be provided. Remember, your Service Level Agreement (SLA) includes up to 3 places on courses - just choose the course and contact us to reserve a place!
| Location | Course | When |
|---|---|---|
| London | Using switch activated software and designing activities | 3rd December 2009 |
| London | Low cost AAC and AT Technology update | 28th January 2010 |
| Liverpool | Using low cost communication aids | 4th February 2010 |
| Warwick | Using low cost communication aids | 12th March 2010 |
| London | Using low cost communication aids | 29th April 2010 |
Internet based Training Sessions - All sessions start at 3.45pm
These are 1¼ hour interactive sessions where you can talk to other professionals, share the trainer’s computer screen and find out about useful AT and AAC solutions all at your computer desktop. No need to leave your office, no carbon footprint and no travel expenses! If you would like a practice session first with the technology please contact jo.greenwell@abilitynet.org.uk.
| What | When |
|---|---|
| Free or low cost software solutions to support physical access to computer Including controlling the mouse, on screen keyboards and text prediction and switch control | 25th November |
| Free software to support learners with visual disturbances / impairments Including large mouse pointes, easy change screen colours and screen resolutions, on screen ruler, magnification and screen reading | 14th December |
| Using and configuring Proloquo2go on an iphone | 2nd Feb |
| Text in alternative formats | 3rd March |
| Accessing online training materials at the AbilityNet e-learning site and internet A tour of online learning materials and videos to support use of AAC devices. | 29th March |
| Free and low cost cause and effect software and switch accessible internet resources. | 21 April |
Feedback from previous desktop based interactive sessions:
"The session was very accessible and worked very well, the screen was clear. The information being shown was highlighted and visible with clear explanations given and frequent checks to make sure we had been able to follow and understand. Pointers on the relevance for the particular participants was very useful."
Claire Harris, Librarian for Children’s Services, Brent
To book a place on any of the day courses or internet sessions please call 0800 269545 or email abilitynet.administration@abilitynet.org.uk.
e-learning
Go to www.abilitynettraining.org for details Your SLA includes 2 accounts.
Home Access programme
Despite the growing body of evidence for the educational, economic and wider benefits of home access to technology for learning, the digital divide is not being narrowed. 1.4 million learners still lack access to the internet at home and over one million children still do not have a computer at home. It has been shown that home access can increase learner achievement, increase motivation and can improve parental engagement which in turn raises their children’s attainment.
Home Access is a government drive to get more families using computers and the internet at home so everyone has the chance to learn more.
As part of a pilot programme, low income families and young people in Oldham and Suffolk have been able to apply for a Home Access Grant to buy a Next Generation Learning @ Home computer and internet package.
AbilityNet were involved in the pilot specifically looking at how best to support the needs of SEN pupils who are existing assistive technology users and how to support those pupils who could benefit from assistive technology but do not currently use it. Lessons learned from the two pilot areas will inform the national rollout of computers and any assistive technology needed. This should start to happen at the end of 2009 as Home Access will be extended to cover all of England. To follow latest developments please visit the Becta local authorities information page.
New Developments
Tap To Talk
We’re all seeing more and more integration with AAC and mainstream technology devices like phones, netbooks, and PDA’s. One to watch is a simple AAC & learning package that runs on the Nintendo DS.
Pictures and Sounds including voices can be customised for the user using a computer with an internet connection. Customised activities are called Albums, which are stored on the website, can be easily transferred to the DS.
AbilityNet Wiki
The AbilityNet GATE wiki - the Global Assistive Technology Encyclopaedia, has been shortlisted for the Radar Doing IT Differently Award. The award is for the IT innovation that has really embraced inclusion and opened up the possibilities for disabled people to really participate in society. Join and contribute to the wiki at www.abilitynet.wetpaint.com.
Best of YouTube
All of these, including our new playlist on immersive environments, and many more can be found on the AbilityNet YouTube channel www.youtube.com/abilitynet.
Eye gaze Trainset - Using the Tobii C-12 Infrared
The Tobii C-12 with C-eye modular eyegaze has built in Infrared - great for TVs, DVDs and MP3 control....but operating a remote control train set is much more fun!
http://www.youtube.com/abilitynet#p/a/f/2/-RQhzp-C6XM
Augmented Reality
The Future of Education ( Ara Pacis ) - HD version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_xF8ujj7ko
Kids with Profound Special Needs Getting Profound Special Opportunity
Kids who can’t use their voice can now sing. Kids who can only control their knee can now play the drums
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Wy0xy-v934
AbilityNet Podcast No 8 Released
Our latest podcast is now available – contents include
- AbilityNet’s recent Accessibility2.0 ‘A Million Flowers Bloom’ conference
- Review of www.bubbl.us free mind-mapping tool and the capture screen facility in Windows
- Item on the recent Access–IT Awards event
- Web accessibility news roundup
- An introductory item to Twitter
- Events for your diary
It's available for free from www.abilitynet.org.uk/podcast or via iTunes.
Products in our Loan Bank
Your SLA includes up to 5 calls on the loan bank per year for loans of up to 6 weeks Just call us if you need help with a loan item, our loan bank is changing and growing all the time!
| Hardware Devices | Software |
|---|---|
| Go talk 4 | Gridmobile and grid 2 |
| Go talk 9 | Go talk software |
| Go talk Pocket | Boardmaker |
| Go talk express 1 | Qtalk |
| Go Talk 1 | Proloquo2go |
| Talking photo album | |
| Traxys scan 4 | |
| Big Mack from loan bank | |
| Step by step with levels | |
| Italk 2 | |
| Super talker progressive communicator 1-18 | |
| Recordable phone | |
| Tech scan 8 auditory prompt | |
| Ipod touch | |
| Samsung (q1ex) | |
| q1 case and backbox | |
| Tash buddy button | |
| Small triangular plate for switch | |
| Large triangular plate for switch | |
| Big switch mounting plate | |
| Magic power ball | |
| Ipaq 214 PDA with Grid Mobile, case and backbox | |
| Fizzbook Spin | |
| Fizzbook Bang | |
| Eee PC - Mobile PC (Netbook) | |
| ELO Touch Screen |
Changes in Text to Speech packages from the Technology Update Course
One of our Education Assessors, Mark Healy, ran a well received Technology Update day in Warwick in the summer, some of the areas he looked at included:
The new version of Penfriend 3.3.2.7 xl, text prediction software, now has letter phonics available when you use the speak letters feature. Few text to speech programs give you this option so it is useful to have the choice.
Text Help Read and Write 9 is now out and the gold version has some new features including Screen masking, to help with some of the visual issues associated with dyslexia, the ability to block out any text you are not reading. Other options include:
- Tint my whole screen
- Tint the window I am typing in
- Tint the line I am typing on
- Tint everything except the line I am typing on
- Underline the line I'm typing on
- Underline my mouse point
It also comes with Tim and Tina! These new voices have been specifically designed for Education purposes to ensure that students have the best listening experience.
Fact Mapper offers the user the ability to produce a visual representation of facts and ideas online. This is particularly useful when brainstorming, revising and drafting work.
The Translator tool provides easy access to one-click translation of English words into Spanish, French, German or Italian. The tool works with any digital content, on-screen selections, accessible applications, website content or digital textbooks.
The Screenshot Reader in Read&Write 9 GOLD speech-enables inaccessible text, such as ‘locked’ PDF documents or Inaccessible Flash. Examination boards frequently use inaccessible Flash for online exams. For instance, the City and Guilds GOLA exams are written in Flash. Read&Write 9 GOLD will read this text.
ClaroRead V5 has new some features including Visual highlighting. The new focus sentence feature greys or dims out sentences in MS Word not being spoken. This is helpful for focussing the eye on the text, and also tracking the position in a document. The word trail feature allows effective word by word highlighting, with minimal visual disruption.
The new ClaroCapture program lets you collect text from any document and web page, grouping it as a project file. This can be sent to Word or PowerPoint.
Claro has always aimed to offer the highest quality voices and now has two new excellent voices, a Scottish female and an English male.