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Clicker 4

For PC Compatible Computers running 95/98 or NT

Clicker 4 is the newest version of Clicker! It supports the writing process and is a powerful multimedia literacy and access tool for people of all abilities. Most importantly, it caters to all age groups, including secondary students. Clicker 4 now has built-in switch access with a number of innovative user friendly features. In a classroom, at home or in a training group, multiple users can elect to ‘log on’ to the program. Individual files and directories are automatically created to coordinate users’ word lists and grids. Clicker 4 is designed to foster development and encourages participation in the areas of:

• Early Concepts: Reading, Writing and Story Telling
• Literacy – including ESL and LOTE
• Numeracy
• Switch Use: Cause-and-Effect and Switch Timing
• Choosing with a Switch
• Access to computers
• Communication
• Life Skills
• Teacher Resource Preparation

CLICKER 4 – A Multi Media Onscreen Keyboard

Essentially Clicker 4 is an onscreen keyboard. It has both synthesized and digitised speech. The program has two parts. It has a voiced word processor with a voiced spell checker that can display pictures, graphics and symbols. The onscreen keyboard can be programmed with any number of cells (or keys), starting from a 1 × 2 grid (matrix) up to a 100-cell grid. Each key (or cell) can hold a letter, a number, a punctuation mark, a single word, words, a phrase or a sentence with or without a picture. You can even program cells with mouse functions. A cell can also launch a software application or link to another grid.

When you click on a cell in a Clicker grid, or touch it using a touch window, text and/or a graphic is voiced and then ‘sent’ to the built-in word processor – Clicker Writer. Alternatively, you can nominate ANY program on your computer to receive text, or combinations of text and pictures (e.g. MS Word 97/2000). Therefore individual or linked cells can be sent to any other application that your students prefer to use, as well as to databases or spreadsheets. Clicker 4 is a very exciting tool when used with programs such as PowerPoint or MicroWorlds. Cells can be voiced in male or female voices using the built-in software speech. For user preference or need, you can also record your own voice directly into a cell, in any language. Cells can be programmed with two sound files. The left button may announce the word (e.g. ferry) with the right button programmed to play the sound of a ferry’s horn blast. This provides powerful and rich learning outcomes – and solutions!

Just Click to Write!

Clicker 4 is ideal for early readers and writers. It aids in extending the vocabulary and word usage of older writers and supports struggling writers of any age. Clicker 4 comes with its own child-friendly talking word processor (called Clicker Writer) that lets you write with pictures, symbols (such as PCS), photographs, digital camera images as well as with words. Clicker grids, displayed beneath or alongside Clicker Writer, give children immediate and instant access to words, pictures and sounds. Older students may prefer to use only text (with voice), and send their words and phrases to MS Outlook Express or Pegasus for instant creation of text to email or use dynamically online in Internet Relay Chat sessions. It will enhance any writing experience! Students can create their own grids, talking presentations or visual project aids.

Clicker 4 is even easier to use than previous versions. It comes with numerous ready-made grids, and you can create your own in seconds. Pre-made grids include grids for book making (9), picture grids (9), for sentence building (15) and for creating custom word grids (9). When a user logs on, he or she has an instant Word Lists folder that contains word grids for letters A-Z. You can add, edit or amend these pre-made grids at any time for any user. You can add pictures as well.

Text from the Clicker grid is entered into Clicker Writer (or your preferred application) with a simple click of the mouse. By using the right-hand mouse button, students can hear the word before they write it, thus enabling even non-readers to put together a sentence. By simply turning on the instant picture feature, your writing becomes picture-supported. Clicker comes with a curriculum picture library containing over 1800 pictures. Alternately, you can easily add pictures of your own. When you have completed your story, project, letter or poem, you can save/print out your document with single clicks using icons.

Some very useful and empowering features in Clicker 4 include: a fully integrated talking word processor; facility to write with pictures as well as words; a comprehensive curriculum picture library with easy, instant creation and editing of grids. You can enter text from keyboard or from one or more linked grids. You have the option to hide the grid for full word processor view (by using a one-click icon). Users can listen to text in the grid before writing for rehearsal or for checking new concepts and words. The ability to link any number of grids provides for powerful thematic work on topics, subjects and curriculum areas. By using a microphone, you can record your own sounds or languages. This is ideal for ESL and LOTE class lessons and tutorials. Students of all ages enjoy recording or ‘sampling’ their own voice, as do adults!

There is a log on facility for easy customisation for individuals. You can dynamically access alphabetically sorted personalised wordlists and have different sized user-friendly customisable toolbars. Clicker 4 lets you create and design your own talking books or projects to be printed, displayed onscreen or to be projected for the whole class to see and critique. Teachers, teacher aides and therapists can quickly generate and create integrated reading and writing activities. It fundamentally allows you to send any key press from the grid to the word processor. Students can initiate and complete their work with confidence and be assured that their work will be accurately spelt. Thematic and topical words, as well as extended vocabulary can be promoted to students of all abilities.

So …What’s New?

Clicker Writer uses ‘html’ (hypertext mark-up language) as its native format, so your documents are ready for the web or email. Students can create and publish web-based materials. It will automatically update and read/write previous Clicker 3 grids. The inclusion of ready-made templates makes it even easier to create great looking grids. It has support for video files and a full set of cell adjustment tools to make it easy to line up cells exactly for perfect grids. You can create a grid with up to 16 background graphics in addition to up to 100 cells!

Multi-line text boxes can hold an unlimited amount of fully formatted html text, which can include hyperlinks so that you can start designing web page content with students who have special needs. The talking spell checker is supported with graphics to assist early learners or those who struggle with text. You can quickly delete, rename and move your files within Clicker Explorer. The printing engine has been improved as well. The toolbars with extra features are more elegant in design and execution and you can create bullet points and indent text with ease. The full log-on and networking facilities are very useful as individuals can now easily use their own grids and settings. It is currently available for PC with an Apple Macintosh version coming later this year (i.e. 2000) with fully compatible files between the platforms!

Improved Switch Access

In Clicker 4, practically anything you can do with a mouse, can be done with a switch. With version 4, switch access comes as an installable option on the standard CD. You can accommodate single or dual switch users. They can have ready and appropriate access to word processing and writing activities. The option for teachers (or other students) to create talking books and other multimedia resources is ideal. Therapists can create and set up a variety of communication grids on the student’s computer. As a clinician’s tool, therapist can assess students’ switching skills and understanding.

You require Windows 95/ 98 or NT 4. As it is a resource dependent application, you require at least 32 MB RAM on a PC compatible with a fast processor (Pentium II or higher recommended). In addition, you will require a CD-ROM drive and a sound card. A microphone is advisable (unless you possess a library of .wav or sampled sound files). Speakers and headsets are optional. Headsets are mandatory in busy or noisy classrooms. The onscreen coloured grids are easily accessed, using either mouse, keyboard, touch window or switch(es). For switch users, you will need to purchase a suitable Clicker switch interface box (which plugs into your COM1 or COM2 serial port). See the Spectronics website for more details.

Make Your Own Curriculum Resources!

Customised grids can be programmed to assist users of all ages. There are so many potential uses of Clicker 4, not only in writing and documentation tasks, but also in providing resources that will enthuse and invite greater effort from your students who may be at risk of failure. Clicker 4 can be applied to accommodate all Key Learning Areas. As it is so flexible and open-ended, as it can be used with people of all ages, especially users with special learning, communication or language needs. Next time you are browsing and looking for new software ideas on the Web, visit ‘Clicker Grids for Learning’ found at www.learninggrids.com/ANZ and have a look. You won’t be disappointed! Clicker 4 has so much more to offer. It has made teachers stop and look, and listen! Students will thoroughly enjoy using it, in all of their curriculum pursuits. In addition, it is attractively priced… click our website and find out! The software can be purchased for multiple users, at a very reasonable cost per computer.