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How-IT-Works Seminar Programme
The ever-popular How-IT-Works ICT seminars are a great way to keep abreast of new developments, discover the latest products and to find inspiration for using technology to support your learners.
They are free to attend and you don't need to book places.
Note: How-IT-Works seminars are organised independently and in addition to the NASEN seminar programme.
Friday 21st October 2005
Saturday 22nd October 2005
| Suite A | Suite B | |
| Don Johnston
Special Needs Tools to help struggling pupils improve their reading comprehension across the curriculum Presenter: Jamie Munro This seminar, hosted by Jamie Munro, will focus on reading comprehension for struggling readers. During this presentation Jamie will show that there are ways to enhance every child’s reading ability; firstly, through the use of our new Start-to-Finish© Library. Whether a pupil is practicing listening comprehension, building word recognition and fluency or reading for recreation, they will always have the right level of support for the reading task at hand. Secondly, using Read:OutLoud©: the only text reader that provides pupils with modelling and scaffolding, helping pupils comprehend any text across the curriculum. During the seminar Jamie will show a sneak preview of a new Start-to-Finish Core Content, which will be released in January. |
10:30 | Iansyst
Ltd Strategies for overcoming visual stress Presenter: Eugenie Morley This detailed seminar will offer advice and information on how ReadAble and other products can help overcome the difficulties of visual stress, visual dyslexia and some visual impairments. The seminar will cover the pros and cons of this software and how the user can get the best results in different situations. |
| Attainment
Company Basic augmentative communication—single message to multiple message devices Presenter: Dan Hanson Presenting a range of easy-to-use AAC devices, from single messages devices to multi-message devices with up to 100 messages. Devices are appropriate for both younger and older students with speech limitations due to learning difficulties, autism, cerebral palsy, etc. Suggestions will be presented for creative and effective ways to use AAC devices for both expressive and receptive communication. There will be lots of opportunity for hands-on experience with each of the devices. |
11:30 | Keytools BigKeys and literacy teaching Find out how the BigKeys keyboard can be successfully used to teach literacy in Reception, Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2 and for pupils of all ages with special educational needs. The simple, uncluttered layout and large colourful keys ensure pupils will always be motivated to type. The large keys encourage the child to find and hit the right keys and the colours help the child to recognise particular letters. A must for every classroom, the BigKeys Keyboard will help increase pupils' confidence in using ICT, ensuring successful outcomes every time. |
Inclusive Technology SwitchIt! Maker 2 is a new tool to help you and your pupils make motivating activities for switches, touch screens and interactive whiteboards. This session will demonstrate how SwitchIt! Maker 2 can be used to quickly and simply create talking books, musical slideshows, records of achievement and other activities to support work in any area of the curriculum for learners of all ages and abilities. We’ll show you how to use sounds, music, photographs and video to get the very best from your learners and share exciting ideas for engaging activities that you can make. |
12:30 | Q.E.D Get connected! Providing access to your environment Presenter: Nadine Farris The vast majority of difficulties experienced by clients with complex physical needs relate to their access to the environment. Whether young or old, we all rely on a wide range of devices/resources to provide independence and quality of life, both within the home and at work. This seminar will address how to bridge the gap between our physical movement and the environment with reference to the myriad of products that provide enormous potential for individuals with physical impairment. |
| Lexion/Frolunda Data The Lexion system: multi-tool language assessment and remediation software for dyslexics and aphasics Lexion helps in assessing and training individuals with dyslexia, aphasia or other language related learning disorders. It contains 94 different exercise modules in a thoroughly thought out educational pattern. They are arranged into groups including: phonological awareness and processing, letter/sound correspondence, spelling and decoding at word level, vocabulary and conceptual understanding, decoding and comprehension of sentences and texts, spatial relationships, arithmetic, time and various games. |
13:30 | Softease Using Textease to promote inclusion and accessibility Presenter: Eugenie Morley Textease Studio CT – the ultimate in classroom tools - is an integrated set of nine key tools that can be adapted to individual needs, providing effective learning opportunities for all pupils. Key Textease inclusion and accessibility features include: a common interface used in all programs; tool tips and button text that give more help; text-to-speech facility; spell checker; the ability to record sounds directly into documents and searchable resource and word banks. The breadth of tools available in Textease Studio CT is ideal for supporting teaching and learning across all curriculum subjects. Each application can be tailored to suit the needs of individual pupils allowing for progression and differentiation at all levels. |
| Claro
Software Limited New ClaroRead Version 2 Presenter: Dave Stevens Claro Software will be demonstrating their innovative new ClaroRead Version 2. It has been developed to help PC users of all capabilities create, read, view and check text. ClaroRead is closely integrated with Microsoft applications, with particular emphasis on Word. It incorporates the world-leading RealSpeak text-to-speech voices, to provide high-quality read back of virtually anything on your PC screen. We will outline the importance of providing assistive software that is simple to use but effective for people with literacy or visual difficulties. ClaroRead will work with any application or software program on your PC, and can read back menus, web pages and tooltips, as well as any text displayed on the screen - and is controlled by one, easily-readable toolbar. |
14:30 | Liberator Ltd. Advancing Communication Presenters: Stuart Meredith, Andy Yardley This presentation, delivered by a communication aid user, is designed to illustrate the advances in technology within the AAC field and highlight new language learning techniques and their potential application in the classroom. |
| Suite A | Suite B | |
Dynavox With an infinite number of possibilities and limited only by one’s imagination, Boardmaker is a powerful and flexible software tool used in classrooms across the UK and internationally. This seminar aims to offer increased knowledge and understanding regarding Boardmaker's applications, extensions and upgrades, to make it even more valuable and useful to delegates. |
10:30 | R-E-M Software to assist with language and literacy development in the early years Presenter: Rob Black This seminar will provide you with a brief overview of software to assist pupils with Downs Syndrome and other learning difficulties in the area of reading, speaking and literacy development. It will show some tried and tested software as well as some new and recently released titles. There may even be a sneak preview of titles in the pipeline. |
| AplhaSmart How Neo and Dana can support teaching and learning in your classroom In this seminar we will explore ways in which using Neo and Dana, both from AlphaSmart, can make a real difference to teaching and learning in your classroom. AlphaSmart’s tough but lightweight portable writing devices have long been a favourite in SEN departments and both Dana and Neo continue this tradition. As well as providing an introduction to both machines, we will be illustrating their use with real examples from the classroom. Finally, one lucky person will get to take a free Neo home – don’t miss your chance! |
11:30 | Crick Software
Ltd Clicker 5 Presenter: Neil Andrew Neil Andrew from Crick Software will be showing you their latest software to support and assist with literacy teaching. An exciting upgrade to Clicker has just been released, ensuring that this program remains an essential tool for supporting primary aged children and those of all ages with special needs. Jigworks is also an amazingly flexible tool for creating and completing jigsaws, inset puzzles and much more! It offers a wide scope of both pre-reading and early reading activities, addressing skills from shape and picture matching up to early word-level reading skills. |
| CENMAC Digital video profiles at Charlton School Digital Video Profiles is an interactive CD-Rom in which students take part in making. The students can then use this DV Profile to communicate, educate, and inform others about themselves. These profiles provide an accessible means for young people to express their views and aspirations. A visual way of sharing their experiences and developments with friends and family where verbal communication may be difficult. In a new environment, a students behaviour can change dramatically and huge steps that have been made can be lost if new staff are unaware of the students potential. The use of video and multimedia is now used widely throughout the school. |
12:30 | Resource
Education The power of pictures Presenter: Trevor Millum This session will look at the way pictures can be used to enhance learning for pupils of all ages. They can be a tool to assist literacy and numeracy and, of course, a way of for pupils to experiment and develop creativity. The session will introduce a new 'word-free' art package from Resource called Albert's Paintbox; it will also draw on some of the features of established programs such as ‘I Can Write’ and ‘See It: Say It’. |
| Inclusive
Technology ReadIt! - stories for everyone! Presenter: Ian Bean Everyone loves a good story! Learners of all ages enjoy listening to stories, reading stirring adventures or writing tall tales of their own. However, many children are denied this pleasure because of their physical, cognitive or sensory difficulties. This seminar examines some of the technologies that you can use to enable shared and independent access to enchanting tales. See the new ReadIt! series of fully accessible interactive storybooks and the wealth of supporting resources that accompany each book. |
13:30 | Prentke
Romich International Ltd Presenter: Mark Street Prentke Romich International Ltd (PRI) are world leaders in assistive technology for people with limited or no natural speech capability. We offer a range of voice output communication aids, using both alphabetic and pictorial methods of representing language. We also supply computer access software, accessories, switches and wheelchair mounting systems. |
| Sherston Sherston – Supporting the Inclusive classroom! Presenter: Sarah Helton Come along and see Sherston’s newest titles to support children with special needs. This seminar will provide demonstrations of all Sherston’s titles designed to support pupils with SEN and offer an insight into Sherston’s plans for special educational needs. |
14:30 | Widgit Software Literacy Through Symbols Presenter: Tina Camarca This seminar will discuss the difference between symbols used for written and 'spoken' communication. You will see examples of the new Widgit Rebus Colour Symbols, and hear how they have been specifically designed with a strong schematic structure to support literacy. You will also see Communicate: In Print 2 and examples of materials created for those with reading, communication and learning difficulties. Communicate: By Choice will also be demonstrated, which helps teachers develop computer based student activities supported with symbols, as well as Webwide, a web browser that provides flexible support including speech feedback, simplified layouts and the option for automatic symbol support. |