Differentiation of Resources
In the module ICT3: Developing Classroom Resources, the idea of developing documents as 'templates' was introduced. Templating allows different versions of documents to be produced, or the same document to be saved at different stages in its development. When "saved as templates", subsequent opening and editing of the document leaves the original unchanged.
Templating documents is also useful as a means of taking an initial resource and then adapting it for different groups of learners - by adding supplementary activities, increasing or decreasing the amount of support provided, or altering the 'look and feel' of the resource to cater for children for whom accessibility to learning resources is an issue.
Let's say that you have begun to produce a worksheet which you plan to distribute to the children in your class. It is concerned with the ways in which frogs are adapted to their surroundings (Science National Curriculum KS2; Sc2; 5b/c).
Here is our template. Think of this as a 'branching point' in the development of differentated resources.
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This might be developed to address the needs of children for whom the main objective will be reading of short pieces of text and matching these to the parts of the frog:
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Or it might be a more open-ended activity with some suggestions for extension work for children who are confident readers and are capable of independent research:
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Task 5-1: Developing Differentiated Resources
Develop a differentiated paper- and/or screen-based activity using either Word or TextEase which is designed to address the needs of at least three specific groups of learners - but in which the overall broad aims are the same. You might derive this from either the National Curriculum or from the QCA Schemes of Work, which provide you with 'threefold differentiation' of outcomes as a basis for your own resource development. Make clear how the resources address the specific needs of learners - don't just aim to provide 'easy', medium' and 'hard' versions of the same activity!
Making ICT Accessible
So far, we have discussed using ICT to produce accessible resources. The remainder of this module is concerned with making ICT hardware and software themselves accessible.
Microsoft claim to have a commitment to making accessible software. You will find tutorials on their site that will guide you in setting up the system for users with different disabilities, along with further information on their policy and how to make the most of different applications.
Other operating systems such as Macintosh and Linux also have well thought out accessibility features. The Macintosh operating system has for many years allowed extensive customisation of the user interface and has built-in "text-to-speech" and limited voice recognition facilities. The 'Open Source' nature of Linux allows very substantial customisation of both applications and interface, and a range of freely available applications have been developed in response to the needs of groups of users and individuals. Linux is also becoming the development platform of choice for the kinds of 'embedded software' used in 'intelligent homes' designed to allow adults with physical disabilities to lead independent lives.
Making Windows Accessible
The first thing to do is to make it easy for learners to find things! Set up a folder which appears on the desktop within which are 'Shortcuts' (Macintosh users call these 'Aliases') to commonly used resources on the local machine, the school network and the Internet. This prevents the need to poke around looking for things. You can use the 'Customize this Folder' options to change the look of this folder without changing the rest of the 'desktop'. It might look like this:
Setting up a folder with shortcuts
Task 5-2: Make a 'Favourites' Folder
Make a 'Favourites' folder on your Windows (or Mac, or Linux) Desktop with shortcuts to your most used applications, directories and websites. There are different ways of doing this, but in Windows, 'right-clicking' anywhere on the desktop will bring up a floating menu which allows you to make new folders and shortcuts.
If you want to make more wide-ranging changes, you will need to use the MS Windows accessibility features which are accessed through the Control Panel, which is itself reached via the 'Settings' item on the 'Start' Menu.
The Control Panels of Windows
You may find (especially on school networks such as 'RM Connect') that some of these control panels are absent or do not allow you to save any changes you may make. If this is the case, you will need to negotiate with the administrator of the network either to allow you 'administrator' privileges or to set up a 'profile' containing your preferred settings, or settings which encapsulate the changes which would aid particular groups of learners.
For example, you might wish to set up (or have set up) a 'profile' for learners with visual impairment including:
- large icons
- high screen resolution
- large cursors
- audible warnings
- text-to-speech enabled
Let's now look at how you might go about making some of these changes to an 'out-of-the-box' Windows system.
Help with Identifying Resources, Navigating the System and Controlling the Mouse
The 'icons' which act as visual representations of applications, directories (folders) and files can altered in appearance. While you can change these (perhaps altering the slightly confusing 'W in a Square' which Microsoft believe says 'Word Processor' to everyone to, say, a picture of a pen) the danger here is that 'non-standard' icons may end up confusing learners even more. One thing that is worth thinking about is making icons bigger - you can do this using the 'Display' Control Panel:
Changing Icon Size in Windows
Here, we have changed the icon size from 16pt to 32 pt and the font size from 8pt to 16pt. You might also want to change the font to a more 'child-friendly' face such as Jotter or Sassoon while you are at it. While we are in the 'Display' Panel it is worth checking out the different 'schemes' available. Some of these are purely cosmetic, but others allow you to set the entire display (not just one window) in High-Resolution modes, designed for users with visual impairments:
Hi-Res Settings in Windows
The default mouse settings can also be adjusted to take account of learners' capabilities via the 'Mouse' control panel.
Mouse Settings in Windows
Options offered in this Control Panel include:
- making the mouse 'left-handed' by reversing the button functions
- increasing the time allowed between two clicks for them to count as a 'double-click'
- altering the relationship between the movement of the mouse and the movement of the cursor on the screen - it is often worth 'slowing' the cursor so that the smallest twitch of the mouse does not move the cursor right across the screen!
- Making cursors bigger and more brightly coloured
- making the cursor leave a 'vapour trail' behind it (MS call these 'pointer trails' which seems much less expressive); these allow learners to locate where the cursor has gone as a result of their last mouse action.
In some cases, a different type of mouse or an alternative means of control such as a joystick or trackball may be needed. For a useful review of these, visit Abilitynet.
Help with Reading and Writing
For learners with visual impairments, the selection of a high-resolution scheme alone may improve their experience of ICT use. There are, however, other changes which can be made, some of which may, incidentally, improve all users' ICT experience. The approaches described here all involve changing the look and feel and functions within an application - specifically, Microsoft Word - by altering the application settings through its menus. The same techniques can also be applied to other applications and on other operating systems.
Some Standard Windows Fonts |
'Serif' fonts such as Times New Roman and Courier are considered more difficult to read than 'Sans-Serif' fonts such as Arial and Helvetica. On the other hand, Courier is 'non-proportional' (all letters take up the same horizontal space on the page). While this may not be too aesthetically pleasing, it does mean that the length of the word 'on the page' relates to the number of letters in it. Look at the difference between these words in Times New Roman and Courier:
illicit
Another consideration is whether to use a font which matches the style of handwriting used by the learners. On the whole, supposedly 'script' or 'handwriting' fonts are difficult to read. It is is worth looking for a script which represents letters in a style familiar to learners (be careful with the representations of "a" and "g" in particular). At the same time, many readers complain that serif fonts such as Arial and Helvetica are very 'blocky' and prefer slightly cursive fonts such as Lucida Casual or Sassoon. Fonts which purport to present text in the style of childrens' handwriting should be avoided. Be warned! These caricature how adults thinkchildren write. Most children can't read them. |
Changing Screen and Font Colours has been demonstrated to aid reading from computer screens in general, but interventions of this kind have particular relevance for learners suffering from a range of conditions descibed as "Scotopic Sensivity" (Read more about this at The Irlen Institute. People with Scotopic Sensitivity experience 'perceptual stress' which can lead to a variety of perceptual distortions when reading and/or viewing their environment. Scotopic Sensitivity is triggered by one or more components of light, such as the source of the light (e.g., fluorescent lighting, sun), luminance (e.g., reflection, glare), intensity (i.e., brightness), wavelength (i.e., colour), and/or colour contrast.
Changing the overall colour scheme of Windows (as described above) can make ICT use easier for learners with Scotopic Sensitivity. It is also possible to set the colour scheme within our single application (in this case MS Word). One of the 'General' options (you can reach this via the [Tools] >> [Options] menu) is to set all documents to have white text on a blue background. Temporary changes can be made on a document-by-document basis by using the [Format] >> [Background] menu item to select a background colour other than the default white.
Screen Colours Options
Top: Word default
Middle: Word 'White on Blue'
Bottom: Word custom setting
Bonus Task! Identify the passage above. The answer is here!
Even if you are unaware of having any Scotopic Sensitivity, it is worth playing around with these features if you plan on spending a lot of time in front of a computer, and it is worth noting that some teachers report enormous improvements in the concentration levels and attention-span of children as a result of presenting them with learning resources with adjusted colour-schemes.
For some people double (or 1.5) spacing can also make reading much easier. Selecting a block of text and then pressing [Ctrl] and 1 together gives single spacing while [Ctrl] and 2 gives double spacing. You can achieve the same effect by highlighting text and then going to [Format] >> [Paragraph] and selecting from the 'drop down' box next to "Spacing".
Many users find it difficult to hold several keys down at once, as you need to when typing capital letters or using 'keyboard shortcuts' like [Ctrl]+C to copy text or images. It is possible to set up "Sticky Keys" so that the keys can be pressed in sequence rather than simultaneously. This is achieved via the 'Accessibility Options' Control Panel (not the 'Keyboard' Panel):
Setting Sticky Keys
You need to be careful, however! If you click 'Settings' beside 'Sticky Keys' you will discover that the default settings are liable to switch the 'Stickiness' of the keys off rather more easily than you'd like. So you will probably need to 'uncheck' the option box marked 'Turn Sticky Keys Off if two keys are Pressed at Once'.
Setting Sticky Keys so they Stay Sticky!
Standard keyboards can be replaced with a range of alternatives: left handed keyboards where the numeric key pad is on top to enable the mouse to sit closer to the letters; one handed keyboards; and ergonomic (split) keyboards. They vary greatly in price but can make life far more comfortable for the user.
Ergonomic Keyboard
Big, bright letters on keys sometimes help people to find the keys more quickly and with less effort. For some, they seem to "cut through" difficulties in recognising and locating the right letter. They can be stuck onto the keys of any keyboard. Examples include:
- Big, bold upper case key-tops, yellow/black or white/black, are available from Techno-Vision Systems. Approx. £15.
- Lower case alphabetic letters, yellow/black, are available from Granada Learning Ltd and SEMERC. Used in some schools at KS1 as a matter of course because children learn lower-case letters first. Approx. £10 for sheet with 5 sets.
- Transparent Braille key overlays £13 available form Techno vision systems.
Another device which aids typing by preventing the accidental pressing of multiple keys is the 'key guard', a grille which fits over the keyboard so that keys can only be pressed through the apertures. This is particularly useful in supporting learners who tend to 'lean' on the keys to support themselves while typing.
Keyguards
For information on special keyboards, key overlays and key guards, go to Abilitynet again.
Within MS Word, there are a number of features which make the process of typing easier, especially for less experienced or inaccurate typists. 'Autocorrect' corrects typing errors automatically once you press the space bar when you have finished the word. It also allows you to type abbreviations and obtain the full word. It allows an entry of up to 52 characters - long enough for a short sentence!
If there are words which a learner regularly spells incorrectly, you can add these to the default list provided by Word. Highlight the mis-spelt word and select [Tools] >> [Autocorrect]. Then add the correct version of the word. Next time it is mis-spelt, it will automatically be corrected as soon as the learner presses the space bar at the end of the word.
Setting up a new 'Autocorrection'
We can go further than this, however, and set up 'AutoComplete' - a 'predictive' tool which consults a dictionary of known words and, as soon as it 'thinks' it recognises the word you are typing, will pop it up in a small box beside the caret. Pressing [Enter] 'accepts' the word, inserts the rest of the letters, and moves the caret to the end of the word. By default, Word will recognise a range of standard phrases such as 'Dear Sir', days of the week and months of the year, but it is possible to make it much 'smarter' by adding new words, phrases, and even whole paragraphs to its repertoire. Type in the word or phrase and click [Add]. The AutoText control panel is accessed vis the 'AutoText' tab on the [Tools] >> [Autocorrect] control.
Teaching 'AutoText' a new name ... and the result
Best Practice! Some students have used AutoText to automate classroom administration tasks. Examples include setting it up so that typing the word 'class' would produce a complete list of every child in the class. Autotext can also be used to insert images ... the possibilities are (nearly) endless.
Task 5-3: Experiment!
Try out some of the strategies and techniques described above. Some may make your work on the computer easier!
Audio Support
This is a very brief introduction - just enought to get you started. A more complete guide is in preparation
Word supports the inclusion of audio files (.WAV files) which can be 'cut' and 'pasted' just like images. You can also record your own 'audio track' to accompany a screen-based activity. This also works very well in MS Powerpoint.
At the appropriate point in the document, select [Insert] >> [Object] >> [Wav Sound]. We are going to create our own - though you can paste existing sounds in just as easily. A little 'sound recorder' panel pops up and you can now record up to 60 seconds of sound - though be warned! Sound files are BIG and a Word document with lots of sound may not fit on a floppy disk.
The Audio Control Panel
The loudspeaker icon will stay in the document and, if clicked, the sound will play. This might be:
- A sound effect
- A word being read or segmented or both
- A hint or reminder of a learning strategy
- An instruction
Task 5-4: Adding Sounds to Resources
Take the resource you developed in Task 5-1 and think about how audio inserts might make it easier for a learner with a particular set of needs to access the learning activities within it. Does it require the addition of simple auditory 'cues'; specific support for reading; or more complete instructions?
Online Resources
- BECTa
- The British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (BECTa) (http://www.becta.org.uk) have a Special Needs section
- AbilityNet
- This is an extremely useful site with many information sheets. Abilitynet also provide very good training and will assess individuals with disabilities regarding IT support. (http://www.abilitynet.co.uk)
- BCS Ability Magazine
- An online magazine about ICT and disability issues (http://www.abilitymagazine.org.uk/).
- British Dyslexia Association
- The British Dyslexia Association (http://www.bda-dyslexia.org.uk/) and its associated Dyslexia Computer Resource Centre, University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX
- Microsoft
- Microsoft provide tutorials in setting up machines for users with special needs at http://www.microsoft.com/enable/
- Scope
- Scope, the national charity for cerebal palsy, launched the high profile "Speak for Yourself Campaign" (http://www.scope.org.uk/).
- ReadPlease
- Readplease (http://www.readplease.com/) give away an award winning textreader which is easy to use and manage.
- TextHelp
- Texthelp (http://www.texthelp.com/) provide a range of packages to help with reading and writing.
If you locate any other useful resources in the course of your own work, email Clare Folkes with details and it will be added to this list.