You Need
Sources and Resources
I gave the sources and resources talk at an Inclusive Technology Information Day in London recently. This section, a website round-up, points out many useful online resources.
One of the best sources of games that are easy to make - particularly since they come with very clear instructions on how to make them as well as how to play them - is the CALL Centre web site:
http://callcentre.education.ed.ac.uk
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The pictures above are just a selection of what is available. Do use your ingenuity, however, since the games were all made with BoardMaker (they do list others for Clicker 4, Powerpoint etc.) but Clicker 4 and Writing with Symbols will work equally well.
What you do need is access to the symbol system you intend to use or good digitised pictures. Many people have not noticed the images tab on the Google front page. If this is selected it provides quick access to a large range of superb pictures:
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Many people are now looking for MP3 clips and/or video clips and these have their own tabs on Altavista as well as one for images. This search engine also allows you to specify the length of clips you are looking for so you don't end up downloading a whole computer's worth!
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Many people knew about the Clicker Grids for Learning website, but since Cricksoft now market ClozePro and Word Bar V2 amongst other things, they have changed the name of the website to:
There is now a section specifically geared to adult learners too.
Users of Writing With Symbols 2000 should keep their eye on the Widgit website since it has lots of resources and I would particularly draw your attention to those by Chris Hopkins. There are templates for lots of communication aid overlays but also dice, games, tick sheets for noting items seen on a journey and much more.
There is a link from the Widgit site to Symbol World but you can also go to there directly. You will find that everything there is in symbols - jokes, celebrity profiles, other people's stories (or your own if you send them in).
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An excellent source of new BIG books is the MAPE website. MAPE has now become part of NAACE which is the professional association for those concerned with advancing education through the appropriate use of information and communications technology (ICT).
Another good source of games and worksheets that can be freely downloaded provided they are not used for commercial gain is:
www.geocities.com/SEN_resources
Two of the games are illustrated below.
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Finding resources to teach 3D aspects of shapes is challenging but following is one of the resources on:
The user needs to identify which shape would give rise to the 3D shape indicated.
If you want to know something connected to any aspect of teaching and are not frightened by an enormous amount of information and a very busy screen, you may find the next site useful:
While you are on the Inclusive Technology website, do check out the download area. It contains useful free resources:
www.inclusive.co.uk/downloads/downloads.shtml
I particularly draw your attention to SENswitcher which provides a progression of activities to develop switch use and timing: experiential; 1, 3 or 5 presses; popups; targeting and scanning.
Finally, a school website that is worth keeping an eye on is:
www.priorywoods.middlesbrough.sch.uk
The site is regularly updated, so if you see something that would be helpful to you - do not delay - download today!
Janet Larcher
Independent Consultant