Spectronics Update

In this Issue

27th February 2006

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1. Update on Inclusive Learning Technologies® Winter School 2006 Pre-Conference Workshops on Monday 22nd May
2. Conference Highlights for Special School Staff
3. Conference Highlights for Learning Support Teams in Mainstream Schools
4. Conference Highlights for Post-Secondary Disability Support Teams
5. Conference Highlights for People Working with Students on the Autism Spectrum
6. Conference Highlights for People using AAC to Support People with Complex Communication Needs

Update on Inclusive Learning Technologies® Winter School 2006 Pre-Conference Workshops on Monday 22nd May

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As we told you in our last emailed update, five full-day Pre-Conference Workshops (9.00am to 4.00pm) have been scheduled for Monday 22nd May – the day before the Winter School – because people were asking for the opportunity for more detailed trainings in use of specific programs.

1. ATLAS (Assistive Technology & Language Assessment Software) Workshop
   Presenter: Adam Wing (Laureate Learning Systems, USA)
   B.Y.O. Laptop recommended
   Includes $5000 worth of Laureate software for you to take away with you!
2. The World of Boardmaker: A Comprehensive and Interactive Workshop
   Presenter: Lisa Petit (Mayer-Johnson Inc., USA)
   Hands-on Computer Lab (3 to a computer)
   Chance to win a free copy of Boardmaker Plus!
3. Coast Your Way Through textHELP Read & Write Gold
   Presenter: Angeline King (textHELP Systems Limited, Northern Ireland)
   B.Y.O. Laptop recommended
   Chance to win a free copy of textHELP Read & Write Gold Version 8!
4. Exploring Clicker 5 in Depth
   Presenter: Ann Crick (Crick Software, UK)
   B.Y.O. Laptop recommended
   Chance to win a free copy of Clicker 5!
5. Creating Materials for Inclusion using Communicate: In Print and Communicate: By Choice
   Presenters: Mike and Tina Detheridge (Widgit Software, UK)
   B.Y.O. Laptop recommended
   Chance to win a free copy of Communicate: In Print and Communicate: By Choice and the option to buy the programs at half price for all workshop attendees!

Each workshop will cost AUD $195 (incl. GST) except for the ATLAS Workshop which will cost AUD $759 (incl. GST). Given that you receive almost $5,000 worth of Laureate Learning Systems software FREE at the workshop – this is great value! The ATLAS workshop does not require you to register for the Winter School, but all other Pre-Conference Workshops are only available to delegates registered to attend the Winter School.

The Boardmaker workshop will be held in the Winter School’s hands-on computer lab. For all other workshops, we recommend that you bring your own laptop along. If you do not have the software installed already, we will have copies for you to install – but will, of course, have to remove the program at the end of the workshop. If you do not have a laptop to bring along – that is fine! You will still gain a lot from each of the workshops – so please don’t let this put you off joining us for this unique opportunity to spend a day with the people who are intimately involved in training and development of each of these programs.

Places will be limited for all Pre-Conference Workshops and will be allocated on a first-in basis. So be sure to register as soon as you can to ensure your place is booked!

Conference Highlights for Special School Staff

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Many sessions will be of direct benefit to you if you work in a Special School or Support Unit setting! But some highlights might include …

• Ian Bean
  Ian Bean now works with Inclusive Technology, but prior to that, was the Principal of Priory Woods School in the UK, where he developed the fun switch-accessible activities downloadable from the school website at www.priorywoods.middlesbrough.sch.uk. One of his hands-on sessions, titled “Personalised Learning” will actually be showing you how to make those activities. Read his exciting session outline at http://www.spectronicsinoz.com/winterschool/details.asp?type=session&id=53

• Dan Herlihy
  Dan is one of our Keynote Speakers and his strength lies in pulling together technologies from many areas to build tools for use in Special Ed classrooms. He works with IntelliTools software, Clicker, text-to-speech programs, symbol software and switch software – to name just a few! He then cleverly pairs them up with mainstream music and digital video and photo technologies!

• Hands-on Boardmaker and Clicker 5 workshops
• Sessions on making Talking Books
• Sessions on use of Interactive Whiteboards in the Special Ed classroom
• Presentations and hands-on workshops focusing on the IntelliTools Classroom Suite and ways of using the new Overlay Maker to advantage with your IntelliKeys keyboards

Conference Highlights for Learning Support Teams in Mainstream Schools

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• Scott Marfilius
  Scott is one of our Keynote Speakers from the USA – and with his teaching background, he focuses largely on tools to support students with learning difficulties who are working in Regular Ed classrooms, but require the extra support offered by programs such as textHELP Read&Write, Kurzweil, SOLO (Co:Writer, Write:OutLoud, Draft:Builder and Read:OutLoud) and more. He will even be presenting a session on more effectively using the many support tools already available to you in Microsoft Word! His Plenary Session, Universal Design for Learning, will be of particular interest as the need to accommodate all students in the style in which they need to learn has become a “hot topic” in Australia since the Disability Standards for Education 2005 came into effect in August 2005.

• All presentations on textHELP Read&Write GOLD by Angeline King, from textHELP Systems in Northern Ireland will be of value. She will also be reporting on recently released research from Queen’s University in Belfast – which showed significant increases in literacy levels of students who were using Read&Write GOLD. She will be conducting one session which specifically focuses on applications of Read&Write software in the field of ESL (English as a Second Language) – certainly a growing area of interest for Learning Support teams.
• Presentations by Elaine Kruse on use of Idea Mapping software in the classroom and beyond
• Sessions by Mike and Tina Detheridge outlining success in the UK in using symbols to support inclusion of students in mainstream school settings
• Report on successful outcomes associated with using textHELP Read&Write GOLD in two schools in regional Victoria
• Guidance on selection of assistive technology options for mainstream schools in one of Gerry Kennedy’s presentations
• Introduction to a new program particularly well suited for support of struggling students in primary school – in the ReadOn presentation by Jane and Phil Mangano

Conference Highlights for Post-Secondary Disability Support Teams

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We have designed the program so that each time slot will offer at least one session of interest to delegates who come from the post-secondary education sector. Some which might be of particular interest include:

• Presentation by Scott Marfilius on Electronic Study Skills focusing on use of technologies to support development of independent study skills in students who struggle with gathering, sorting, organising and recalling information. He has broad experience of working with post-secondary institutions and with individual students in the USA – assisting them to effectively use study skills technologies.
• Scott will also be presenting a useful overview of portable notetaker/laptop alternatives.
• All presentations on textHELP Read&Write GOLD by Angeline King, from textHELP Systems in Northern Ireland will be of value. She has one session specifically focusing on applications of Read&Write software in the field of ESL (English as a Second Language) and another covering the experience of post-secondary institutions in the UK using Read&Write software to support their struggling students.
• Presentations by Elaine Kruse on use of Idea Mapping software with adults – not just as a writing tool – but as a support for presentation and project planning
• Session by Jan Polkinghorne and Barbara Landsberg reviewing new speech recognition software programs and summarising research in use of speech recognition software by students who struggle with literacy
• If you are working with students with significant communication impairments, many of the sessions covering use of high-end electronic communication devices could also be of interest.

Conference Highlights for People Working with Students on the Autism Spectrum

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• “The Exciting World of Boardmaker: Spectacular Symbol-based Materials” presentation by Lisa Petit (head trainer from the Mayer-Johnson company who make Boardmaker) will be directly relevant. Lisa brings her Special Ed teaching background to the session as she covers “tips for making communication convenient and tips for creating a communication-conducive classroom and more”.

• All sessions by Adam Wing – using the Laureate Learning System software to foster language development
• Presentations by Sue Larkey – independent consultant in the area of supporting students with ASD – particularly her session titled “Inspirational Communication Strategies for ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder)”

Conference Highlights for People using AAC to Support People with Complex Communication Needs

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The Winter School offers presentations by an impressive array of talented Speech Pathologists very experienced in the AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) field!

• James Rowe, trainer from DynaVox Technologies
• Tracey Bode, from ZYGO Australia
• Dianne Walker, from Christchurch College of Education in New Zealand
• Jane Farrall from Spectronics, presenting one of the Plenary Sessions titled “Small Talk, Gossip and Tall Stories: Using AAC Socially”
• Sue Owen and Amanda Hartmann, also from Spectronics