What is MyStudyBar v3?
· A simple floating AT toolbar that provides easy to use applications right on your desktop for all students but especially appropriate for struggling readers and writers - giving them access to literacy across the curriculum.
· The bar contains six sections: Planning, Reading, Writing, Vision, Voice and Help. Within each section are applications to support learners with literacy difficulties : 17 applications in total.
· It is a free shareware program that can be launched from a computer (fixed) or flashdrive stick and carried with the student (portable).
· MyStudyBar learns from the user as they use it so it becomes personalized to their individual needs.
· Study Bar helps learners with:
Ø personal choice and flexibility – as the software can be used anywhere
Ø inclusion – as using the software doesn't highlight that a learner needs additional help
Ø independent learning – as in some cases there is no longer a need to have a teaching assistant present
Planning Xmind – Mind Mapping. A planning, webbing and brainstorming tool with many powerful options and functions. It is similar to Inspiration but a bit more organized and not as flashy. It has a very clear layout but would still be a bit challenging for younger students to use independently. | Planning Sunbird - A portable calendar. Similar to MS Outlook, that is easy to learn and use. More suitable for older students and those with good typing and reading skills. It is fairly text based, but seems like a good way for secondary students to remain organized and keep track of extra-curricular activities and homework. |
Planning Hott Notes - Sticky notes. Provides three different sticky note options to help users be more organised. You can create notes, checklists or scribbles (pictures or diagrams) to aid in your thinking and to help keep you on task. Notes can also have auditory alarms attached in order to make sure you don’t forget anything! Tutorial can be found at | Reading T-Bar Colour - screen masking. Assists users with visual stress and Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome often called perceptual dyslexia. Provides options for masking screen areas in graduating colour density. |
Reading RapidSet – Change colors. Provides foreground and background colour options – in all applications. It assists users with visual perception difficulties such as Irlen Syndrome: often undiagnosed in many students. Users should experiment until combinations are found that provide the most clarity and then apply the selected settings to what they are doing. Websites that can indicate perception differences: | Reading Vu-Bar – screen ruler. Also assists with reading difficulties: Line skipping, missing small words and with loosing place on the page. It is a small rectangular box that you can move around with the mouse to encase text that you are trying to read. The size of the box is not adjustable and does not go across the entire width of the screen as does T-Bar. There are also no options to change colour or to provide shading. |
Reading SsOverlay - Screen tint. Overlays the entire screen. ssOverlay becomes a yellow arrow icon on the taskbar. You have to right click in order to access it and go to settings in order to choose the colour you would like to tint the screen with as well as its intensity. To remove the tint, right click the icon again and exit. The next time that you choose ssOverlay from the MyStudyBar toolbar, your previous settings will appear. Colour and transparency can be graduated. Can assist with Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome & Irlen Syndrome. | Reading Orato – text reader. A simple but very effective text reader; a straightforward text-to-speech application. Can be used with any program that has text, whether it’s a document or an internet page. Turning on Orato produces a new floating toolbar on your screen. You simply highlight whatever you want to have read aloud. You can choose to have the text shown, have words or sentences highlighted, as well as select your choice of voice, speech rate, volume, and colour background. |
Writing LetMeType – Word prediction. A program that predicts single words or phrases in a range of Windows applications. It assists individuals who require additional help with spelling and/or word recognition, particularly with longer complex words. LetMeType can benefit individuals who have a mobility difficulty and find it difficult to input text or who are slow typists. | Writing Lingoes – Talking dictionary. Functions as a dictionary and text translation software. It offers lookup dictionaries, full text translation captures words on screen, translates selected text and pronunciation of words in over 80 languages. |
Writing Tiny spell - spell checking. A simple spell checking application. Clicking on this icon starts the application. You’ll notice a small yellow box in the lower right hand position of your taskbar. Misspelling of a word causes a small box to open next two your misspelled word along with a chime sound to indicate a misspelling. Clicking on the yellow box prompts a popup menu with suggested spellings. | Writing Rapid typing – touch type tutor. As it sounds, teaches people to touch type. Not assistive technology in the traditional sense but a fun app. It times typing speed; backgrounds can be changed behind the letters as well as language and themes by using the settings option. Can be configured for multiple users. Good for IT students who need to be accurate for coding. Much less expensive than Mavis Beacon typing tutor. |
Writing Balabolka – Writing support/MP3 Text-To-Speech software application. Balabolka is a Russian word, it can be translated as "chatterer". All computer voices installed on your system are available to Balabolka. Clicking on the icon opens the app which is a large window box designed to hold text. It can upload word and PDF documents by clicking on the file icon and selecting the content to open. One can type directly into the box as well. The cursor needs to be ahead of the word, then the central green play button (says read aloud) will read the text when pressed. The reading speed and pitch can be controlled by on screen bar slides. The on-screen text can be saved as a WAV, MP3, OGG or WMA file by selecting "Save Audio File" or "Split and Convert to Audio Files" from the "File" menu. This app is very useful to help students monitor their writing process as it will read back exactly what they typed. Self-correction can occur without having another person involved. Balabolka is for individuals who find it helpful to read and listen to text. Balabolka can also help those for whom English is not their first language. The printable user guide can be found at: | Voice Speech recognition software. To be used in any text to speech or speech to text apps for a computer such as Orato or Balabolka on MyStudyBar. Clicking on this icon activates your computer’s speech recognition software and can be useful for individuals who have mobility difficulties and find it difficult or impossible to use a keyboard and mouse. A headset with a microphone is needed to set up the program properly. Similar in a lot of ways to expensive speech recognition software such as Dragon Naturally speaking but without the cost. Upon activating the speech recognition software on your computer, a set-up screen will appear. The instructions begin with placement of the microphone from your mouth and continue with a series of exercises where one is asked to repeat words and phrases for the computer to get a sense of one’s voice quality. A visual floating tool bar with an equalizer-style volume sensor will float at the top of the screen. With the ongoing usage of the voice recognition software, the accuracy rate of the text produced increases. One is prompted to print out the user guide for voice commands to fully take advantage of all the program’s features. However, it is very easy to use by starting the active listening by saying “start listening” and finishing by saying “stop listening”. |
Pictello
1. To provide comfort for young children when family members have to travel2. To improve home and school communication for non-verbal students
3. Creating topic specific books for whole class use (ie. for a science unit)
4. To provide instructions for an activity or to simply share news when a child is away from school for extended periods (ie. due to illness)
5. Creating a self-guided tour for visitors to a school, or for field trips (if chaperones or older students had iPhones or iPads, they can lead themselves through a museum being sure to visit the areas that are important to the teacher)
There were also 3 other apps that I thought could be particularly useful.
Pocket Phonics
This app is for letter formation, letter sounds and combining letter sounds to create words. 2 options are presented "Letter Sounds and Writing" and "Word Game." In Letters, students hear the sounds each letter makes and have a chance to trace them. If they are not close enough to the proper letter shape, the app will prompt them to try again and also cheers when the letter is correct. A simple shake erases what the student has written so they can try again. In "Word Game" the student chooses letters from a small group to make a word. The app sounds the word out in order to help the student make the right choices.
Strip Design
This app is very similar to Comic Life, it allows the user to create their own comic strip. The user chooses a template and can then choose pictures from maps, photo albums, drawing, or using the iPad or iPhone camera. Once images are inside the template they can be manipulated. The user can then add text in blocks, balloons, thought bubbles, etc. You double tap the features to add text to them. This can be very useful for reluctant writers, encouraging them to record their thoughts in a creative way.
I Like Books
This is a wonderful *free* app that provides over 30 books for children to have read to them or to read to themselves. In the "Read to Me" and "Autoplay" options, the books are read to the child. The difference between the 2 is that in "Read to Me" the child chooses when the pages are turned. In the "Ready by Myself" option, children can touch difficult words to have them read to them. The illustrations are photos of a wide variety of people, situations and animals that are very engaging. My toddler and I are currently enjoying these books very much. :)
