Free Assistive Technology for Literacy Support Deirdre Madden deirdre.madden@ucc.ie Welcome & Please sign in

Agenda for today Introduction to assistive technology Built in literacy support features (iPad & Windows) Free touch-typing Natural Reader My Study Bar Reading Supports Writing Supports Xmind mind mapping

Assistive Technology (AT) Assistive Technology is any item which helps you get a job done...... More easily Independently. It takes time & a bit of effort to get to know your new technology

AT benefits for a student ..... Can bring standards of performance to a much higher level Introduces a greater range of choices for learning Gives greater freedom and independence Allows students to compete on an equal footing Helps ‘level the playing field’ Provides tools for education, work and everyday living

Follow on support for secondary schools I can come to your school .... In-school hands on training in specific hardware or software to meet students’ needs to students & parents to teachers & SNAs

Assistive Technology (AT) Outreach Programme Creating AT awareness Train students and teachers in the use of AT Increasing access and enhance transition to higher education opportunities for students with disabilities by engaging with relevant stakeholders to promote the role of Assistive Technology (AT) in education.

106 18 33 161 189 25 36 417 Current number of these students in UCC Students with Disabilities Physical Disabilities Sensory Disabilities Visually Impaired Deaf/Hard of hearing Specific Learning Difficulties Dyslexia Dysgraphia Dyspraxia Dyscalculia Audio Processing Disorder ADHD/ ADD Asperger's Significant Ongoing Illnesses Mental Health Difficulties 106 18 33 161 189 417 25 36 Current number of these students in UCC

For FREE assistive technology(AT) training for … For FREE assistive technology(AT) training for ….. Students & Parents and for…. Teachers & SNAs Please visit our website where you can book training online…… http://www.ucc.ie/en/dss/assistivetech/atoutreach/

Click on AT Outreach Calendar of Events and chose the calendar relevant to you ..

For Educators; teachers & SNAs Chose the training and date that meets your needs and click on the link to book a place ……

For students & parents Chose the training and date that meets your needs and click on the link to book a place ……

Please visit our Video Gallery An array of videos on assistive technology and related subjects…..

Please view the videos and pass them onto other interested parties

Presentations: Please visit our website to view and download the presentation from tonight’s presentation and from subsequent training sessions.

Essential for a student to have basic IT/computer skills to get the most out of any assistive technology they may use.

Basic IT skills Basic mouse skills Keyboard skills Touch-typing essential! Basic file management skills Saving files Naming them appropriately Knowing where they are saved E-mail Navigating the net.

Making our teaching and learning materials accessible

Thinking about learning materials in different ways .....

When you get your booklists..... Contact the publisher regarding their policy on ebooks

Ask in your school if they can ... Email out notes to students Email out worksheet to students Receive homework from students via email Or have notes/worksheets on a central school shared drive for students Perhaps they have experience in getting textbooks in electronic format!!!!

Built in literacy support features

Built in literacy support iPad Intelligent Onscreen Keyboard with Predictive Text Entry External keyboard MSWord Spell check

Apple accessibility Reads 36 languages Speak selection – will read chosen text in a natural Irish sounding voice – aids those with literacy difficulties Adjustable speeds Settings General Scroll down to Accessibility Under Vision select Speak Selection

Microsoft Word Increase font size Change font Change font (Comic Sans) Change font colour Change background colour Text to speech in MSWord 10

Microsoft Word Simple Formatting/shading can act as colour overlays enabling some dyslexic service users to make text more accessible

MSWord Built in Literacy Support Adjusting the font type, colour and the spacing can make a big difference to how a dyslexic service user perceives and processes text These settings can be saved as a default for that user

Built in literacy support Versions of MSWord can convert text to speech – read the text in that document Link to site to take you though this .... http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word-help/using-the-speak-text-to-speech-feature-HA102066711.aspx

FREE font - Dyslexie http://www.dyslexiefont.com/en/dyslexia-font/

Equation Editor in MSWord All versions of MSWord from 2000 on have a built in equation editor that can be used to complete maths work.   There are YouTube videos to demonstrate how to use it such as this one for MSWord 2007...... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0E-TqvQXbg It depends on what version of MSWord you use as to how you access the equation editor but this website should help ..... http://office.microsoft.com/en-ie/word-help/results.aspx?qu=equation+editor&ex=1&origin=HP005190247

Equation Editor in MSWord

ModMath http://www.modmath.com/

Touch Typing

Why learn touch-typing? Speed Homework/assignments/emails/ chat & soon exams - all done quicker and more accurately Computers are being used more in all aspects of live Allows you to focus on content of work not on action of typing Health Repetitive strain injury (RSI)

Click on .....

Hand position for home row ALWAYS return to home row Feel the raised bumps on the F and the J keys?

Practicing home row typing

Hints about the correct hand & finger to use will appear on screen...

Or playing typing games on Sense-Lange website

Free Touchtyping OFFline

Freeware!!!!

AT part of the UCC DSS website Link to AT section of website AT hardware & software for different disabilities

FREE Natural Reader Natural reader is a FREE text to speech program Select any text on the screen you want to have read and click on play The software is free to download from this site …… http://www.naturalreaders.com/download.php   

My Study Bar

Video to introduce MyStudyBar FREE My Study Bar MSB tool which helps overcome problems that students commonly experience with studying, reading and writing. set of portable open source and freeware applications, assembled into one convenient package Easy to install, simple to use, handy and effective, provides comprehensive learning support at the desktop, where it is needed. FREE to download and free to use. designed to support learners with literacy-related difficulties such as dyslexia, the toolbar can offer potential benefits to all learners. Link to EduApps site for information and free download of My Study Bar

My Study Bar –reading supports

My Study Bar –writing supports

My Study Bar – Planning & organising

What is a mind map? Will help you write essays Used to plan exam questions Quick to use Saves you time Easy to understand Easy to recall Great revision aid

What is visual thinking and visual learning? A learning style where the learner better understands and retains information ... when ideas, words and concepts are associated with images

Mindmap

Outline view

Opens on templates….

Demonstration of working from a template .....

Use templates to change to use for education

Use templates to change to use for education

Use templates to change to use for education

Starting from Scratch... Water cycle exercise .........

Start with Blank Type Water cycle Return or Tab to add subtopics Evaporation Condensation Precipitation Run off Subtopics Adjust Background colour Text Element shape and colour Add images From google image From file Drill down feature

Convert to outline and MSWord Right click on outline Maximise Click on File Export HTML

Exporting to HTML - Word Select the elements you want to export Chose a file name and destination Click on Finish Open MSWord File Open The HTML export file

XMind http://www.xmind.net/ Free mind mapping software User friendly videos Water cycle All about me YouTube video explaining XMind

You/your school CAN scan in texts Time consuming but sometimes needed Put pressure on the publishers for e textbooks!

Some good news! You can claim tax back on AT Software & Hardware

You will need..... A letter from the school saying the student needs this for their day to day activities Original invoice (VAT detailed) Must be for the exclusive use of that person Must complete form VAT 61A....

Link to Revenue website for claiming VAT back on AT http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/money_and_tax/tax/tax_credits_and_reliefs_for_people_with_disabilities/vat_refunds_on_aids_and_appliances_used_by_people_with_disabilities.html

DARE

DARE College and university admissions scheme which offers places on a reduced points basis to school leavers with disabilities. Different criteria for each disability. Student must fulfil the specific criteria with documented proof. Student must apply through DARE Information can be found on the Access College website, the dedicated website for DARE. http://www.accesscollege.ie/dare/

AccessCollege.ie DARE

AccessCollege.ie HEAR

Students CAN apply through both the HEAR AND the DARE programmes

Careers Support Disability Support Service UCC http://www.ucc.ie/en/dss/dare/preentry/

So what will YOU do with all of that??????

Useful Links Touch typing sites via UCC website: http://www.ucc.ie/en/tcentre/touchtyping/ Links to FREE Apple accessibility features http://www.apple.com/accessibility/ Link to Microsoft accessibility features http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/help/accessibility Link to Text Help site for Read & Write Gold http://www.texthelp.com/UK/our-products/readwrite YouTube videos of AT use (please search YouTube for more AT related videos) http://www.youtube.com/user/enableAT Link to Project Guttenberg site for free e-texts for exploring R&W http://www.gutenberg.org/

Useful Links Link to the UrAbilty site – online disability community http://urability.com/ Link to the Yale Centre for Dyslexia and Creativity http://www.dyslexia.yale.edu/ Link to MyStudyBar http://eduapps.org/?page_id=7 Link to Free Natural Reader http://www.naturalreaders.com/download.php

Useful Links UCC DSS site http://www.ucc.ie/en/dss/current/AT/

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