Assistive Technology

[LittleRae]

Hi

 

Just wondering if anyone has kids using laptops for work in school and how this is working? I've just purchased Dragon Voice Recognition software for DS (11) for use at home - obviously this cannot be used in a classroom situation. I'm now looking at getting him a laptop for some of his schoolwork and wondered how other kids are managing with this; what's the best one; and which software have you purchased? I know about the Alphasmart but won't be going down this route - I'm looking to get a regular laptop. I'm interested in particular in whether anyone (primary or secondary) is using it for Maths & how this works.

 

Thanks

[Mumble_rocks]

I have used laptop and alphasmart at secondary and now just use laptop at college. Anyway on the maths side it can be hard to use as there are numerous signs which are not accesable to my knowlegde on the laptop and writning formulas and when copying down ways to do division for example! If that makes sence! Mined you I would be lost without it!!!

 

Also I have also just purchesed naterally spekaing but I am finding it very slower to respond i.,e.I say soemthing then about 10 secs later it types! Are yuo finding the same prob??

[LittleRae]

Hi Mumble Rocks. Thanks for your reply. I haven't used the software myself although I did hear DH telling DS he'd need to be patient as it would take time to get used to his voice. However, as DS speaks very clearly, he seems to have no problems with this and I've heard no complaints about it. Well.. one complaint - it didn't understand when he wanted to type 'eustreptospondylus' Honestly, the limits of technology...

[Canopus]

My parents bought me a dictation machine back in 1986 in the attempt to improve my writing because I could say something but had difficulty getting it on paper. It was very useful and my writing began to improve as a result, but sadly my school would not let me use it in class. The teacher claimed that talking disturbed lessons and that the machine attracted attention of the other kids who wanted to use it as well. My parents had a word with the LEA about it but they were not convinced that I really needed it at school.

 

I also wanted this computer to use in class but the school wouldn't let me because their policy was to handwrite everything. The school also considered using a desktop computer as a word processor was positively undesirable.

[Mumble_rocks]

When it decides to write it does write it correctly! O dear well there would be down sides with it LOL I have had to teach it many words I am doing an Oudoor education corse at college and so have many new words! Which version does he use??

[baddad]

Hi D's mum -

 

quickie response re Maths -

 

there are some very good maths programmes from Dorling Kindersley, but as my son's a bit younger I'm not sure if they would be age appropriate(?)

At school, a lot of work is done on the PC with 'Number Shark' software and there is also a 'Word shark' for English... both of these programmes can now be purchased as single user license options if they are being used in school, which would mean you were usinf the same thing in both environments...

 

L&P

 

BD

[krystaltps]

My son (8) uses a laptop at school occasionally for writing as he has very poor pencil control and as yet does not have a dominant hand, making writing uncomfortable and frustrating for him. He does not use any educational programmes however.

I'm not sure I can be much help to you as I'm a primary teacher, but, on the writing front, there is an excellent package called Co-Writer to help with imaginative and functional writing. As for maths, I would suggest you try to access some of the internet packages. We use an excellent one called Education City (primary again) that parents can also subscribe to. You could try doing an internet search, as some of the packages can be purchased for a very reasonable annual subscription fee, and they often cover other curricular areas. Education City offers the entire curriculum in a fun and easy-to-use format, perhaps there is a secondary equivalent.

Alternatively, you could go into TES (Times Educational Supplement) website, and enter the staffroom to leave a message asking secondary teachers what they would recommend.

Hope this is of some use to you....

[LittleRae]

Thanks for the replies.

 

Baddad, we use wordshark here - I wasn't aware of Numbershark - I will talk to the school about it. I did find one software program in the US called MathPad, but I need to check out which grades it covers.

 

Thanks Krystaltps - all input gratefully received. My DS is 11 and therefore still in primary school (we're in Ireland). He has this school year and next to do before he goes to secondary in 2008, so the references you gave should be of interest.

 

I'm surprised his own school has no software ideas to offer. They have lots of info on packages to stretch him, but he can source his own information online without these. It's the basic 'how to get use of the laptop at school' that I'm in the dark about...