You Need
the Special Needs Fringe Seminar Programme
the Special Needs Fringe ICT seminars are a great way to keep abreast of new developments, discover the latest products and find inspiration for using technology to support your learners. They are free to attend and you don't need to book places.
Wednesday 7th January 2004
Thursday 8th January 2004
Friday 9th
January 2004
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11:00 |
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| AMDi AMDi 'Tech' Communication Aids Presenter: Roger Bates AMDi communicators are robust, can meet the communication needs of many people and, above all, are easy to program. This presentation will feature the range of AMDi communicators and introduce the latest development, the Tech/Talk plus Environmental Control Unit. This is not only a communicator but also allows the user to turn on and off up to four different mains appliances. The Tech/Talk plus ECU will give many users access to a whole new range of experiences and an added level of empowerment. |
12:00 | Widgit
Software New symbol DTP and web browsing software to support inclusion Presenter: Mike and Tina Detheridge Two new applications that make a breakthrough in symbol software tools are being launched: Communicate in print offers new ways to create symbol supported materials in a completely free layout. You can create books, posters, leaflets or worksheets using text or symbol writing and pictures. Communicate Webwise is a symbol browser that allows students to view any websites with symbol support. With only two clicks they can launch their favourite sites, see the information supported by symbols and hear the text spoken. |
| Crick
Software Accessible Reading, Writing & Literacy Tools Presenter: John Crick This seminar will show a range of exciting ready-made Clicker activities. It will focus particularly on the award winning Planet Wobble books and activities, and the Find Out and Write About series. ClozePro, Crick's latest release, will also be demonstrated. This offers cloze activities for all levels, from pre-reading picture activities right through to GCSE revision! All the products shown in this seminar can be accessed by both mouse and switches and are suitable for a wide range of ages and abilities. |
13:00 | Keytools Mouse and Keyboard Alternatives - achieving successful classroom outcomes beyond the pupil/computer interface Presenter: Tim Roberts In addition to being the delivery mechanism for today's curriculum, computers and IT now form part of the content as well. Achieving classroom inclusion, therefore, means that while it is clear that differences in motor-skills and cognitive ability have to be addressed, it also becomes important to consider issues of motivation and of productivity. Tim Roberts, with over 20 year's experience in adaptive technology, will show examples of the choice of keyboards and mice available and the various practical considerations that such choices involve. Ideal for anyone concerned with obtaining relevant IT outcomes for pupils with special needs. |
14:00 |
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| The Force Ten
Company Access to the curriculum for those with vision impairment Presenter: Norman Lilly This seminar will look at some of the products available to enable those with sight difficulties to access the school curriculum. Technology is today providing an ever-widening choice of products that will enable those with low sight or are blind to be able to see the whiteboard or to be able to gain access to documents in a tactile format using tactile Braille printing. |
15:00 | EPAR Software Software that saves time for schools Presenter: Peter Smith/John Bell Almost all schools now have a network and computers in every classroom, but many schools do not realise how these valuable resources can be used to save teachers, admin staff and the SMT hours every week. For years there has been no software available specifically for the demanding special needs school environment. Fortunately, this has now changed, and we will show you how modern software can compliment your existing systems to benefit the whole school. |
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11:00 |
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| Liberator Switching to communication Presenter: Martyn Maltby The development of switching skills in individuals with profound and multiple learning difficulties opens up a whole new world of potential learning opportunities. One of the most important of these is the acquisition of communication skills. This seminar will show you how even pre-intentional learners can develop switching skills and the concept of cause and effect, and use this as a springboard to developing the ability to make choices and other more advanced communication skills. These are tried and tested practical ideas and suggestions for the busy teacher in a busy classroom. |
12:00 | QED Activity resources that support communication development and learning objectives using AAC systems Presenter: Nadine Farris An introduction to Activity Resources within the QED range. These provide a starting point for teachers, support staff and primary carers to integrate Alternative and Augmentative Communication systems within specific learning tasks. This seminar will include practical examples of individual activities and demonstrate a selection of AAC devices and special input switches. |
| Dynavox The Future Four Communication Presenter: Amani Nacoat An opportunity for therapists, teachers, carers and other professionals to view the new Dynavox Series 4 product range. Look at where it has come from, how the improvements requested for the 3100 series have been added, and where it is going to in the future. There will be plenty of opportunity to ask questions and try out the features that are discussed. The current major issues regarding AAC devices will also be aired, and if time permits, the session will conclude with a look into what considerations we need to consider for the future. |
13:00 | Inclusive
Technology Developing switch skills Presenter: Melanie Jones Discover fun and exciting ways to help your switch users progress from cause and effect activities to making choices. Gain an overview of different types of switches and look at how they should be positioned. You can also see new SwitchIt! software titles with popular themes like the weather, farm animals and people who help us, and find out how they can help develop early language skills. The latest choice making software including Let's go to town and Choose and Tell: Nursery Rhymes will also be demonstrated. |
14:00 |
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| The HFT Karten CTEC
Centre Creating Lifestories with Adults with Learning Disabilities Presenter: Ann Aspinall The HFT Karten CTEC Centre provides training for staff and carers working with adults with learning disabilities. One of the workshops held at the centre teaches staff the practical skills of how to produce a multimedia lifestory using a variety of software both mainstream and specialist. This seminar shares some of this work and shows some completed lifestories with evidence of how it has empowered people with learning disabilities. |
15:00 | AbleNet What's new from AbleNet Presenter: Roger Bates Each year AbleNet continues to bring you the best in communication products and this year is no different. This is an opportunity to see the upgraded versions of your old friends the BIGmack, Step-by-Step and One-Step. The new BIGmack, BIG Step-by-Step and LITTLEmack will be shown, offering a bigger, better sound and other extras. You will also see the BookWorm literacy tool and learn why it is fast becoming very popular. |
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11:00 |
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| Toby
Churchill Accessing computers from Toby Churchill Ltd’s communication aids Presenter: Simon Churchill The seminar will present the range of Lightwriter text-to-speech communication aids and how their new Environmental Control options provide control of other equipment and access to computers. There will also be a detailed presentation on their range of symbol-based communication aids and how these adapt to different users’ needs. A new, low-cost symbol-based communication aid will be presented which provides computer access. |
12:00 | Penfriend Penfriend, Literacy support for all ages. Presenter: Roger Spooner See the most recent developments in Penfriend, the powerful software tool for helping dyslexic and physically disabled people to write and read. These include online upgrading, major improvements to speech and screen reading, the ease of producing topic lexicons and much more. We will also show the wide range of ages and needs that are benefiting from using Penfriend. For example, it is now in over 800 UK online centres, all the special schools in Northern Ireland and all the schools both primary and secondary in some LEAs. |
| Prentke Romich
International Minspeak use of multi meaning icons to represent language Presenter: Mark Street The communication aids supplied by Prentke Romich International are based mainly on the Minspeak language system. Minspeak was introduced in the early 1980s by Bruce Baker. Minspeak uses pictures called icons, and takes advantage of our normal tendency to associate more than one meaning with an item. By using multi-meaning icons, Minspeak uses a limited number of icons to represent potentially a very extensive vocabulary. Although Minspeak was originally used to represent sentences, it was soon evident that individuals, even those with significant cognitive challenges, were more interactive communicators when given a set of single words rather than whole messages. |
13:00 | Sensory Software
International 57 varieties in 1 tin! Presenter: Paul Hawes This session will show how the new Literacy Suite from Sensory Software can deliver all the common tools used for literacy intervention and support for dyslexic users. The suite comprises four programs covering word prediction, word bars, spell checking, screen reading, graphics, homophone distinction, word banks, auto-correction, word processing with speech, and large print. The four programs in the Suite are aimed at different needs, but share common resources such as prediction and spelling dictionaries, speech exceptions, auto-correction and picture libraries. |
14:00 |
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| The Advisory
Unit ICT impacting learning - perspectives from The Bridge School Presenter: Andrew Beswetherick, Nick Wonham and Sally Paveley With a new school building on the horizon Sally Paveley from the Advisory Unit and Andrew Beswetherick from The Bridge School, Islington have been visiting schools around the UK looking at best practise using ICT. Andrew will share our findings. Nick Wonham, teacher at The Bridge and author of Inclusive Technology's new 'Choose & Tell' software, will show some of the lovely talking books he has made with his Key Stage 1 pupils. Finally Sally will show her work on multimedia RoA, making movies and story writing using a whiteboard. |
15:00 | Techcess Using DaeSSy Wheelchair Mounts Presenter: Ian Bullock Attaching wheelchair mounts is not straightforward. Positioning of an AAC device on a wheelchair mount can be crucial to its successful use. A safe, secure and robust mounting system is vital to protect the device and user. Some new models of wheelchair - especially Tilt in Space and aluminium or titanium framed wheelchairs - offer fewer obvious suitable points for attaching a mounting system. All in an environment where there are no formal guidelines or common best practice to help purchasers. This presentation will demonstrate how we use the DaeSSy Mounting Systems to achieve the optimum mounting solution to fulfil your requirements. |