IntelliTools Classroom Suite Version 4 Initial Review
by Gerry Kennedy
Initial Review by Gerry Kennedy © March 2008
Classroom Suite 4: by IntelliTools
Distributor: Spectronics (www.spectronicsinoz.com)
The program installed without any problems. The installation is completed after following a series of wizards. After installation, though, it took longer to launch (as compared to Version 3).
The new user interface is clean, intuitive and easy to follow. The links to “Activity Suite” and “Learn About Classroom Suite” require access to the Internet. This is not apparent and is a potential disadvantage for users who do not have ready access (or privileges at school) to the Internet.
The help files are available in HTML format. This is a real bonus for users who wish to access them independently. The instructions and hints can be read to them using text to speech applications or students can copy blocks of relevant text into IntelliTalk and listen to them. Having access to a browser allows them to be more independent as they can use specific assistive technology features in MS Internet Explorer, Opera or Firefox. Help is also available from within the activities: this is a wonderful feature. The ability to print help pages also makes the software easier to learn and master for students, teachers, support personnel and carers.
The software automatically provides appropriate logon status and templates/folders as used in Version 3. The IntelliTools Classroom Suite desktop area is larger than before so accommodates more icons and files.
The “look and feel” has been improved with more logical positioning and naming of the various menus and sub menus. Management for the Administrator and teacher/parent/carer has been simplified and made easier.
Educators will enjoy having the newly introduced “three-stage instructional model”. This includes:
- Show Me: where the computer plays a video-like sequence to orient the student to the lesson
- Practice: where the student practices and learns as the program provides strategic and corrective feedback
- Challenge: where the corrective feedback is withheld and data on the student’s interaction with the task is collected.
Finding and locating activities and files can be quickly performed using the Find feature from the desktop. It allows anyone to search and find any IntelliTools item using a number of practical search criteria, including Name, Notes, Last Opened, Last Saved) and date (today, yesterday, within the last week or month etc.).
The Class Management has also been refined to a degree. Having Administrator or Teacher access privileges enables you to organise, locate and allocate activities to one student, a group or whole class/year level. You can set assignments, set up, as well as glean information from reports, and organise portfolios. Importing and exporting files is easier. This will ultimately save time and streamline the program’s management requirements.
IntelliTools Classroom Suite 4 contains a number of high quality voices. The program also locates and provides choice of all of the voices stored on a user’s computer, including high quality Australian female “Karen” and male “Lee” voices – if they are available and installed. These two voices, for example, are from other vendors and products and are therefore available (i.e. computer based voices from other products such as Texthelp Read&Write, ClaroRead 2007) as well as the “Emily” female voice from Clicker 5.
New Features Summary
- The previously mentioned updated user interface, including useful elements such as the new Teacher Home Page and Navigation Screens. These offer easy access to frequently used features and screens
- Expanded Reading instruction that addresses Phonemic Awareness, such as Matching Phonemes, Isolating and Manipulating Phonemes, Blending Phonemes; for Phonics, such as Major and Minor Sounds, Compound Words and Affixes; and for Fluency, Vocabulary and Comprehension
- Compelling on-screen math manipulatives
- Expanded writing templates
- Automatic reports to track student data
- Automaticity in building with timed assessments
- Sequenced lessons into custom units to suit unique requirements of schools, kindergartens or organisations
- Assessment templates to test for placement and pinpoint areas for targeted instruction
- Ability to set mastery levels which in turn directs the program to place the students into appropriate skill building and instructional activities
- Ability to customise units of study that support curriculum innovation and design in the different states and territories in Australia
The building of units allows educators to link a series of activities together to provide alternate or individualised activities together for one student or group of learners with similar/ same needs. This provides for differentiated learning and design of relevant and pertinent content for students who are achieving or learning at different levels than their peers.
Access via one or two switches remains as a very strong and robust feature of all IntelliTools products. Students can also use standard or programmable keyboards (particularly the popular and ubiquitous IntelliKeys USB) as well as mouse, trackball, head pointing systems, joystick or Touch Window. The ability to quickly and efficiently create customised colour or black-and-white overlays for IntelliKeys using Overlay Maker software is still available.
The program was originally designed so that the contents, toolbars and icons are all fully customisable. This ensures that specific student needs’ are catered to in all aspects of access to the program and the activities. Educators, parents and users themselves are able to download and immediately edit and enjoy hundreds of other activities from the Internet – at no cost.
IntelliTools Classroom Suite remains as one of the foremost education suites for students who have special learning and access needs. It caters to students from early years through to middle years and is especially popular in many special school settings and in classrooms where student management with equitable access to a complete learning environment is required.
Note: This review was conducted on a HP Presario Notebook, running MS Windows XP Home Edition (Service Pack 2) with 1GB RAM, 2.66GHz Pentium 4 processor and MS Internet Explorer V6.0