A very clear post detailing why we need tools such as Clicker 7 to help us raise the literacy capabilities within our pupils.
Clicker 7 – Closing the Attainment Gap⤴
from Alan Stewart
Author Archives: Alan Stewart
Clicker Communicator for Chrome⤴
from Alan Stewart
Sidekick⤴
from Alan Stewart
A new access device from Ablenet.
Despite iPads being touchscreen devices and having switch access built in, they remain inaccessible to many for a wide range of reasons.
The new Sidekick device from Ablenet promises access via mouse/joystick devices which should bring usage within the scope of many more users.
Book Creator – Significant Update⤴
from Alan Stewart
We at ATSS have always loved Book Creator and have suggested its use and trained numerous folks to use it and embed it into all sorts of curricular areas over a number of years. Book Creator has continuously developed over time onto different platforms and to offer additional tools and features.
This most recent development opens up an new world of possibilities for teachers to create interactive resources for their students while providing pupils with a fantastic work space in which they can showcase their work no matter (almost) what format it exists in.
Strictly Come Signing!⤴
from Alan Stewart
This is FAB-U-LOUS. Definitely gets a 10 from Len. Topical, high interest communication opportunity/support.
Google Classroom Summer Refresh⤴
from Alan Stewart
There have been some useful additions to Google Classroom over the summer. Find out what’s changed below.
Flippity – heck this could be useful!⤴
from Alan Stewart
In its own words flippity allows you to:
Easily turn a Google
Spreadsheet into a Set of Online Flashcards
and Other Cool Stuff
Clicker beyond just writing.⤴
from Alan Stewart
I like this video because it includes and talks about important elements of Clicker that are often overlooked. Issues such as the variety of access methods and snippets of tailored choosing activities that can be seen in the background. One boy is using it for writing (which is great) but it’s by exploiting the power and adaptability within Clicker that’s paying off for these youngsters and their teachers.
Filed under: ICT Support 
Kami – interact with your PDFs⤴
from Alan Stewart
The Assistive Technology Support Service has been sifting through various tools that might meet the many and varied needs of teachers and pupils as Chromebooks roll out across Highland schools.
PDF annotation seems to be a significant need.
Many pieces of teachers’ work for pupils already exist as PDF worksheets. The ability to annotate such material opens up many opportunities for pupils to interact directly with these worksheets as we move towards 1:1 device availability.
Kami is a good example of such a well-functioned tool to allow pupils to:
- Digitally answer questions directly into the workspace
- Comment directly on PDF texts
- Draw shapes and diagrams to express knowledge and understanding
- Utilise text-to-speech to support those with reading difficulties
- Kami integrates with Google Classroom and Drive so files can be shared easily in both directions.
Get your Kami Chrome extension here.
Filed under: ICT Support 
Clicker 6/7 as a teaching tool⤴
from Alan Stewart
We at ATSS absolutely love, and live by, Clicker 6 and 7. It’s so versatile. Many many teachers use it to support children’s writing but fewer, it seems, use it as a demonstration tool on their interactive whiteboards. The benefits of doing this are many – it provides a clear view of what’s being shown but can also be transferred to the pupil’s computer screen to allow them to work in exactly the same manner as the demonstration.
My son was working on Partitioning 2 digit numbers so I made him this to practise on. If I was demonstrating this to a class of pupils I’d certainly use my template – and let them use it to step them through the process.
Download the above Clicker 6 template here.
Filed under: Assistive Technology Software, Cross curricular, ICT Support, IWB, Numeracy, Teaching & Learning 
