1. Free Assistive Technology for Literacy Support
Deirdre Madden
Welcome &
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2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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.

7. 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

8. 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……

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

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

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

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

14. Please view the videos and pass them onto other interested parties

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

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

18. 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
Navigating the net.

19. Making our teaching and learning materials accessible

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

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

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

23. Built in literacy support features

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

25. 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

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

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

28. 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

29. 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 ....

30. FREE font - Dyslexie

31. 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
It depends on what version of MSWord you use as to how you access the equation editor but this website should help .....

32. Equation Editor in MSWord

33. ModMath

34. Touch Typing

35. Why learn touch-typing?
Speed
Homework/assignments/ s/ 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)

36. Click on .....

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

38. Practicing home row typing

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

40. Or playing typing games on Sense-Lange website

41. Free Touchtyping OFFline

42. Freeware!!!!

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

44. 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 ……   

45. My Study Bar

46. 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

47. My Study Bar –reading supports

48. My Study Bar –writing supports

49. My Study Bar – Planning & organising

50. 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

51. 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

54. Mindmap

55. Outline view

56. Opens on templates….

57. Demonstration of working from a template .....

58. Use templates to change to use for education

59. Use templates to change to use for education

60. Use templates to change to use for education

62. Starting from Scratch...
Water cycle exercise

63. 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

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

65. 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

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

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

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

69. 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....

70. Link to Revenue website for claiming VAT back on AT

71. DARE

72. 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.

73. AccessCollege.ie DARE

75. AccessCollege.ie HEAR

76. Students CAN apply through both the HEAR AND the DARE programmes

77. Careers Support Disability Support Service UCC

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

79. Useful Links Touch typing sites via UCC website:
Links to FREE Apple accessibility features
Link to Microsoft accessibility features
Link to Text Help site for Read & Write Gold
YouTube videos of AT use (please search YouTube for more AT related videos)
Link to Project Guttenberg site for free e-texts for exploring R&W

80. Useful Links Link to the UrAbilty site – online disability community
Link to the Yale Centre for Dyslexia and Creativity
Link to MyStudyBar
Link to Free Natural Reader

81. Useful Links
UCC DSS site

82. Thank you for your time. Please complete an evaluation form.
Thank you for your time. Please complete an evaluation form.

83. Thank you for your time!
Please complete an evaluation form.
Have a great weekend.