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Available from SPECTRONICS: Inclusive Learning Technologies and Training

The term multimedia often confuses people as it potentially refers to so many different application and software product groupings. Essentially, there are two sides to multimedia and learning.

Multimedia software products to enhance learning:

• Programs where children can interact with software and click on "Hot Spots", which may play a video clip, reveal animation or passage of text or play music, sound effects and/or voice instructions. Encyclopaedias and talking dictionaries allow students to listen to historical speeches, see historical footage, photographs and illustrations and to read text. Other multimedia programs allow students to interact with characters, play back sound recordings, even record their own response, write a journal onscreen and take "pictures" of a screen image. Examples include LOTE programs, MS Encarta, Webster's Encyclopaedia, Compton's Interactive Atlas, Dinosaurs, The Macquarie Dictionary, Art Gallery.

• Programs that provide students with the capacity to plan, create, design and build their own multimedia project to present on or off the computer. They can incorporate sound, movement, graphic elements, animation, video, and scanned images, digital photographs and selected content acquired via the Internet. Examples of these multimedia classroom products include KidWorks 2, KidPix, Storybook Theatre, Amazing Animation, Multimedia Workshop, HyperCard, and HyperStudio.

An increasing number of teachers choose to build their own software to enhance their teaching. Other teachers prefer to use ready-made material that caters to their curriculum need and grade level.

What About Special Needs?

The products mentioned cater to a range of age groups, from K-12. Unfortunately, many are inappropriate for children with special needs. A number of important considerations must be examined before purchasing a multimedia software program. You must evaluate the age and reading level, age appropriateness and interest level as well as overall complexity. Many titles preclude some children with learning difficulties, especially in accessing and learning with some resource CD-ROM titles.

Some of the main considerations in investigating multimedia programs include:

• The language used throughout the package (instructions, directions, content)
  
• The style of writing, fonts, appearance of textual information
  
• Colour and size of the text and background colour
  
• The use of all upper or lower case characters
  
• The use of graphics, pictures, symbols and icons
  
• The figure ground - presentation of all information at any one time on the screen (eg. How cluttered)
  
• The wording of instructions (either textually or auditory)
  
• The amount and complexity of instructions
  
• The pre-requisite skills and concepts required by the student to comprehend and understand content
  
• The ease of use
  
• The method of navigation used (mouse, cursor arrows, keyboard) and how intuitive or explicit
  
• The amount of direction and assistance to present and teach the student, and then confidently use
  
• The learning time required to begin using the package
  
• The estimate of time before the student is an independent user
  
• How difficult it is to save, print, and operate the software

Software must be carefully evaluated and trailed with the student(s) before proper assessment of the software can be made.

The area of special needs computing is a difficult one to address as the needs of children are so varied. Often different teaching styles, methods and pedagogues are in conflict with the software design and content. Software that provides open ended problem solving, choice making and interaction is more appealing and appropriate. Other children require repetition; the opportunity to practice, experiment and explore with predetermined outcomes, set either by the software designers and/or controlled by the teacher.

It is often the teacher's approach and personal response to the program that ultimately determines how, when and why it is used. Experience, confidence and familiarity with computers and multimedia software will ascertain as to how it is presented, taught and used with the students. Generally speaking, each new piece of software requires time to fully explore its potential and worth. Professional development and training may be necessary for more complex and powerful programs.

In summary, the accurate determination of these and other important factors will contribute to the successful introduction and use of multimedia software with students who have physical disabilities, sensory impairments and/or learning difficulties. Over the page, we have listed a small selection of suitable multimedia software packages for students with access and/or special learning needs.

IntelliPics (Now replaced by IntelliTools Classroom Suite) - (IntelliTools)
Children love IntelliPics. They enjoy making pictures move, grow, and multiply. They like to hear the computer speak with a familiar voice; your voice or their own! With IntelliPics, youngsters easily learn early concepts while older students give complete multi-media presentations on advanced topics. Use this innovative program with Hands On Concepts or IntelliKeys overlays (pre-designed or make your own with Overlay Maker). (Mac and PC)

Blocks in Motion (Don Johnson)
Is the unique, open-ended, creative learning program that features onscreen manipulatives. Build with blocks, glue them together and animate them with motion. It's a great tool for classroom activities. Designed by teachers and engineers, it develops thinking skills, encourages exploration and facilitates experimentation. Concentrates on the creation process. A multimedia experience! Ten extra support packs (with additional blocks, shapes and objects available) are sold separately. (Mac)

Living Books (Broderbund)
Each Living Books CD-ROM tells a classic children's story, with characters who sing, dance and make mischief on the computer. Kids can read along with the narrator even choosing a different language if they like. More than 40 awards attest to the quality of Living Books' sound, animation and ease-of-use. Titles include: Arthur's Birthday; Arthur's Teacher Troubles; Dr. Suess's ABC; Just Grandma and Me; Little Monster at School; The Berenstain Bears; Get in a Fight; The New Kid on the Block; The Tortoise and the Hare. (Mac, PC)

Living Books Instant Access Sets (IntelliTools)
Instant Access overlays are available to work with IntelliKeys, which means each page of every Living Book, is now instantly accessible. Children can play independently, without interruption. Simply slide one of three custom overlays into IntelliKeys and start up your Living Book program. The overlay automatically works with every screen of the Living Book. The student is therefore in control! (Mac and PC)

Edmark Software (Edmark)
Is a collection of award winning titles with each program aimed at developing particular skills. Areas include creative problem solving, reading, mathematics and science skills. Titles include: Millie's Math House; Bailey's Book House; Sammy's Science House; Thinkin' Things, the Mighty Math Series, Zoo Zillions, FrippleTown and many others.

Food for Thought and Animals Galore (Education by Design)
Two programs from local designers in Melbourne. They contain COMPIC pictographs with fully voiced instructions, prompts and rewards. Can be used with mouse, touch screen, keyboard and IntelliKeys.

Phinneas Frog (Widgit Software)
This is a talking adventure game, aimed at children between 8 and 12 years old. Guide Phinneas Frog as he is sent on a mission to Hamsterchief's castle. Four logic games with randomised solutions are encountered along the way. The program is readily usable by switch users (as well as mouse/keyboard users). All the options and choices can be spoken out loud makes the program ideal for beginner or poor readers. (PC only)

My World for Windows (Derbyshire)
A series of 'screens' or activities that are used like an onscreen felt board. Objects and text can be manipulated, moved, resized and re-positioned with pop-up menus and toolbars. An ideal package for young children, students of all ages with special needs and especially for users of Touch Windows. There are numerous support packs that are also available on a wide range of topics/themes. (PC)

Smudge Series (Storm Educational Software)
These delightful packages have been designed for primary school children. They contain colourful, clearly drawn characters with Smudge the Spaniel as the main character. Each package comes with a useful A5 sized manual. There are currently nine titles. (PC)

Interactive Calculator (Inclusive Technology)
A multimedia interactive calculator combining learning materials with a calculator interface, designed for dyslexia. Calculator buttons can be removed and added later to allow the paced introduction of functions. Suits all ages and ideal for users who are vision impaired. (PC)

Number Concepts with Oshi the Otter (IntelliTools)
A new pack designed to assist in the development of maths concepts in addition and subtraction, greater and less than as well as counting (up to 20). Captivating animation, fully voiced instructions, rewards and instructions (PC/Mac)

TextHELP V4 (TextHELP)
A package that assists people with dyslexia. It works alongside any MS Windows products (on a PC). There is a Mac version as well. It offers a voiced spell checker, thesaurus, word prediction and screen reading capabilities - in one package! Suits all ages, especially older students.(PC/Mac)

Clicker 5 from Crick Software
An onscreen keyboard program that has numerous features. You can make talking books, language templates with two languages, onscreen word banks, sentence creation templates and many other onscreen resources. It has switch access and is an ideal program for users of any age. It even has a voiced word processor as part of the package!(PC)

Remember: Spectronics is also a distributor for Edsoft. If you're wondering if we have a particular software, program, just ask!