Teach Me To Talk
by Gerry Kennedy
For PC Compatible and Apple Macintosh Computers
Teach Me To Talk from SoftTouch
Teach Me to Talk is a CD-ROM based program, available for either PC Compatibles or Macintosh computers. Both versions require a CD-ROM drive. A sound card is essential, as is MS Windows 3.1 or MS Windows 95 operating system on PC compatibles. Macintosh owners require 68040 processors (Centris, Quadra or LC580) or any Power Macintosh model and have a minimum of 8Mb RAM.
You opt to install the IntelliKeys overlays (for use with this ubiquitous membrane board) before you launch the program. Consistent with the ease-of-use with IntelliKeys, appropriate overlay files are immediately sent to the board when you launch the activities. This feature is standard in more software titles from the United States and the UK. It is quick, and effortless. It assists busy teachers, parents, therapists and caregivers as IntelliKeys is automatically set up. The overlays can be purchased (sold separately on another CD-ROM disk).
Teach Me to Talk has four activity options. There are associated "Teaching Hints' for each option. When running on a PC Compatible, they are available from the second start-up screen. On the Macintosh, they are provided as ClarisWorks V.3 files. These are extremely useful as they direct the user to the important program features, explain the program's rationale, provide teaching strategies and list comprehensive hints. They clearly describe how to offer and auspice the program for people who have specific disabilities. Teach Me to Talk can be used with adults who require text to pictographic learning/communication software. You simply adapt the strategies to suit older clients who have different learning needs. The graphics, Picture Communication Symbols (PicSyms) and music are very appropriate, and will suit a range of ages, motivation and interest levels. Teach Me to Talk is innovative, well designed and is a fresh programming approach with some excellent new features.
Part 1: TEACH ME TO TALK FEATURES
Uses large colour photos with over 150/ Mayer-Johnson symbols.
Images are organised into categories:
- Four general categories
- Three bilabial - first sounds categories
- Five thematic categories (food, transportation, clothes and accessories, household items, animals)
- Musical Interludes--over 100 different musical sounds can be heard throughout the entire activity Movement and animation (especially the innovative morphing techniques) with digital images morphing to PicSyms is visually motivating. The text displayed onscreen is large, and in a clear font. Either an English or Spanish language option is available.
The morphing to Mayer-Johnson Symbols - Picture Communication Symbols (PicSyms) - is an innovative and interesting feature. A morphing option to Compic would be well received in Australia, but regretfully, this package exclusively uses PicSyms. As is now the norm, voices of a woman or man are available to accommodate gender preference. Clearly articulated digitised sampled voices and the choice of intonation, regular or excited are additional options.
Access choices include IntelliKeys (over 80 overlays can be used), mouse, Touch Window and single switch.
Three types of scanning routines:
1. Automatic scan
2. Step scan with two switches-the first switch moves the scan; the second switch selects the image
3. Step scan with automatic select-- select 2-9 seconds wait before computer automatically plays the image.
You can turn these features (prompts) on or off on the fly. There is no need to re-start the software, which is a great inclusion.
Rationale:
There can be a variety of reasons as to why students have difficulty learning to talk. Some students have difficulty processing the individual words in the midst of a sentence structure. Others have difficulty in hearing the difference in the words. Still others cannot form the sounds because of oral/motor difficulties. Some persons may never be able to form those words and may need an augmentative communication device with symbols such as the Mayer-Johnson symbols. This program allows the student to see a real picture and hear the word spoken as many times as needed. Some students must hear the word "baby" more than 70 times before they can say the word. The computer can consistently say the word as many times as the student needs to hear it. The computer will not get impatient or tired of repetition or want to move the student along to other words. Hearing the words repeatedly is enough reinforcement for some students. Others get disinterested easily and need the musical interlude and/or movement to keep them interested and involved. The ability to turn any prompt on or off with the touch of a "T" keystroke (for teacher) in the middle of the program is very useful. Teachers can go back to exactly where the student has been working, gives the teacher the ability to add and reduce prompts "on- the-fly". This optimises the best combination for the student at that particular time.
Part 2: SWITCH-ON-PICTS FEATURES
- Student activates access mode to get sequences of music, movement and an image in sequential play format
- Student activates switch to see and hear word of one noun after another without music or movement
- Verbal and Visual or Visual Only prompt reminder to hit the switch
- Organised in general libraries, categories, or beginning English sounds
- All access mode will activate this activity
- Cause-and-effect activity with music, movement to engage student
- Over 150 Real Photographs and over 100 different musical interludes
- Teacher/Parent/Therapist can change preferences on-the-fly "Note: The movement is available only in Power Mac and Window 95 versions."
Rationale:
Some students with multiple disabilities do not appear to be ready for language. In many instances, we do not actually know how much symbolic language the student comprehends and is ready to utilize. Switch-On-Picts, a cause-and-effect activity was developed for these students. If the student is not ready for language, the music may engage and entertain in addition to teaching cause-and-effect. The image and the word may not be comprehended but it may be preferable to a cartoon-like or line drawing, which has less meaning. If the student IS ready to understand language or may be in the future, this activity builds a foundation, while s/he is learning to press a switch. Either way, the student succeeds and the outcome is clear.
PART 3: PUZZLES FEATURES
- Two, 3, 4, 8, 16 piece puzzles with up to 100 puzzles in total
- English or Spanish word pronounced after each puzzle is completed
- Complete puzzles in 4 different manners
- Automatic (All Access Devices) - Touch access device and puzzle piece will automatically go in to place
- Magna Mouse ** (Mouse and Touch Window Accesses) - As the mouse cursor rolls over the puzzle piece, it attaches to the mouse cursor. When the student moves the cursor to the correct placement, the puzzle piece will go into place automatically; therefore, no clicking of the mouse is needed.
- Click and Drag* *(Mouse and Touch Window) - Click and drag the puzzle piece to the correct location
- Scanning (All accesses) - The user is shown one puzzle piece and the empty (or partially completed) puzzle form. Possible places in the empty form are highlighted. When the correct placement is scanned, the learner presses the access device and the puzzle piece will move into place. Then the next puzzle piece is displayed. "NOTE: ** Power Macintoshes or PC's with Windows '95 have these extra options"
Rationale:
There are many reasons, why a student needs to experiment and play with puzzles. Puzzles help learners grasp concepts such as: parts making a whole, visually discriminating the parts and being able to visually put all the parts together, making order out of disorder, and problem solving. These puzzles fit in to learning to talk, as language is symbolic. It also makes order out of many different combinations of sounds. Puzzles make order out of a variety of symbolic pieces. Both language and puzzles are problem-solving activities. In addition, these puzzles have the same images as in the Teach Me to Talk activity with the same spoken words. Puzzles provide another way to approach the same theme. Sometimes children need to learn to put puzzles together. Few puzzles are two, three or 4-piece interlocking puzzles. Students have been forced to learn with puzzles that are too difficult to allow success. This activity allows each student to begin puzzle play with greater ease.
Part 4: STORYTIME ACTIVITY FEATURES
- Four-line prose using words and photographs from Teach Me to Talk. Each line is highlighted as it is spoken
- English prose in rhyming format while the Spanish translation of the prose does not rhyme
- You choose by categories or select all stories to play in sequence and you go to next story by pressing the access device
- Mouse users go to the next story by clicking on the arrow
Rationale:
The words in the Teach Me to Talk activity are presented out of context, so the student can hear them repeatedly as required. Any confusion regarding additional sounds/words is minimized. Words are only spoken in isolation as the student begins to learn to talk. Eventually, words expand into sentences. Persons around the student are continually speaking in longer phrases. This activity puts the words back in to short sentence structure. The English prose rhymes to help the user distinguish sounds.
Teach Me to Talk is a comprehensive suite of programs that encourages communication and learning of words and pictures. Teachers, students and clients will enjoy the animations, captivating morphing technology and the ease of use.