Unlocking Potential

Inclusive teaching and learning

Communicating Issues and Inspiring New Practice

Unlocking Potential

Things are seldom as they seem

Click to view….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlevdGvGcJM

Unlocking Potential

Things are seldom as they seem.

Dyslexic, deaf, blind, paraplegic, learning difficulties, unknown?

Dyslexic, deaf, blind, paraplegic, learning difficulties, unknown?

Unlocking Potential

A new way of seeing things

"One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things." – Henry Miller.

TechDis resources for a new way of seeing things:

WatchWords

SimDis

Unlocking Potential

A new way of doing things

• Do less work but create more accessible resources.• Make a podcast for a learner (without speaking).• Make a podcast with a learner (without installing software).• Make a learner make a podcast (without using a computer).• Make a video (without a video camera) .• Make mobile learning (without buying software).• Make a highly accessible learning object (without technical

know how).• Make a VLE (without a technician).• Give poor readers reading help (without being there).• Give poor spellers prompts (without being there).• Define vocabulary (without being there).

Unlocking Potential

Do less work but create more accessible resources

• Don’t format documents – structure them using heading styles instead. It saves you time and makes a much more accessible resource.

Hair background – formatted or structured

www.techdis.ac.uk/accessibilityessentials

Unlocking Potential

Make a podcast for a learner (without speaking).

• DSpeech – free and portable text to speech and text to MP3. Uses built in Windows XP voices. Hair demo.

• Or RoboBraille high quality free email service – send email with text attached to britspeech@robobraille.org

www.techdis.ac.uk/getfreesoftware

Unlocking Potential

Make a podcast with a learner (without installing software).

Portable Audacity.

The Welsh podcast primer – meeting, greeting and departing.

Good morning, good afternoon, hello, goodbye, good night, take care, see you later etc.

Unlocking Potential

Make a learner make a podcast (without using a computer).

Free phone message to MP3 service with Gabcast (www.gabcast.com).

Phone 0207 100 2530 • channel number: 15867# the ‘pound key’ = hash• channel password: 123#

Leave a message

Unlocking Potential

Make a video (without a video camera)

• Camstudio (free software)• Understanding a cheque

• Or use digital images with Windows moviemaker.

• Tying a tie.

• Or try Wink (runs from a memory stick)

www.techdis.ac.uk/getfreesoftware

Unlocking Potential

Make mobile learning (without buying software).

• Make audio, Camstudio or Wink resource and Bluetooth it to a PDA or phone.

• And if Bluetooth is a pain use IR beaming• And if beaming doesn’t work try a card reader• Or synchronising the device• Or fold a sheet of A4 cleverly (PocketMod)…

Unlocking Potential

Make a highly accessible learning object (without technical know how).

Xerte learning object.Launch it.

Create folder

Fill in text > Browse to media

Preview > add new page and repeat

Save

Upload folder to VLE

www.techdis.ac.uk/getxerte

Unlocking Potential

Make a VLE (without a technician).

www.esnips.com

Unlocking Potential

Give poor readers reading help (without being there).

• NaturalReader – • discrete media player style interface

• DSpeech• Portable, runs from usb memory stick

• WordTalk• Custom made to bring speech to Word – adds a new

menu bar.

www.techdis.ac.uk/getfreesoftware

Unlocking Potential

Give poor spellers prompts (without being there).

LetMeType is free word prediction software that can have a customised vocabulary imported.

www.techdis.ac.uk/getfreesoftware

Unlocking Potential

Define vocabulary (without being there).

WordWeb5 is GreenWare that will define, pronounce, provide synonyms and point out homophones.

Unlocking Potential

Strategic approaches

• Teaching styles and preferences are valid but learner entitlements are legally protected.

• Staff training on disability issues should focus on core business not fuzzy feelings.

• Accessibility does not belong to support specialists any more than inclusion belongs to disabled people.

• E-learning is not the solution but it provides a wide suite of solutions.

Unlocking Potential

TechDis resources

• For managersSenior Manager Briefings www.techdis.ac.uk/getbriefings

• For practitionersAccessibility essentialswww.techdis.ac.uk/getfreesoftwarehttp://www.techdis.ac.uk/getcreating http://www.techdis.ac.uk/getm-learning

• For trainersStaff packs, WatchWords, SimDis

Unlocking Potential

Conclusion

• E-learning supports the inclusion and DDA agendas by creating alternative (i) resource types and (ii) learning experiences.

• E-learning allows the learners to contribute to constructing learning… so what will you do next?