CALL Scotland has been organising the FREE annual ICT and Inclusion road-show since 2001. It provides people with an opportunity to see and compare the latest software and technology to support students with additional support needs from most of the leading UK companies.

Location and dates for the exhibitions are:

• CALL Scotland, Edinburgh - 18 June 2013
• Thistle Hotel, Glasgow - 19 June 2013

Suppliers will describe their key products in timetabled sessions and there will also be short presentations by staff from CALL Scotland.

The exhibitions will be open from 9.00 am until 4.00 pm.

Free Lunch! A free buffet lunch is provided at each of the three venues. It is therefore important that people register for the exhibition in advance so we have an idea of numbers before the day. Please indicate when you book a place if you wish to stay for lunch.

To find out more and to book online, go to the ICT and Inclusion web page or telephone CALL Scotland on 0131 651 6235 to book a place.

I've put together a video and uploaded it to YouTube which shows how to mount an iPad to a wheelchair using components supplied by an American company called RAM Mount (which are available to purchase here in the UK).

There are also captions available on this video.

An opportunity for senior educational leaders to consider the requirements of preparing and developing teachers for the challenges and opportunities presented by the post PC classroom. The increasing presence of mobile technologies such as the iPad in our schools requires a new strategy in teacher development to realise the full potential of these new technologies. These technologies have the potential to support and meet the needs of learners across a full spectrum of abilities while transforming pedagogy and the whole learning and teaching process.

Keynote presentation from renowned international speaker Dr. William Rankin as well as presentations from Scottish Educators.

Early booking is advised so find out more and register!

Details

• Cost: FREE
• Date: March 22nd 2013
• Time: 10.00am to 1.15pm (registration from 9.00am)
• Address: St Cecilia's Hall, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh
• Location map

• Event date: 12th December, 2012
• Event time: 1.00pm - 1.30pm
• Presenters: Craig Mill and Dougal Hawes

Fast Talker 2 is Sensory Software's most complete text-based grid set for use with The Grid 2. It combines powerful communication grids with some of the most popular modern computer applications such as Facebook, YouTube and Skype. Best of all, Fast Talker 2 is very easy to use.

About the presenter

Dougal Hawes has been working in the field of assistive technology since 2004. He worked on the development of The Grid 2 AAC software and now works as Business Development Manager for Sensory Software and Smartbox Assistive Technology.

He has a wide range of experience and has worked a lot with people with Motor Neurone Disease. This is the user group that inspired his latest development project, Fast Talker 2 – a complete communication and social networking solution.

Find out more about our CALLlive webinars and book this webinar!

A number of users of WordTalk on Windows 7 (64-bit) have reported an error with WordTalk installed with Microsoft Word 2007 or 2010 which looks like it is caused by an Office update and causes the following error:

"Dialog Box Title: Microsoft Visual Basic, Compile Error in Hidden Module: This Document"

A fix for this is detailed on the WordTalk FAQs and goes as follows:

1. Click the 'Start button' (bottom left) and select 'All Programs';
2. Click on Accessories;
3. Right click on 'Command Prompt' and select 'Run as administrator';
4. Type in: regsvr32 /u c:\windows\SysWOW64\mscomctl.ocx and press return;
5. Type in: regsvr32 c:\windows\SysWOW64\mscomctl.ocx and press return;
6. Start-up Microsoft Word and WordTalk should function again.

There are still places available for parents interested in attending CALL’s Parent Information Day on Saturday 24th November 2012. We will focus specifically on the use of iPads and apps for children and young people with additional support needs or disabilities. 

The day will run 10.00 to 2.00pm at CALL Scotland (Edinburgh) and will be a mix of displays, presentations, hands-on and a chance for one-to-one sessions with CALL Scotland staff and, of course, meet other parents.

In response to the many questions raised by parents, teachers and others who work with children with additional support needs CALL has written a new book on the iPad - iPads for Communication, Access, Literacy, and Learning (iCALL). CALL has looked at loads of apps (and there are thousands more), many of which will be discussed and there will be opportunities for hands-on use at workstations. This is an opportunity to have many of your questions about iPads answered in an informal, supportive setting.

It's now much easier to manage your iPads as the Apple Volume Purchase Programme (AVPP) is finally here in the UK and allows schools to purchase multiple copies of the same app or book! However, it now appears that you still have to pay by credit card as invoicing is not available yet!!!! I'll keep checking on this and blog when they get round to enabling this vital part of the mechanism!

Once you’ve enrolled on the AVPP you can then go to Education Store and purchase your apps and books for which you will receive a 'redemption code', i.e. a serial number. These codes are managed on a spreadsheet and then uploaded to the  Apple Configurator software which allows you to manage your iPads in a much more efficient way. If you've tried iTunes and iCloud (limited to 10 restores per 90 days!) to manage your devices then you'll know it can be slow and cumbersome. 

In order to use this configurator your will need an Apple Mac computer with at least OS 10.7 installed. You can plug in your iPads individually with a USB cable but easier with a charging trolley. Although some of these 'secure' trolleys aren't very secure so you may need to find a secure area for the trolley! I'm sure if you Google 'powered usb hubs for multiple iPad synching' you'll come up with a cheaper alternative to trolleys.....maybe, if you can find one powered enough to cope with the charging of iPads.

What is Apple Configurator?

Although the software looks complicated at first it's actually very easy to master and there are many great features. Within the configurator you can do the following to your iPads:

• Update the iOS;
• Group iPads into class or group templates;
• Assign a profile to each iPad to control wifi setup, iPad restrictions such as app purchasing, VPN, mail, calendar, contacts, web clips, passcodes and many more things;
• assign apps to each iPad and link them to a previously purchased redemption code (unless the app is free and no redemption code is required);
• assign a 'user' to each iPad, i.e. ‘Tom Jones’. This allows you to store the data for that user on the computer, i.e. a backup. The next time you assign that iPad to that user it will copy across their previous data;
• Add documents to the iPad;
• check iPads in and out so you can keep track of them;
• configure setups and have them automatically rolled out to iPads the next time they are checked in;
• Create and restore a backup of settings and app data from one device to other devices.

In summary

1. Register for AVPP;
2. Purchase apps on iTunes and get your redemption codes;
3. Download Apple Configurator onto your Mac (10.7 or above);
4. Assign the redemption codes to the apps via Apple Configurator (unless the apps are free and then no redemption code is required);
5. Plug your iPads into the Mac (via USB);
6. Roll out settings, apps and users to your iPads;
7. 'Check out' the iPad.

Notes

Previously purchased apps on iTunes (before AVPP) cannot be used with the Apple Configurator, they have to be purchased through the AVPP. Unless someone can tell me otherwise?

For a more detailed explanation of the configurator have a look at the 'First look at Apple Configurator' video. It’s 11 mins long but goes through most of the things you will need to know.

What about using a Windows machine? I haven’t found anything to suggest that 'Apple Configurator' will be available for Windows in the future. However, I believe that 'iPhone Configuration Utility' will do the same on Windows but I’ve not looked into this.

This autumn Smartbox Assistive Technology will be touring the country to host FREE study days that will focus on some of the latest developments in the world of AAC and assistive technology.

• Venue: CALL Scotland, Edinburgh
• Date and time: 9:30am - 4:00pm, 12th September 2012

Each study day will include the following talks:

• Eye gaze clinics - A closer look at the very latest eye gaze technology and techniques.
• Accessing the curriculum – Level the playing field with our tips, tricks and resources for using The Grid 2 in the classroom.
• Facebook, Skype, Twitter, YouTube - Safe, easy and accessible resources for the world’s most popular websites.
• The Grid 2 communication pathway – A guided tour of the latest range of symbol communication resources - including a first look at PODD and Beeline.
• New product launch – All will be revealed.
• Grid Player for ios – How to use an iPad for AAC and the best Grid Player resources
• Fast Talker 2 – A complete AAC and computer access solution for literate users.
• Future of AAC – An exciting look at the very latest developments in the world of assistive technology, including a first look at brain control.

The events are all free to attend. Lunch and refreshments are included.

• You must register if you wish to attend. There are limited places at each venue so bookings will be taken on a first come, first served basis.
• All of the days start with registration at 9:30, before the first talk at 10am. The last talk will finish at 4pm.
• The study days are suitable for speech and language therapists, teachers, and other professionals working with AAC or assistive technology.

SIGN UP NOW:

• Register Online at www.smartboxat.com/studydays/
• Phone to register on: 01684 578 868
• Email to register at: info@smartboxat.com

A number of users of WordTalk have reported an error with WordTalk installed with Microsoft Word 2007 which looks like it is caused by an Office update and causes the following error:

"Dialog Box Title: Microsoft Visual Basic, Compile Error in Hidden Module: This Document"

We are working to resolve this at present and will keep you updated.

Update (4pm, 24th April)

Solution found for this problem and I will update the WordTalk FAQ page as soon as I put some instructions together.

Update (9am, 25th April)

Solution now on WordTalk FAQ page.

Update (3:30pm, 30th April)

The problem now occurs on Word 2010 and the FAQ has been updated to reflect this.

The 2011 Scottish Children's Book Awards is an innovative nationwide reading project in which children and young people from every corner of Scotland read and vote for their favourite Scottish children's books of the year. Votes MUST reach Scottish Book Trust by 5.30pm on Friday 27th January 2012 to be included in the final count.

Last year:

• over 40,000 children registered and an amazing 17,000 votes were cast;
• children and young people from every local authority in Scotland, from Aberdeen to Dumfries; Shetland to Arran, took part;
• nearly 1,000 accessible copies of the books were provided to young judges by RNIB and CALL.

The awards were originally set up by the Scottish Arts Council in 1999 and are now run by Scottish Book Trust.

Children can vote for their favourite book, from a shortlist in each of three categories, either as individual readers or as part of a reading group in a school, library or bookshop. The shortlisted books are:

Early Years (0 - 7 years)

• Dear Vampa by Ross Collins
• The Loon on the Moon by Emily Golden
• Apple Pie ABC by Alison Murray

Younger Readers (8 - 11 years)

• Zac and the Dream Pirates by Ross MacKenzie
• There's a Hamster in my Pocket! by Franzeska G Ewart
• The Case of the London Dragonfish by Joan Lennon

Older Readers (11 - 16 years)

• Wasted by Nicola Morgan
• The Blackhope Enigma by Teresa Flavin
• The Prisoner of the Inquisition by Theresa Breslin

But what about disabled children who can't read the books?

CALL Scotland has worked with the Scottish Book Trust and the authors and publishers to create accessible digital versions of the nine shortlisted books. The idea is that children and young people with physical, visual and reading or dyslexic difficulties, who can't read or access the paper books, can read the digital books instead and take part in the awards. For example:

• children with spinal injury, cerebral palsy or other physical impairments can click a switch or press a key on a computer, to turn pages and read the books by themselves;
• dyslexic readers or children with visual impairments can change the font size and/or colours on screen, or use text-to-speech software to read the books;
• the books can be read out by the computer using "Heather", the high quality Scottish computer voice that is available free for schools and pupils from CALL Scotland's The Scottish Voice web site.

The books are available free of charge. Readers and schools can request accessible digital copies of the book(s) they wish to read via the Books for All website or phoning 0131 651 6236.

A question I was asked recently is how many iPads (or iPod Touch and iPhone) can you put an App on? The answer to that would be as many as you want. However, that doesn't mean that these devices can then be used by a clasroom of pupils at the same time if only 1 licence for that App has been purchased. Some points from the Apple App Store Terms and Conditions for the use of a single licence App are highlighted at the foot of this blog post. 

What it looks like you can do is:

• Sync the App to as many devices as you wish;
• Use the App as an individual on all of those devices;
• Use the App as a group of individuals (at a resource centre or library) on one of those devices;

What you are not allowed to do is give each of those devices to students and allow them to use the same App (single licence) at the same time. If you wish to do this then you need to purchase the App for each of those devices.

In the US there is an Apple Volume Software Licensing scheme available for education but this has not been made availble to the UK.

Apple App Store Terms and Conditions

• (i) If you are an individual acting in your personal capacity, you may download and sync an App Store Product for personal, noncommercial use on any iOS Device you own or control.
• (ii) If you are a commercial enterprise or educational institution, you may download and sync an App Store Product for use by either (a) a single individual on one or more iOS Devices used by that individual that you own or control or (b) multiple individuals, on a single shared iOS Device you own or control. For example, a single employee may use an App Store Product on both the employee's iPhone and iPad, or multiple students may serially use an App Store Product on a single iPad located at a resource centre or library. For the sake of clarity, each iOS Device used serially by multiple users requires a separate licence.
• (iii) You shall be able to store App Store Products from up to five different Accounts at a time on a compatible iOS Device.

CALL recently carried out an experiment to see how well a Toshiba netbook would cope with Dragon Naturally Speaking 11 (Dragon). Dragon is a speech recognition software package developed and sold by Nuance. The netbook used was a Toshiba NB250 which offers reduced computing power when compared to a full-sized laptop and Nuance don't recommend the software for use on a netbook.

Dragon seemed to run fairly well on a netbook and so we've uploaded the video of the Dragon software testing to YouTube which shows how well the netbook coped and also a comparison between running Dragon on a 1Gb and 2Gb RAM netbook.

If you're interested in speech recognition then you may also like to see a report produced by CALL entitled 'Speech Recognition software in SQA Assessments'.

The 2011 Scottish Children's Book Awards is an innovative nationwide reading project in which children and young people from every corner of Scotland read and vote for their favourite Scottish children's books of the year. Last year:

• over 40,000 children registered and an amazing 17,000 votes were cast;
• children and young people from every local authority in Scotland, from Aberdeen to Dumfries; Shetland to Arran, took part;
• nearly 1,000 accessible copies of the books were provided to young judges by RNIB and CALL.

The awards were originally set up by the Scottish Arts Council in 1999 and are now run by Scottish Book Trust.

Children can vote for their favourite book, from a shortlist in each of three categories, either as individual readers or as part of a reading group in a school, library or bookshop. The shortlisted books are:

Early Years (0 - 7 years)

• Dear Vampa by Ross Collins
• The Loon on the Moon by Emily Golden
• Apple Pie ABC by Alison Murray

Younger Readers (8 - 11 years)

• Zac and the Dream Pirates by Ross MacKenzie
• There's a Hamster in my Pocket! by Franzeska G Ewart
• The Case of the London Dragonfish by Joan Lennon

Older Readers (11 - 16 years)

• Wasted by Nicola Morgan
• The Blackhope Enigma by Teresa Flavin
• The Prisoner of the Inquisition by Theresa Breslin

But what about disabled children who can't read the books?

CALL Scotland has worked with the Scottish Book Trust and the authors and publishers to create accessible digital versions of the nine shortlisted books. The idea is that children and young people with physical, visual and reading or dyslexic difficulties, who can't read or access the paper books, can read the digital books instead and take part in the awards. For example:

• children with spinal injury, cerebral palsy or other physical impairments can click a switch or press a key on a computer, to turn pages and read the books by themselves;
• dyslexic readers or children with visual impairments can change the font size and/or colours on screen, or use text-to-speech software to read the books;
• the books can be read out by the computer using "Heather", the high quality Scottish computer voice that is available free for schools and pupils from CALL Scotland's The Scottish Voice web site.

The books are available free of charge. Readers and schools can request accessible digital copies of the book(s) they wish to read via the Books for All website or phoning 0131 651 6236.

CALL now has a large bank of netbooks and our latest edition is the Toshiba NB250. A good little netbook which is light weight, cheap (£225 via the Procurement Scotland contract), long 8 hour battery life and relatively fast if you are using one or two programs. Note that netbooks are not designed for multi tasking and so wont handle lots of programs running at the same time. This is because of the Intel Atom processor which is limited due to heat output in such a small package. CALL has installed Windows XP on all the netbooks since even Windows 7 (starter) is extremely sluggish due to the type of processor.

Basic specification:

• 1Gb Ram;
• 160Gb Hard Drive;
• Windows XP Pro;
• 10.1" screen;
• 6 cell battery (up to 8 hour batter life);
• 1.33Kg weight.

They are particularly practical in schools because they:

• are small and light and easy to carry around;
• don’t take up much space on the desk, so you have room for books and resources;
• have a long battery life, freeing you from mains power;
• are a bit more cool than AlphaSmarts.

They don’t suit everyone: the keyboard may be too small and cramped for some people and the small 10” screen may be too small for people with visual difficulties.

The 2010 Royal Mail Awards for Scottish Children's Books is an innovative nationwide reading project in which children and young people from every corner of Scotland read and vote for their favourite Scottish children's books of the year. Last year:

• Over 31,000 children were involved and an amazing 15,014 votes were cast;
• Over 400 schools and libraries in every corner of Scotland, from Aberdeen to Dumfries; Shetland to Arran, took part;
• The 2009 awards ceremony brought 650 young judges from across Scotland together to see their peers act out the winning books.

The Royal Mail Awards for Scottish Children's Books were originally set up by the Scottish Arts Council in 1999 and are now run by Scottish Book Trust.

Children can vote for their favourite book, from a shortlist in each of three categories, either as individual readers or as part of a reading group in a school, library or bookshop. The shortlisted books are:

Early Years (0 - 7 years)

• What the Ladybird Heard by Julia Donaldson
• Love from Louisa by Simon Puttock and Jo Kiddie
• Stormy Weather by Debi Gliori

Younger Readers (8 - 11 years)

• Invisible Fiends: Mr Mumbles by Barry Hutchison
• The Secret of the Black Moon Moth by John Fardell
• The Dragon Whisperer by Lucinda Hare

Older Readers (11 - 16 years)

• Crossing the Line by Gillian Philip
• The Witching Hour by Elizabeth Laird
• Grass by Cathy MacPhail

But what about disabled children who can't read the books?

CALL Scotland has worked with the Scottish Book Trust and the authors and publishers to create accessible digital versions of the nine shortlisted books. The idea is that children and young people with physical, visual and reading or dyslexic difficulties, who can't read or access the paper books, can read the digital books instead and take part in the awards.

• Children with spinal injury, cerebral palsy or other physical impairments can click a switch or press a key on a computer, to turn pages and read the books by themselves.
• Dyslexic readers or children with visual impairments can change the font size and/or colours on screen, or use text-to-speech software to read the books.
• The books can be read out by the computer using "Heather", the high quality Scottish computer voice that is available free for schools and pupils from CALL Scotland's The Scottish Voice web site.

The books are available free of charge. Readers and schools can request accessible digital copies of the book(s) they wish to read via the Books for All website or phoning 0131 651 6236.