Boardmaker with Speaking Dynamically Pro:
I had shared 2 posts ago about what happens when children with disabilities become adults. Here is a good example of someone transitioning into that situation. Maybe some of you can relate:
Today I sat in a classroom with a boy with CP in a wheelchair. He is in high school and has the academic skills of someone in the fourth grade. The problem is that he has struggled with access to the curriculum over the years more than he has struggled with any cognitive issues. The issue has compounded because he wasn’t able to access the curriculum for pre-academic skills in elementary - until now in high school, he is so far behind he can’t read anything. He has visual tracking issues and he needs to access communication by scanning. His speech is very limited. He has a great advocate for a mom and he has a lot of caring people around him who are working for his best.
Our Speech pathologist that works with him is a veteran with years in hospital treatment. She is working hard to get him set up with a portable dynamic disaplay device by the time he exits from high school. He is a very sensitive boy and I believe he has huge potential. I believe if we could get his access issues resolved (they keep changing as his abilities change) he could be the one sharing this kind of material on a blog that he could write through access to a computer and a virtual keyboard with scanning capabilities. I keep saying that if there’s one thing someone in his situation has, it’s time to sit or lay and work with a laptop and scanning to get their thoughts out. He just needs to learn to read and write first! It is never impossible.
I worked with him today using Boardmaker and Speaking Dynamically Pro on his latop. We were able to use grant funds to purchase a Dell PC with Vista (still not sure what I think about that) and the Mayer Johnson Boardmaker with SDP. This program has power that I am still discovering. Let me tell you what I did with it today. I’m thinking about those of you in college, community courses or university that are looking for something that will let you take notes, yet have visuals and text to speech to help you listen to definitions, terminology, etc. This is a GREAT tool.
I opened a new board in Boardmaker w/ SDP. On the screen I made a large “button” that was half the page. I added a text block and began to write out a term and definition off the board. I also wrote some general notes that supported the main ideas.
After the note-taking, I double-clicked on the large button and opened the action settings. I chose “speak text” and then I copied and pasted the text off the page into the setting window for speak text. I tested it that it sounded right and hit “ok”.
When in use mode, the board becomes a large talking page with all my notes. Now here’s another cool thing: Underneath the large button, I made small rectangle buttons and typed a term on them with the text block. Then I double-clicked again and added a speak text command and pasted the definition. I made a button for each term. After I saved those and opened the page or board in use mode again, I had a “word wall” with the terms in front of me. I could drill from memory by looking and then click on the button and hear the definition to check if I had it or not.
If you have someone with auto scanning and switch access, the auto scan will cycle the notes area up above and each of the term buttons underneath. By hitting the switch on the one you want when it comes around, you can choose which definition you want to hear or the notes from class. I am going to try to do a video screen of it working and post it so you can see it work. It is pretty cool. Check back in a few days and maybe it will be up.
Even though this is an expensive program, (about $650), it is well worth it if you want to design custom communication and have a graphic tool with text to speech. It is pretty incredible.
I am hoping that as we work on this more, the assistant will be able to continue this on her own. I demonstrated this for her today and we are going to make this a goal to develop for the student. This is a way that the he can have more access to his curriculum and have a way to review notes, content, and do it under his own control.
If you are in school and have a disability or know someone who is, this might be an option to explore. If I would have had this in college, it could have supported me in many ways.
All the best to you!
I spent the weekend in Portland, Oregon. The city has a growing number of dragon boat racing teams. Portland embraces its’ dragon boat racing. When I was in Singapore years ago, I remember being there during the Dragon Boat Racing International Finals. The day of the finals, Portland, Oregon’s team won first place.
I learned something new today. I do most everyday - and this one was important. If I am writing about disability and assistive technology, I need to support issues that move those with disabilities further forward.
I found a great little software that is a large calculator on the screen. It can scan through the numbers and signs to do calculations by switch access. It also talks. We are using this with one of our vision students who is legally blind but can see things enlarged on the computer.
Try these free pointer cursors! Since I am an assistive technology specialist and learning what resources are online for various disabilities. is a major part of my job, I find some good resources. Because I work in the schools, money is at a premium, so free is an important item when it comes to showing new things. I found a nice free cursor software on a UK site for the visually impaired that I thought I would show you. The site, 
