The ICT and Inclusion Day is always a really useful and enjoyable day, so if you can possibly come along, you should!  Book now in case it gets booked out.   It's completely FREE and you are given refreshments and lunch for nothing. You will see ALL the latest hardware and software and hear practical, information-packed (and SHORT) presentations on your choice of topics all geared towards learners with additional support for learning needs. You can focus on  school and  / or Further Education. You will meet and network with colleagues and interesting new contacts including presenters and suppliers. Don't miss it.

This is an interesting newsletter (from the USA) that draws together a rich list of resources and provides a useful set of iPad/iPod/iPhone App links but also offers some very sensible words of caution about the risk of being 'swept away' by an unrealistic expectation that iPad Apps can meet every need and solve every problem. A debate that will no doubt be airing a lot in these times ....

A new website (for Portland College, a special school in Sunderland) provides a convenient new location where you can download a pile of delightfully rude and silly sensory stories created by the one and only delightfully silly Pete Wells. Downloads include a multimedia Powerpoint file and a Word file with a short and easy-to-follow outline of the objects needed and how/when to use these to make the story a fun sensory experience for pupils. An associated set of pupil-centred activities (PC only) includes a counting game (disgusting things to to put in Hagmella's Grot Pot) and  "Faye Spook", a story with cautionary tales (plus a quiz) about safe use of social networking sites.

If anyone is planning to follow the Royal Wedding with their class, Widgit's newly published symbol resources may be useful.

Well, sometimes this ICT business can just all be a bit too much...

Everyone loves the iPad but three of the (several, actually) things that make it less than ideal as a portable communication aid are lack of a carry handle and the fact that little fingers cannot resist self-distraction by constantly pressing the Home button. Also lack of volume, for loud and noisy environments. Amdi's brand new iAdapter seems to address all three of these with a rubbery protective cover, that includes a carry handle, a slide cover over the Home button and built-in amplified speakers (rechargeable battery). It also comes with a shoulder strap and a plastic stand for table top use. Not cheap, but.... We're looking forward to seeing it, and hoping a UK supplier picks it up quickly, will keep you posted on that.

Portability is generally a key requirement of a voice output communication aid. A few dedicated communication aids come in 'handheld' size, and there continues to be much interest in iPods and iPads (cheapness is another attractive feature!) But amazingly, nowadays, you can buy a fully featured Windows 7 lightweight wifi PC with a 5" or 7" screen. There are touch screen only versions (X70, S5), or tiny clamshell with keyboard and touchscreen (N5). They have a fantastic 'instantly -on' feature and days of standby-time; battery life is pretty good (5-6 hours) but an extra speaker would be needed to give volume adequate for anything other than a quiet environment. The S5 and N5 are pocketable, the X70 is eminently hand-baggable. All are potentially switch accessible.

X70 (weighs 700 grams)

S5 (weighs 395 grams)

N5 (399 grams)

The leading manufacturer is Viliv, and these South Korean ultra mini PCs (UMPC) can be bought directly from the UK supplier, Think4 IT or from various online sources, eg. Dynamism , at around the £450 - £550 mark (ex VAT) depending on version & supplier. With communication aid software, symbol sets and communication vocabularies loaded, they can be bought from: SmartBox with The Grid 2; or Speaks4Me (premium added for software, support and extended warranty etc.). Check it out!

Kids with physical disabilities often need to use 'scanning'  (and switching) to access their communication and/or writing programs. Scanning is a widely misunderstood word.  A good definition was coined by David Colven and Simon Judge in  'Switch Access to Technology'. They say: "It's a bit like a 'Yo Sushi' bar. You can't reach all the dishes from where you sit, and so you have to wait until the one you want turns up in front of you."

I like that!  I'd like to bring in a 'restaurant metaphor' of my own. With  children who use low tech communication, I often get faced with frustrated staff who say  'he can't even answer Yes or No or make choices'. Then I watch, and see them say things like 'Freddy - do you want mince for lunch? Yes or no?' .    At that point I reflect on how I would feel if I went into a restaurant and the waiter said "Do you want chicken balmoral?"  I'd say "well maybe - I don't know - what else do you have on the menu, please tell me ALL the options and THEN I'll choose."  (And I might think 'what a useless waiter!')

So  - except with those few pupils who are known to cope with only one or two alternatives - I often suggest that staff should limit the use of yes/no questions and forced alternative questions (choice from 2)  and try using oral/auditory scanning instead. I have seen pupils learn to make successful choices from 3, 4 and even 6 or more items using this method.  It's especially powerful for children with visual impairment and really poor pointing ability - no pictures needed, just consistent oral presentation by staff and listening and simple signalling by the child.

Of course, things can get much more sophisticated by introducing symbols and even eye-coding systems to create a full 'partner assisted scanning system'.  A comprehensive handout by Linda Burkhart and Gayle Porter is available. And check out this video by Gail van Tatenhove to see how far this can go

CALL has previously alerted folk to the cheap deal on Boardmaker software available through LTS, for Scotland. Since LTS revamped their web site, the page link we gave before has become defunct. Look here for current prices    It's rumoured that the deal may 'run out' once a ceiling number have been sold, so if you want it, perhaps best not to wait too long.

Anybody who is interested in augmentative communication for their pupils, clients or family member needs to be aware of the annual Communication Matters (CM) Symposium. This is a UK-wide conference - actually becoming increasingly international - held every September (26-28 September, this year, in Leicester). It may seem expensive but is actually excellent value considering that all accommodation and food are included.

The programme is relevant for both children and adult clients and always offers a great mix of practical, research, technical and AAC user-led presentations, for all levels of AAC experience. The conference is accompanied by a major exhibition of AAC equipment (free access). It's also a tremendous opportunity to network with AAC specialists. If you are interested, you can view or download this year's Programme.

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).

For those of you that have got the interactive  V6 BoardMaker Plus! here is a nice 'top tip' on storing boards and how to create a simple and accessible 'front end' to your stored boards so you can present a prepared lesson comprising different boards/exercises smoothly.

Amongst the new things seen at ICT and Inclusion last week were AbilityWorld's new  Uni-tech Voice Symbol and Voice Ink.  What’s innovative is that the special software prints sound as well as symbols and words on to paper (ordinary paper and normal colour printer cartridge). When the user touches the printed word or symbol on the paper with the special Voice Pen, it speaks (choice of synthetic voices). It can also play music/sound files or recorded voice.

With the Voice Ink software, when the user touches each word (or sentence, paragraph or whole page, depending on how the settings you choose) it speaks out, so you can use it just to check you've correctly read a few 'sticky' words, or to read whole work sheets, etc. A true 'talking book'.

The Voice Symbol communication software lets you make symbol boards or book pages, and record personalised messages, so it is a low-tech system that speaks as well! It also works through laminate.

The system is not exactly cheap, but comparable in price to some other recorded voice communication aids. Once you've got the software you can add more V-pens for more users at a reasonable price.

There is a link on the Ability World website to video clips on YouTube where you can see the Uni-tech system in use (albeit largely in Taiwanese...).

We are all wondering what the iPad is going to do for people who use AAC. Here is a useful early evaluation of Proloquo2Go on iPad, by a person with fine motor difficulties who herself uses a variety of different AAC and computer technology, in her daily life.

Many people have recently upgraded to v.6 Boardmaker Plus! Unlike the old Boardmaker, this version speaks and so can be used by pupils for both school work and as a personal expressive communication support (or even perhaps as a full scale AAC system). But some people have been experiencing problems getting the voice to work properly - it seems to 'skip' to the end of the message without speaking it out fully - with both SAPI 4 and SAPI 5 voices. Mayer Johnson's technical support team have released the following 'fix' to correct the problem (which apparently only affects PCs with Windows XP and earlier):

To correct the problem you need to reduce the hardware acceleration on the sound card:

1. Open the Control Panel and double-click Sounds.
2. Click on the Audio tab.
3. In the Sound Playback box, click on the Advanced button.
4. Click on the Performance tab (Win 2000/XP) and Troubleshoot tab (Win 98).
5. Move the Hardware acceleration slider to None. Click on the Apply button, then click on OK.
6. Restart BoardMaker and check the speech.