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Hi Everybody … Another update from Spectronics arrives in your Inbox! Please read through this edition to learn about plans coming together for the Inclusive Learning Technologies Winter School 2006 and the offer of five free registrations and accommodation to support carers/parents or people with disabilities to attend the conference. Other PD events include an exciting free workshop for Advanced DynaVox training being held in Brisbane on Tuesday 30th August (the day before the AGOSCI Conference starts up). And lastly, don’t forget that Australia’s first ATLAS one-day workshop, by Adam Wing from Laureate Learning Systems in the USA, is scheduled for 28th September in Brisbane. It will cost AU$690 (plus $69 GST). Given that you receive almost $5,000 worth of software FREE at the workshop – this is great value! For more information regarding the resources that are supplied at an ATLAS training, please click here. To download a registration form for the workshop, click here or visit our web for more details at www.spectronicsinoz.com/library.asp?article=20823. Lots of other useful information can be found in this update too including:
Several of Spectronics’ new team members contributed to this update – so we all hope that you will find at least one article of value to you. Thank you again for subscribing to our emailed updates service! Cheers for now |
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Inclusive Learning Technologies Winter School 2006 Update
 We will be telling you about the first draft of the Winter School 2006 program in our next Spectronics emailed update. Lots is happening behind the scenes as we work to make it a bigger and better event than the Inclusive Learning Technologies Summer School held in 2004! We already have several confirmed registrations – so we are starting to get excited about what a great conference it will be – to really show you the possibilities for using inclusive learning technologies in your school, University, TAFE, Learning Support Service, Disability Service or at home. One good piece of news is that Spectronics was successful in applying for National Disability Conference Program funding from the Australian Government’s Department of Family and Community Services. This funding allows us to offer financial support to assist with the costs of attending the Inclusive Learning Technologies® Winter School for five people with disabilities, carers for people with disabilities or parents of people with disabilities. To ensure that everyone applying for funding support is given an equal chance of being successful – the names of the five lucky winners will be “drawn out of a hat” containing the names of all applicants on Friday 31st March 2006. What does the funding cover?
Who is eligible?
How do you apply?
When is the deadline?
When will you hear if you have been successful?
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DynaVox News Update
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Kurzweil 3000 Version 9 and the Power of Bubble Notes!
 The Kurzweil 3000 for Windows software program is designed for support of students who struggle with literacy and require study skills support. It has just been upgraded to Version 9. For a general overview of the program’s suite of support tools, visit our web at www.spectronicsinoz.com/browse.asp?cat=14400. For a list of all the “New Stuff” added into this latest version click here. Bubble Notes One of our favourite new features added into this latest version of Kurzweil Version 9 is the “Bubble Notes” feature. Bubble Notes, like the other study tools within the program, are designed to develop independence and comprehension skills as well as cater for individual learning styles. They enable the educator to attach pre-reading instructions, prompts or quick questions in order to assess the students’ comprehension of reading material. Bubble notes can be placed anywhere in the document being read and can be set up to be automatically read aloud by the computer, or they can be silent unless selected by the student. Bubble Notes can be used to provide instructional notes, to spell a key word, or to provide simple assessment tasks throughout the text. Questions can be set up in different formats such as true/false, multiple choice, or requiring a full written response. Why will teachers find Bubble Notes useful?
Special Access for students with physical disabilities Special access options have been addressed throughout Kurzweil 3000 by including keyboard shortcuts for answers. This means that students who are using a mouse alternative such as the keyboard, IntelliKeys overlay keyboard or scanning access (for example via Discover Switch) can easily use the Bubble Notes feature. Want to try out some of these features for yourself? Please contact Spectronics for an Information Kit and free demo CD of Kurzweil 3000 Version 9 for Windows! |
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Sensitrac Mounts - Switches, Keyboards and Devices Positioned in Seconds!
 Hit them …. bump them … push them … they won’t move! Have you struggled with finding a quick and easy way of having communication devices, switches or keyboards held securely in the right position for your students? The new Sensitrac Pad patented Suction Base System forms the basis of a range of clever, quick-and-easy-to-use mounting options available from the Sensitrac Company. Instant setup. Just attach the device or switch to any of the Sensitrac mounts and you are up and running in less than a minute! When you are working in a school or a disability service, needing frequent changes of devices, switches and positions, complex “mounting systems” take up just too much time. Time you don’t have! And desktop clamps, while cheap and secure, don’t allow the switch, keyboard or device to be held at the right angle required by many students or adults with physical disabilities. The Sensitrac Flat Pad with 360° Angle Arm has been very popular for positioning switches at any angle. It is also ideal for mounting of smaller communication devices like the LITTLEmack Communicator. The sturdy Sensitrac Desk Mount has been very popular for mounting even the heaviest of communication devices. It sits sturdily on a desk or wheelchair tray and is easily lifted off the tray if need be. Avoids the issues of mounting systems holding devices getting stuck in narrow doorways! Choose the standard Sensitrac Ultra Mate Velcro mounting plate option or choose the DAESSY Mounting Plate if you need to move between and Sensitrac Desk Mount and a DAESSY Mounting System. Check out the full range of Sensitrac Mounts on our web at www.spectronicsinoz.com/browse.asp?cat=16217 or contact Spectronics for more information about the mounts available from Sensitrac. |
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Viking Communicator 3 Pro
 Viking Communicator 3 Pro is a versatile communication package for use on your tablet computer, laptop or desktop. The software comes with a range of pre-made communication pages, including some very well designed keyboards which work well with the built-in text prediction. Users can also design communication pages with symbols, digital photos or clip art, or a combination of all three, with an easy-to-use set of drawing tools. In addition to the above, Viking Communicator 3 Pro is unique in offering in-built access to emails and text messaging. By simply setting up the parameters for your email address, emails can be sent and received from within the program. Emails can be written using picture and word prediction support and, when received, read out using the speech synthesizer. Text messaging is also available through compatible mobile phones. The user can also use Viking Communicator 3 Pro to send infra-red signals using a GEWA Prog III, offering them control over any device which has a remote, such as a TV. For further information please visit the Spectronics website at www.spectronicsinoz.com/product.asp?product=19884 or contact us for a copy of a 30-day Demo CD. |
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Communicate: Webwide
 The first genuine symbol web browser to make browsing the web more accessible for people who find text difficult With so many people worldwide “surfing the net”, how can we give people with disabilities the opportunity to do so? Information contained on websites can be difficult to access for many people who have difficulty understanding text. Communicate: Webwide bridges this gap by providing a simple symbol and/or speech-based web browser that helps people to access the Internet with all the support that they require. Communicate: Webwide allows the user to surf the Internet by:
Click here for more information on how to subscribe to Communicate: Webwide. Want a one month free trial of using Communicate: Webwide? Widgit Software is now offering this service for you to use the program for one month free-of-charge to evaluate whether it is a useful tool for you. See www.widgit.com/products/webwide/trial.htm for more details or email trialwebwide@widgit.com to set up the trial! |
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Other Useful Stuff to Know About!
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You have received this newsletter because you told us at Spectronics that you would like us to keep you up to date with technology changes. If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, click on the following link to unsubscribe: http://www.spectronicsinoz.com/email/unsubscribe_me.asp or click on the following link to change your subscription details: http://www.spectronicsinoz.com/email/edit_me.asp Please feel free to forward this newsletter or sections of it on to your colleagues. You are also free to post it up onto the web. All we ask is that you acknowledge the source as Spectronics Email Updates and list our contact details below with any posting. Past copies of our email updates can also be found at http://www.spectronicsinoz.com/library.asp?library=email_updates
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