Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends......see you on Monday!

https://goo.gl/images/zT4mSS

Applying Boardmaker Pictures to Graphic Organizer Summarizer to Support Learning

Pictures created in Boardmaker program for use with summarizer graphic organizer

A printed, laminated copy of two the boards I created, before it is cut and used with the summarizer sheet

Cut pieces ready for manipulation when using small writing summarizer or large class poster organizer (below)

Basic directions for using and troubleshooting Boardmaker

Getting Started Using Boardmaker  

http://www.mayer-johnson.com/category/education/boardmaker-family-software?product_type=142

When the program first opens, after the logo, this is the first choice screen you will be directed to

From this menu you can choose to open a new page (left) open a saved board or add on (center) or open a template (right) 

When you open the new page, it functions much like graph paper. You click on the tool bar picture button and then drag to the measurement you want. I chose a 3x3 inch square. You can quickly form a page of 6 or 9 boxes by clicking the "spray" button from the tool bar. 

Now search for pictures by clicking on the tool bar "boardmaker person icon". A side box will pop up with a search bar to put words into, scroll through picture options, add your own words, and save or print! (Trouble shooting search: use very general words in the search bar, or it will turn up nothing: for example: use "who" to find characters, and "place" to find settings)

Once you are happy with your board, you can save it to return to later if you need to modify.

Voicethread showing the basics of Read & Write Extension for Google Chrome

https://voicethread.com/share/8452833/

Troubleshooting Microphone for Google Chrome-Read&Write

For Read & Write access problems you may have to "grant permission", for speech access:
Open the link below and follow directions. Text Help was a good resource for information and is linked below:

https://support.texthelp.com/index.php?action=artikel&cat=5&id=100&artlang=en

For a Mac, when speech to text microphone is not recording:
Go to System Preferences
Under Hardware, locate Sound (speaker icon) and click on it

You will then see this screen (below)

Highlight Input button to access your computers built in

microphone, 

Adjust input level to desired volume under settings for input 

volume

How to set up Read & Write Extension with Google Chrome

https://rwchrome.texthelp.com/drive/Support/Start

The process of making RSS feeds useful for you-graphic from Feedly tutorial

Apps discoverd in feedly at http://bdmtech.blogspot.com/2014/08/back-to-school-guide-for-dyslexic.html

Back to school technology apps to benefit students with language based LD

Another great app from Adaptive Technology Blog

Inspiration Maps Updated with iPhone Support and More

The mind mapping and outlining app Inspiration Maps, which was previously only available on the iPad, is now available on the iPhone as well. The app is a valuable tool to help students organize their ideas and start the writing process. Users can drag text boxes around the screen to easily produce webs of ideas. Inspiration Maps is particularly helpful when writing about complex topics that require a well planned and organized essay. Inspiration Maps can be also be helpful when beginning an essay to visualize the structure that the written piece will take.

With the larger screen iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 plus in makes sense to bring the app to the iPhone. If you are concerned about not having enough room to effectively use the app on your iPhone, a free version is available here.

The update also makes in easier to select multiple text boxes or images at the same time. Now users can press and hold on the screen in order to lasso a group of images.

The updated app is available for $10 is the App Store. Click here to download the app. Click read more below to view more screenshots of Inspiration Maps for iPhone.

Following on Feedly...

When following an assistive technology blog by Brian Meersma, I found this interesting new add on for OneNote:

Link to my voicethread video of student tutorials

https://voicethread.com/share/8397168/