Movenote allows you to add a video of yourself teaching (or of anything for that matter) to any photos or slide content and send the link to this video to someone via email, SMS or via social media such as Facebook and Twitter. It is also possible to export your slides from within the Keynote app directly to Movenote, or add pictures directly from either of the cameras or even flip the camera recording the video, while recording is paused.

Some of the ideas we have thought of are:

• If you are working with a student who needs instruction visually, or the ability to review the video instruction many times in the future, this is certainly a clever option;
• If you are teaching something which relies on seeing the teacher, such as Key Word Sign, Movenote is great as it allows your participants to see you signing as the slides are shown, see our very short example here;
• You can even use Movenote as a visual support tool for students with Autism, record a parent or teacher explaining the steps involved in an activity whilst showing photos or symbols to accompany the instruction;
• Movenote could also be used to create social stories, to teach new skills or prepare for new experiences, with a familiar person telling the story whilst the steps are backed up with visuals in the slide view;
• What a great way to share your personal story using family photos, or even tell someone about a recent trip you had by showing the happy snaps at the same time you video yourself telling the holiday stories.

Another great thing? It is for FREE – all you need to do to create a video is to sign up to an account, but you can freely share the links with anyone. So why not just download it and check it out – you will see how easy it is to use.

I’m sure there are many other uses for this app within our classrooms, clinics and in our homes – we’d love to hear how you have successfully used Movenote?!

But one that we haven’t explained in great detail is the ability to use the new “Mouse Dwell” access option, which allows the Clicker Sets, onscreen keyboard and predictor to be accessed via a mouse or other pointing device without having to press a button to select. Instead, the user holds the cursor steady, or “dwells”, in the desired area for a predetermined amount of time and interact with the content.

While this has not been specifically developed for use with eye gaze devices, it is possible to get them to work together. This means that students who are using an open communication device with their eyes as their access method can now access their Clicker grids as well!

To activate this feature you will need to go into the User Access menu. The mouse dwell option has other settings that can be edited to suit the individual’s needs also. You can choose a specific dwell time for the content to be spoken, and also another dwell time for the content to be selected. You can also alter the dwell sensitivity and next dwell distance to allow for a certain amount of movement error depending on the experience of the eye gaze user. And of course you can use the general Edit Clicker Set options to resize the targets if you find they are too small for this access method.

To hear about Becky’s experience with this feature click here.

It’s great to know that Clicker is now even more accessible for the students we support with severe physical challenges.

Texthelp have just created a Toolmatcher which is a very handy feature matching checklist which helps you to identify the tools that can help. It’s simple:

1. Think of an individual student;
2. Check the boxes next to the accommodations that best meet that student’s needs;
3. Then click “See how Read&Write GOLD can help.

It will then provide you with a list of the features which might be able to help, a direct link to the short support videos, and also the ability to download a Word version of this report and email it. Once  it is emailed, it also provides a link to the video instructions on how to customise your toolbar to include only the relevant features.

Also, just a reminder about the fabulous support tools available on the Texthelp website, including the videos, and our very own Texthelp R&W GOLD webinars available to Spectronics Online subscribers, where you can see all of the features in action.

Such handy tools to get the most out of your Read&Write GOLD!

You can read more about Version 3.0 on the Assistware website – HERE.

Or you may even like to watch my 30 minute webinar demonstrating the new features.

Here are some of the great new features:

We now have the entire family of Australian Text-to-Speech Voices. The male voice Tyler has been available since Version 2, but we now have Lisa (Female voice), Liam (boy voice) and Olivia (girl voice). And here in Australia, we are very pleased to meet them! These voices are free to download within the app. Simply click on the voices you want to download within the Options – Speech – Voices section.

ExpressivePower™ is one of the very exciting new features in Version 3. We can now add prerecorded expressions and sounds onto buttons. These expressions have intonation and greatly improve how natural sounding the voices are. You can access this feature, when you are in edit mode. When you click on Add a Button, there is now an additional tool you can click in the “Text to Speak” window.

When you click on this, you have the option of adding: SOUNDS, EXPRESSIONS or MACROS.

Using sounds, (like animal noises, breathing, laughing) may be a fun addition to your communication set.

Adding the Expressions to messages is a fanastic way to add personality, intonation and real emotion to your message.

Adding Macros, means that regularly used vocabulary, such as days of the week, time, date can be used easily added to messages, and is updated with the actual current day, time, date. You definitely need to play with this!

The other feature with Expressive Power is the ability to customise the voice properties of individual buttons. You could increase or decrease the volume of just one button, without having to change that globally on the whole page set. You could use one of the different voices to tell a joke, or deliver a line in a role play, without having to use that voice everywhere!

And we now have Switch Access in Proloquo2Go -YAY! Everything is easy to set up and customise to support single and two switch scanning. We can set up the screen to be the switch or a use any standard external switch through a Bluetooth switch interface. Another new access method in Version 3 is ‘Select on Release’ that supports direct access for users who have difficulty keeping only one finger on the screen. Click HERE if you want to learn more!

By far, one of my favourite new features in Proloquo2Go is the Social Sharing Support. This means that messages written into the message window can be shared outside of Proloquo2Go. You can send your text as an email, as a message, or even post a Facebook or Twitter status! Please note you need iOS 6+ on your device to access ALL of these sharing features. I had a client send an “I love you” message to her Mum – she was so excited! I also love that we can also COPY the text from the message window, and then paste it into another App. I had a student write his own sentence using the Core Vocabulary and then we were able to copy this sentence and paste it into a book creation app so he could create a recount of his weekend. I have so many ideas for how I am going to use this!

Lastly, we now have Dropbox Support, so that we can import and export our Proloquo2Go backups.

Now, the app developers tell me that there are at least 25 more refinements and improvements in Proloquo2Go version 3. I’m trying hard to find them all. Let me know if you find something new! Here are just some that I have found so far:

• We can now rename the Folder and change the symbol for it – we have been able to do this on the button level before, but now we can also do this for the label of the folder on the toolbar. And the symbol on the tool bar is now square, not a circle (see- I even notice the smallest changes!)
• We can change Hold Duration (now located in ACCESS METHODS, not Interaction) using a simple +/- button, allowing for more precise increments for the hold duration
• The Home button icon is now always present on the bottom tool bar, so when you are actually on your home page, it is still there, but it is greyed out.
• The secondary folders of vocabulary are now numbered with a 2, making it easier to remember and find vocabulary.
• The Back space button in the message window will highlight red when you click or double click on it.

Okay, that’s all from me today…. your resident Proloquo2Go junkie…. but hey – keep an eye out for some Hands On Proloquo2Go workshops coming soon too!

Amanda

In response to MANY requests, we are repeating the very popular Integrating iPads into your Classroom: For Learning Support and Special Ed one-day workshops again this month. Only in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane this time around, but videos of the full day of workshop content will be available to ALL Spectronics Online Premium Subscribers within the next few days. So if you can’t be there in person, simply subscribe now to ensure you don’t miss out on the comprehensive collection of information to be presented on the workshop day!

Helping you to make informed apps and technology choices for your students!

The iPad has turned even experienced technology users into beginners again! So much to learn. How do you make the BEST app choices when there are over 500,000 to choose from? How do you successfully embed iPads within your learning support programs? How are they best used in special ed classrooms and for students with autism?

So many questions! Join the Spectronics Consultancy Team to answer many of these questions and more for you. The workshop presenters, Greg O’Connor, Amanda Hartmann and Katie Lyon are all Apple Certified Trainers and have been working with apps and iPads from the time of their release in Australia and New Zealand in 2010! Added to the team’s experience is the fact that they have each spent many years supporting implementation of pre-iPad learning support and special ed technologies too. So they understand where iPads fit within the technology toolkit for your classroom. And are keen to share their expertise with you in these information-packed workshops!

When and Where?

• Sydney - Tuesday 21st May 2013 – Download the Sydney iPad workshop flyer (PDF)
• Melbourne - Wednesday 29th May 2013 - Download the Melbourne iPad workshop flyer (PDF)
• Brisbane – Friday 31st May 2013 - Download the Brisbane iPad workshop flyer (PDF)

What’s covered in these fast-paced information-packed days?

• Customising the iPad to accommodate the needs of diverse learners.
• Adding content to your iPads to support students in special ed classrooms.
• Adding content to your iPads to support students with learning support needs in mainstream classrooms.
• Adding content to your iPads to support students with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
• Creating customised content on iPads: Students and teachers as authors.
• Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater! The place for other technologies in your classroom toolkit.
• Taking your learning further … today is just the beginning!

Other workshop inclusions?

• Full catering for the day including arrival tea/coffee, morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea
• Access to online resources to support your learning at the workshop and afterwards to share with your colleagues
• Access to your presenters for personalised question and answer sessions in the breaks
• PLUS as an added bonus all workshop attendees will be given a FREE 30-day trial Spectronics Online Premium Subscription extending your iPad learning opportunities even further!
• AND you will be given access to a video of the workshop content for a full two months after the workshop – to help you to catch up on anything you missed as the fast-paced session was in progress on the workshop day. Great for sharing your learning with your colleagues too!

Bring along your iPad (or preferred mobile device) if you wish to be able to access resources online while the workshop is in progress. However, this is not a “hands-on” workshop so you will not be disadvantaged if you do not have an iPad in hand.

A week before your workshop kicks off, we will send you instructions on how to download all of the presentations and resources for the day so that you have them available on your iPad ready to use on the day. Alternatively, you may even wish to print them out for making notes on the day – if paper and pen is your preferred notetaking style.

Cost to attend this comprehensive one-day workshop?

• $195 (AUD) per workshop

What if you can’t attend the workshop in person? We have video for you!

We are only able to travel to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane for the iPads for Learning Support and Special Education workshops this month. We appreciate that this may not be ideal for you to be there in person. If so, we are offering another way for you to be able to benefit from the comprehensive content shared on the day.

We have videoed several of our iPad workshops in full – from 9am through to the finish at 4pm. And have broken them up into 1.5 hour sessions under each topic area making it easier for you to find the time to view the content in smaller chunks. These will be available to all Spectronics Online Premium Subscribers by the end of this week! Subscribe now from just $95 per year and you won’t have to miss out on any of the information shared by the clever Spectronics Consultancy Team at the iPad workshops!

We hope that you are able to join us at one of these sessions. They are (once again) proving to be seriously popular. As there are limited spaces at the venues, registering as soon as is possible will ensure you don’t miss out on a place. As always, if you have any questions at all please don’t hesitate to contact the Spectronics workshops team on email or on phone (07) 3808 6833. We’re happy to help out!

The USB connector from the Camera Connection Kit needs to be plugged into the iPad you want to share the photos and videos to (see the iPad on left in the photo below). The Dock connector cord is used to connect the two iPads together. The connector kit works with iPad 1, 2 and 3 with the old style dock connector.

As soon as they are both plugged in, the photo app on your iPad you are “transferring to” will open immediately and shows an extra Camera tab at the top of the screen. The photos will start to populate the screen. You can then select individual photos and video OR choose to import them all.

This would certainly be a handy way to share video and photos between devices at school or in other settings!

]]> http://www.spectronicsinoz.com/blog/apps-and-mobile-learning/transfer-images-and-video-between-ipads/feed/ 3 http://www.spectronicsinoz.com/blog/apps-and-mobile-learning/transfer-images-and-video-between-ipads/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/spectronics-blog/~3/KwbHAtnBZAs/ http://www.spectronicsinoz.com/blog/apps-and-mobile-learning/speak-selection-you-just-have-to-know-about-this/#comments Sat, 20 Apr 2013 02:48:38 +0000 Katie Lyon http://www.spectronicsinoz.com/blog/?p=8471 Speak Selection is one of the most exciting and useful accessibility features on the iPad. It has been around for a while now, since iOS 5 in fact, but has continued to improve with time. We had mentioned it in Accessibility Settings in iOS: access to i-devices explaine d but since this time there have been more features added to make it even more functional, and now we think it deserves its own post.

Well, what does it do I hear you ask? Once speak selection is turned on in the accessibility section of the general settings app, it will speak aloud text that is highlighted in some apps such as Notes, Safari and iBooks. This text-to-speech feature is great for some of the students with diverse learning needs that we support who comprehend the written text better if it is spoken aloud, or for people with a vision impairment who need this support feature to access text at various times as their fatigue levels fluctuate.

It is simple to activate, when you highlight text in an app such as the ones mentioned above, as well as the standard copy, select all and define buttons that appear you will also get the option to speak. Press this button and voilà!

As I mentioned, it does depend on the app whether or not compatibility with this function has been included as part of the development, which is why it is available with many of the Apple native apps. But it means at the very least you can read any note, webpage or ebooks with the support of text to speech.

Additional options that you now have with this feature include the ability to change the rate of speech, the dialect (including Australian English) and the highlight words option that provides an additional visual cue as each word is spoken aloud.

Just a side note too – ever wondered why you get a reader button in the web address bar sometimes? When you press this it strips away the unnecessary navigation information and just provides the content, as seen in the picture, which of course can then be read aloud using Speak Selection!

We would love to hear your successes with using speak selection, share them with us here.

Watch this 2min 30sec video for a super quick demonstration. Warning….. My hand looks REALLY huge in this video because I am demonstrating the gestures on my iPad Mini!

As I mention in the video, you may need to turn these gestures OFF (they are set ON as default), if you have students that have motor difficulties and are activating 4 finger swipes without meaning too! You can turn off Multi-tasking gestures in the Settings – General Tab on your device.

This video goes perfectly hand-in-hand with one of our latest webinars – iPad Basics 101 - a must watch webinar for anyone starting out on the iPad.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Amanda

Flo Longhorn, world respected trainer and advocate for sensory education is launching her new online magazine ‘Info Exchange‘ in April. The magazine is packed with practical advice for those parents and professionals involved in the education and therapy of those with severe and complex physical and intellectual difficulties. A whole section of the magazine is given over to the use of iPads and apps with these very special learners and subscribers will receive an email from Flo each week with a list of the best new special needs apps.

For a free one year subscription (normally £20 for individuals and £30 for schools) simply visit and ‘like’ our Facebook page to receive your activation code.

Here’s the link: One Year Free Subscription to Info Exchange Magazine

Free SENICT Playzone

I just wanted to say a huge ‘thank you‘ to the thousands of you who are visiting the online games section of my website. Like the ‘KidsOnly‘ activity centre I wrote for the Priory Woods website, ‘SENICT Playzone‘ features a range of switch and touch screen accessible activities children can play online without distracting links or advertisements.

This FREE area of the website will grow in the coming months to include more activities each with a data sheet showing clearly how the activity supports specific learning outcomes and how it can be used with assessment / target setting tools like my Switch and Touch Screen progression books.

Here’s the link: SENICT PLAYZONE

More free apps every single day …

Another great month for free Special Needs iPad apps suitable for students with severe and complex needs on my SENICT Facebook page. In March, we posted a new free interactive story book from high quality app developer Auryn every single day. Here’s a few useful apps that we have posted in the last couple of days. Please note: Always check the price of an app before downloading it. Many apps are offered free but only for a short time.

Play Square WordWorld’s Happy Birthday Dog – a lovely interactive storybook.
British Council Schools Phonics app – as if to illustrate how quickly things change, this app has been FREE for a week and changed without notice to £6.99 while I was writing this.
Trudy Goes to the Beach – interactive storybook covering social skills.
The Rocket Book – A really nice interactive storybook with great graphic style.

You can also download a PDF list of the apps that I’m using in my work with schools and those which feature in my training workshops. Download Ian’s Apps List

I post new free apps on my Facebook page each day. To get access to these and more simply click the Facebook link. I appreciate that not everyone has access to Facebook and I’m actively looking for a solution which will allow me to post the apps to my web site each day.

Switch and Touch Access to YouTube

If you’re one of the lucky schools where YouTube has not been blocked, you’ll be pleased to learn that there is now an accessible version of YouTube that works with switches and touch-screens. Developed in conjunction with Henshaws College and JISC, the page features large easy to read fonts, a touch-friendly interface, safe searching using black and white-lists and most importantly your students can control the videos using switches.

I’ve worked with many students who could use this to access their videos independently. I think it’s brilliant! I hope you do too!

Here’s the link: ACCESS YOUTUBE