Type in answers

Read questions with Text-to-Speech

Use Drawing Tools

Highlight text and circle numbers to answer questions

Use voice to answer question or to comment on pupil's work

Draw shapes and graphs

Measure dimensions and angles

Recently I met a learner in first year in secondary school with a physical disability . She doesn't have the strength to hold books and turn pages, and she gets very tired handwriting. After due assessment and consideration of various devices we all concluded that an iPad was most suitable device for her physically: it's small and light enough for her to handle, and she rests it on her knees and against a desk, so that her hands are in her lap, which reduces fatigue. The iPad on-screen keyboard is just the right size for her to type on without stretching, and since it's touch-sensitive, it seems to require less effort than a physical keyboard.

Essentially, she wants to use the iPad for everything: reading textbooks and resources; completing homework and assessments; taking notes in class; etc etc

So, next questions are:

• which apps should she use for different tasks and purposes in school?
• where can she get digital textbooks?
• how does she receive and send materials to and from teachers?

For general note-taking in class ('digital jotters'), I looked at quite a few note-taking apps including the built-in Notes, Daily Notes, EverNote and Note Taker HD, to name but a few, and I  liked the look of Notability, which lets you:

• Create notes that can contain formatted text, hand writing and drawings (with pencil and pen), sound recordings, photos (either from the camera roll, or taken and inserted directly), clippings from the web, and drawings.
• Organise your notes into categories and subjects. 
• Use different paper backgrounds (different colours, lined, square paper).
• Search your notes.
• Import and annotate PDFs.
• Save your notes in cloud service such as DropBox and Google Drive.
• Send your notes to other apps, and by email, as PDF or RTF. 

It looks ideal for taking notes in class, for gathering and sorting information for topic or research, and for writing short assignments. (In fact, I'm now using it myself for all my note-taking on the iPad.)

There are a few things which could be better with Notability:

• ‘Speak Selection’ does not work and so you can’t read your notes with text-to-speech.
• Text cannot be inserted directly on top of a PDF, so you can’t use it very easily to type answers into PDF exams, assessments or homework.
• It does not have ‘snap to grid’ for easily drawing straight lines. 
• You cannot easily edit your notes on a desktop or laptop computer: you can only save them as PDF, RTF or text. (For me, if it could share and sync notes with Microsoft OneNote, it would be perfect.)

But of the apps I looked at, and read about, it looks ideal for the secondary school context.

For word processing, spreadsheets and presentations, and particularly for importing and exporting Microsoft Office files, we suggested Apple's own Pages, Numbers and Keynote.

For reading textbooks in PDF (e.g. Hodder Gibson books from us, or scanned books from the Books for All Database), we went for PDF Expert, which has good study and search facilities, and lots of tools for annotation and commenting. It's also good for completing assessments such as the SQA Digital Question Papers. (Why PDF Expert in particular rather than others? While you can read PDFs with iBooks on the iPad, you can't annotate them; the free Adobe Reader app does let you annotate, but PDF Expert has better file management; and I liked PDF Expert's text annotate tool better than iAnnotate's, because you can type directly on the PDF rather than into a separate text field. (iAnnotate has features that PDF Expert doesn't, though, such as voice comments so pupils and staff can record audio notes into the PDF.)

For sharing work with staff, the only practical method in the school at this time is use of email, which is better than nothing but not as good as a file transfer/sharing method such as Edmodo, Dropbox or Google Drive. (The school doesn't use Glow.)

Feedback from the learner about these apps is so far very positive, so we'll see how they work out over time.

How about you? Which apps and techniques have you found helpful in a mainstream secondary context?

Lots of people have the lovely easy-to-use switch accessible software from Inclusive Technology, like SwitchIT Maker 2 and ChooseIT Maker 2. But it is disappointing to see how few schools manage to find time to make their own resources, to create personalised exercises that individual children or groups can enjoy and use as valuable learning & practice, as part of curriculum topic or theme work.

To help you, from Ian Bean of SENICT, amongst other freely downloadable goodies here, there are two simple and easy-to-use help sheets, with step by step instructions for: -

• a) how to make an 'animal sound quiz;' in SwitchIT Maker 2
• b) how to make a switch accessible music juke box in SwitchIt Maker 2

Despite the popularity of the iPad it is surprising there are only 23 background wallpapers to choose from.

These consist of a range of mellow or atmospheric images and scenes including dewy grass, a cobbled street, tree rings, a carved totem pole, flowers, crashing waves, denim and other patterned options.

Although you can download many other wallpaper scenes from a range of online sources, they tend to follow a similar vein and lack the simplicity of a plain natural background.

Many users may find the selection of wallpapers currently on offer (or as the iPad’s default) unsuitable, distracting and/or even difficult to view. I personally use a yellow background/wallpaper, and although it isn't a perfect solution, it does help me when I'm looking at the screen for long periods of time.

Choose and download a colour wallpaper of your choice

To help, CALL have developed a selection of plain, simple and natural coloured wallpapers which you can download and use on your iPad for free.

Although you can’t set the wallpaper to function as a global colour (e.g. in Settings and other Apps) you can use one of the plain coloured backgrounds when viewing the main screens and when moving between screens of Apps.

Choose from 11 different plain colours

We currently have 11 colours that you can freely download and use on your iPad, regardless of the model (iPad 1, 2 or New iPad).

I recommend that you download your chosen background by using your iPad. If you are unable to download the background then try sending it by email to your iPad (see below for instructions to set the background/wallpaper).

Download the Yellow background

Download the Cream background

Download the Mauve background

Download the Rose background

Download the Purple background

Download the Orange background

Download the Mustard background

Download the Blue background

Download the Green background

Download the Grey background

Download the White background

Changing the background with your chosen wallpaper

First, you will need to download one of the backgrounds and save it to the Photos App which comes as a pre-installed App with your iOS. When the downloaded file appears tap and hold your finger until the pop-up menu appears. Select 'Save Image' - the image automatically saves to the Photos App.

Next, choose "Brightness & Wallpaper" from the menu on the left side of the settings screen.

Choose the Wallpaper tab under the brightness settings to go to the Wallpaper settings – there is also an arrow just to the right of the two iPad images.

Look for the wallpaper you have just downloaded and select it.

After choosing your selected wallpaper, you will be taken to a preview of the picture you want to use for the iPad's background. 

To set the background, either tap the button labelled 'Set Lock Screen' to set the photo for your lock screen, 'Set Home Screen' to make the photo appear underneath your app icons or 'Set Both' for the background to be used as the global image or colour for your iPad.

If you require a 'global' colour solution you can purchase transparency coloured overlays which you fit onto the iPad's screen.

You can download the complete tutorial in PDF by selecting this link

There was considerable interest in the 'Periodic Table of AAC', displayed on the CALL Scotland stand at the Augmentative Communication in Practice: Scotland Study Day on the use of iPads for communication in Dunfermline last week.

The Periodic Table of AAC very cleverly presents key points relating to Augmentative and Alternative Communication in the visual form of a Periodic Table. The key points are categorised under the following headings:

• Guiding Beliefs
• AAC Competencies
• Instructional and Implementation Tips
• Communication Functions
• Adult Support Tips
• Assessment Considerations

If you have access to an A3 colour printer, print it out as a poster providing useful tips and points to remember when using AAC in school.

The Table was devised by Kate Ahern, a teacher of learners with multiple or significant special needs from Massachusetts. Kate writes the fabulous Teaching Learners with Multiple Needs blog - a great resource for anybody using Augmentative and Alternative Communication and other technology to support pupils with severe and complex disabilities.

This looks like a useful new publication to help families and professionals understand and manage challenging behaviour in children with learning difficulties or ASD. Copies can be downloaded free from the ENABLE website  or ordered (price £3, or £2 each for more than 20 copies) by telephone (0300 200 101) or using the order form here.

Ease of Access Centre Guide

Microsoft has included a range of accessibility features (Accessibility Options) in its operating systems since Windows 95.

Windows 7 incorporates several improvements such as a change of name from 'Accessibility Options' to 'Ease of Access Centre'. These features provide a valuable but often overlooked method of supporting learners with additional support needs.

The Ease of Access Centre, found in the Control Panel, brings together all the accessibility options and adds some new features.

You can download the Ease of Access Centre Guide from the CALL website - for free.

Windows 7 On-Screen Keyboard video tutorial

One of the new built-in features is the On-Screen Keyboard which offers word prediction to help with typing speed and accuracy. The following tutorial highlights some of the key features.

The Scottish Government has launched a consultation on Secondary Legislation arising from The Equality Act 2010.The consultation seeks views on new rules of procedure for the Additional Support Needs Tribunals for Scotland (ASNTS), to enable them to hear disability claims (discrimination, harassment and victimisation) cases in school education.

Details are available on the Scottish Government web site.

Came across Special Friends Online - looks interesting as a way of helping children and adults with learning difficulties to be part of international social networking communities  - but safely. They've invented 'Smiley Talk' a way of interacting, on the site, for people who can't spell/use keyboard (or think of what to say), using smiley face icons and preset questions and answers. There are also jokes and games, poems, videos, information and links, online chat, discussion forums, heroes and stars, send hugs etc. The 'Padlock' allows a carer to restrict access and lock user out of certain sections eg. 1:1 messaging or chatroom, for safety.

I've only just joined, in order to explore and evaluate, so not yet 'recommending' this site as such - but let us know how you get on if you have tried this site.  Maybe there are other similar sites out there - we'd like to hear of them? Some teachers are also using Glow groups as a way of simulating FaceBook-type facilities securely for pupils with ASN - Susan McCauley of Pinewood school gave a great presentation on this at the CALL's recent ICT and Inclusion event in East Kilbride.

The other great resource, for symbol users, of course, is Widgit's Symbol World with constantly updating symbol stories, news, personal stories, information etc. all in symbols (and also speech feedback, if you download Browsealoud).

What's this... a non-techie blog? Technology can often be used to support students with additional support needs in schools and colleges, but there are times when it isn't the answer. Even where it has a significant part to play, successful implementation depends on teachers, parents, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and other staff working together in partnership to support the student.

The Scottish Government have produced a new publication, Guidance on Partnership Working between Allied Health Professionals and Education, which presents strategies and guidance aimed at improving the quality of partnership working between allied health professionals, education staff and parents. The Guidance outlines different features of good practice and presents a number of short case studies from different parts of Scotland. There's also a useful set of tools that can be used to measure strengths and areas for development in current practice with regard to working in partnership.

Definitely worth a look if you are involved with Partnership Working!

Come along to the AAC SIG study afternoon on Wednesday 26th of May, at Braidburn School in Edinburgh, from 1.30pm to 4.30pm.

Our guest speaker will be Claire Murray, who will be presenting on ‘Emotional Understanding and Language’ in the context of the 'Growing Confidence Project'.

This should be a really interesting afternoon, with the opportunity to share experiences, thoughts and feedback on this subject with other professionals.

The session is FREE of charge. Please return the AAC SIG flier to the address given, in order to confirm your booking.

For more information, have a look at Claire's webpage

Hope to see you on the day!

A new Information sheet called A Guide to Pictures and Symbols for Communication 2010 is now available for download or can be viewed along with the collection of other Information Sheets in the Resources section of this website.

It is a completely revised version of a similarly titled paper that was up on the CALL website before, but with buggy graphics now fixed and information added about a number of newer symbol and pictures resources.

Hurrah! At last Mayer-Johnson UK and LTS have got their act together and brought out a cheap deal on BoardMaker for Scotland.

CALL has been pushing for this. BoardMaker purchasing information has been pretty muddled lately, so the new clarity is welcome, as well as the discount.

The offer is only for the latest version, BoardMaker Plus! V6, which is the ordinary print-based BoardMaker 6 plus some new interactive features (see below). In case you are unclear - here's a few basic questions and answers.

I've got BoardMaker 5 - why might I want V6?

Lots of nice features such as 'Swap Button', easier photo importing, easier resizing, and the magical 'symbolate as you type' tool.

Why can't I just upgrade my print-only BoardMaker?

A marketing decison by Mayer-Johnson, it seems. The old paper only version looks set to fade away quietly. (You MAY still be able to get it through third party suppliers, for now.)

I don't want to pay for extra features I'll never use!

I know, it's really annoying!  But this LTS deal may take some of the pain out of it. And you never know, you may change your mind later and see a use for the new interactive possibilities of BoardMaker Plus!

I've got BoardMaker 6 - why might I want the Plus! version?

Well, it's not necessary IF all you ever want to do is make print-based symbol materials. But the Plus! version is also interactive - it talks, kids can use it themselves - drag and drop and switch access - brilliant on interactive whitboards or large plasma screen - you could make symbol quizzes, language activities, on screen work sheets, homework exercises etc. - could be just the very 'next step you were waiting for, for your pupils...

I'm new to all this. Why might I want to buy BoardMaker Plus! at all?

Well it is a really valuable tool to help you make the educational environment visual and supportive, useful for ALL pupils actually, but especially early years, additional support needs, those with language or literacy difficulties.  It's not the only tool - (CALL is not wanting to 'advertise' as such or to promote one symbol software above all others, but we do believe almost everyone can benefit from using symbols more, and BoardMaker is a tried and tested old warhorse). There's a good overview and comparison (and free trial) on the Mayer-Johnson website Also there are more and more free downloadable resources coming out all the time through the Adapted Learning website - a bit like the Clicker Learning Grids (only in symbols)

I like the sound of the free downloadable resources. Are they only for the Plus! version?

No, they are mixed. Many are for V6 print version but these will also play in V5. I suppose in time more of them will become more Plus! oriented

I've got an ancient Mac version - does the upgrade apply to me?

Yes, to ANY/ ALL old versions - but you'll get a PC version V6, there is no Mac BoardMaker Plus! (If I were you and I still use Mac, I'd keep my old Mac BoardMaker that will run in any machine without the CD in the drive AND buy the new PC one at the discounted price)

I hate upgrades! I love my old BoardMaker because it is so simple! Will the new version look all different and complicated?

No actually, it looks and behaves pretty much exactly the same as the older version, it's just got the new features added in. You don't see the new interactive features unless you double click and go looking for them.

What is the BoardMaker Plus! Player?

It means you can set a symbol exercise and get a pupil to complete  it on ANY computer, without needing the BoardMaker Plus! CD in the drive. Interesting possibilities here for homework perhaps

What are the Symbol Addenda and why would I want them?

This is a one CD pack of ALL the new PCS symbols that have come out since 2000. (There were 5 editions - 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008).  Everyone is always muddled about which symbols they did or didn't buy  - whether they installed them -  how to tell which Addenda are or aren't installed and so on. It's confusing to see symbols in some materials that you then can't 'find' in your BoardMaker. The Addenda are where many of the symbols particularly useful for autism materials are. So frankly I'd advise everyone to get this pack unless you are 100% certain that you already bought and installed all of those Addenda at the time (and still have the CDs...)  Ensuring that ALL classes / schools have the same full set of Symbol Addenda is a valuable step forward in preparing to make your school or authority Communication Friendly. The symbol Addenda will work with all versions, including older ones.

I use BoardMaker with my communication impaired clients, but I'm not in a school - can I buy at the LTS discounted rate?

As far as I know, yes, if you are in Scotland.

For further information about the LTS deal, available from 22nd February 2010, see software pages on LTS website or call Jonathan Cairney (Commercial Licensing Manager) on 0141 282 5000.

As the new session starts, a reminder to all schools that LTScotland offers a range of educational software at discounted rates, including key software for additional support needs i.e. BoardMaker V6 and Clicker 5. Check out their software promotions for Early Years, Primary, Secondary, or schools in general, and/or their software licensing schemes.