Tennessee Association for Assistive Technology Conference November 29, 2012 Murfreesboro, TN

1. The program was supposed to tell you to bring a computer with Boardmaker Plus or Boardmaker with Speaking Dynamic Pro. If you want to quickly try to download a demo of the software, go to: • http://www.mayer-johnson.com/downloads/trials/ • Boardmaker Classic – North America – you have to create a user name (free) and log it

2. Creating Accessible Interactive Activities for Curriculum Access with Boardmaker Plus or Boardmaker with Speaking Dynamically Pro Tennessee Association for Assistive Technology Conference November 29, 2012 Murfreesboro, TN Mari Beth Coleman, Ph.D. University of Tennessee mbc@utk.edu Blanche Jackson Glimps, Ph.D. Tennessee State University bglimps@tnstate.edu Melissa Martin, M.A. University of Tennessee mmarti86@utk.edu

4. Session Description • In this hands-on instructional session, participants will learn how to use features in Boardmaker Plus or Boardmaker with Speaking Dynamically Pro to create interactive activities for students who need alternative physical access to academic curricula. Session leaders will provide a brief introduction to alternative access and then provide step-by-step instructions guiding participants through building interactive boards which would allow students using alternative input devices (e.g., trackballs, joysticks) access to academic instruction. Session leaders also will introduce participants to creating and using scanning features so activities can be accessed by students who use switches for computer access. Examples of activities from several curriculum areas (e.g., reading, writing, social studies) will be provided to give participants ideas for creating accessible activities for their students.

5. Learner Objectives: • Participants will see examples of accessible instructional activities in different subject areas (reading, writing, math, social studies) which may give them ideas on adapting activities for their students who need alternative physical access or who use augmentative communication to access academic instruction. • Participants will learn how to find premade interactive activities on the Boardmaker Share site. • Participants will learn how to use basic interactive features in Boardmaker Plus (or BM with SDPro) including message windows, speech features, and linking boards to create simple, accessible learning activities for students who need alternative physical access. • Participants will learn how to set up scanning patterns and use scanning features in Boardmaker Plus (or BM with SDPro) to create learning activities or speech boards for students who use switches for access to instruction.

6. Barriers to Literacy for Students with Physical Disabilities Reading & Writing • Decreased access to materials due to motor limitation • Restricted communication • Health factors, fatigue & endurance • Experiential deficits & differences in concept development • Interaction of additional disabilities • Psychosocial, attitudinal & environmental factors

7. Overcoming Barriers AT

8. Stumbo, Martin, and Hedrick (2009) found, for individuals with physical disabilities, that “appropriately chosen and implemented assistive technology” (p.108) is crucial for increasing the level of participation in education, employment, and independent living to levels similar to peers without disabilities.

9. Common Core Standards & Accessibility • TN has adopted the CCSS. • Access to these new standards may be difficult for students with physical disabilities. • Technology can provide accessibility for these students through the use of software and programs, and online resources. http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards

10. Boardmaker Products (Mayer-Johnson) • Boardmaker – print out low tech activities • Boardmaker with Speaking Dynamically Pro – exceptionally customizable AAC software • Boardmaker Plus – BM with SDPro minus a few features (different voice options, no word prediction)

11. Boardmaker Plus / SDPro Interactive Features • Easy Features • Speech (single message, combined messages, random messages) • Dynamic (Linking) boards • Moveable buttons • Popup boards • Symbolate (similar to Writing with Symbols/ Symwriter) • Advanced Features • Variables • Launching programs • Playing movies • Macros (combinations of functions) • Others

12. Boardmaker Share Site • https://www.boardmakershare.com

14. Next • Examples of activities for • Reading • Writing • Math • Social Studies • Tutorial • Quick basic board creation (basic Boardmaker skills are assumed) • How to • Add speech features (message windows, spoken preview, speak text, type text) • Create scanning patterns for switch users • Set up boards so they change • Create moveable button activities • (If time) Use variables and macros

15. GO TO PROGRAM!

16. Thank you for attending!!! • Website: http://web.utk.edu/~mbc/mbc_materials • If you have any questions: Melissa Martin mmarti86@utk.edu Mari Beth Coleman mbc@utk.edu Blanche Jackson Glimps bglimps@tnstate.edu