ELR-News

ELR Software produces a range of computer programs designed by speech pathologists for speech, language & literacy intervention. Our programs may be used interactively within therapy sessions, to increase efficiency in service delivery, and to improve access to the Internet for people with special needs. We are also available as consultants to clinicians and research projects in the fields of literacy and accessibility issues associated with the Internet.

The aim of this newsletter is to inform you of developments and changes to our major products eLr (Extra Language Resources), Rude Readers, Word Meanings and EIA (Enhancing Internet Access). We welcome the opportunity for feedback and questions, and will be pleased to consider including reader contributions and announcements.

This Newsletter (and previous editions) as well as a "print-ready" PDF version of the current edition is available online at www.elr.com.au/news. An email version is also sent monthly to members of our mailing list (See Subscribing/Unsubscribing).

In this issue -

1. New and Revised eLr Materials
2. Recent Workshops
3. Other Independent Developers
4. Free Downloads
5. ELR 2006 Calendar

1. New and Revised eLr Materials

   New Tasks

   67 new tasks using MemoryPics and PicCards models have been added in "Semantics - Naming - Related". As with last month, the new tasks have been prompted by a clinical need. While working with a boy of about 8 years, it became apparent that he had significantly decreased expressive vocabulary. He loved memory games, but there were no memory games in our "Naming" section. So this need has been addressed.

   MemoryPics is a simple game, but most children love it. When using MemoryPics, the cards appear on the screen in a very predictable order. This allows you to quickly demonstrate pairs, if you are working with a client with short attention span, or for some reason you need to know where the pairs are. To shuffle, select "Shuffle", and then "Reset" by clicking the double back arrows at the top left hand corner of the screen. Each time you shuffle, you get a new game.

   This task can be used in a variety of ways. The pictures may be named and when each pair has been found, the client can be encouraged to talk about the "parts of" the item. To practice descriptive language, have the client describe more about the item - where it is kept or found, how it is used, who uses it etc. After you have finished the game, descriptive skills can be practiced by having the client give you clues, so that you can guess what they are thinking about.

   PicCards is a simple model. A series of "cards" is presented on the screen. By clicking each card, the picture is revealed. This model is useful for printing pictures for the client to take away. By printing onto cardboard, they can be cut up and made into cards, which can then be used with a board game. In "Activity ToolBox - Scene Library", the game boards are presented in a format for printing, so that you can make your own games.

   Revised Tasks

   The PicPairs model has been revised to make it more appealing and functional. This model is used mainly in "Phonological Awareness - Rhyming - Rhyme identification" in which pairs of matching pictures are selectable. The new version has the choices as smaller "thumbnail images" at either side of the screen, and each pair as it is selected becomes a larger version, side by side in the center of the screen. This makes more conceptual sense as it reinforces the connection between the pair, and the larger size of each current pair reinforces the choice versus the non-selected remaing choices.. The new version also allows the user to swap the pair left-to-right on the screen. This model is one of the earliest in eLr and these improvements will make it better suited for future use in new pairing tasks coming soon.

2. Recent Workshops

   November has been a busy month and we have met many new clinicians, parents and school staff at the workshops. Thank you to the staff at Yarra Glen School for arranging the workshop early in November, and also to the clinicians at Sunbury Community Health Centre last week. eLr has grown in size, but we have found that once you have been shown through the Directory, locating tasks becomes easier, and the various ways to use each task becomes more apparent. We look forward to meeting subscribers to eLr and other interested people at Swan Hill this week.

3. Other Independent Developers

   As an occasional feature of this Newsletter, we include simple, unpaid announcements of products developed by other small, independent developers, who, like ourselves, are practising clinicians who have put their ideas and experience into resource materials for general distribution. Links and brief information about these sites may be found at www.elr.com.au/links/developers.htm. To date we have listed -

   • Innovative Communication Programming
   • News Talk CD
   • PELICAN TALK Speech Therapy Resources
   • Play & Learn/Sounds Song Marathon (Annie Arrow)

   If you would like your materials listed on this page (at no charge), please contact us.

4. Free Downloads

   ELR has a number of free or evaluation files available for downloading directly from our website. Please see www.elr.com.au/downloads.htm for specific details. For other supporting materials and documents available for free download, please see www.elr.com.au/support.htm.

   • Products: The current ELR Software - Product Brochure, in PDF format.
   • eLr-Offline: Compiled, "mirror" version of the eLr (Extra Language Resources) website which you may download and run on your own PC. Allows access to the eLr Directory and all tasks from locations where regular access to the Internet is not possible.
   • Word Meanings: Volume One. Trialware, Interactive Language Program designed to build understanding and recall of words by strengthening semantic processing, based on the therapy manual Building Language: Word Meanings by Robyn Dower and Jan Mackey's, Helios Art and Book Co, 1996.
   • Rude Readers: Volumes One to Five. Trialware, eBook type programs each containing 5 "Readers" intended primarily for children with speech, language and reading disorders. They are intended to stimulate humour and provide material targeting a range of language goals.
   • Rude Readers Library: A single "Table of Contents" program for all published volumes of Rude Readers containing brief descriptions and the full, cross-referenced Speech Pathology Targets for each published Reader.
   • eLr  Directory (Summary): Summary of eLr Directory in print-ready PDF format. Contains all the classification information but no listing of actual tasks and task numbers. (The full version is available only to eLr subscribers.)
   • EIA  Browser: A specialised Browser for Internet training and access for people with disabilities and other special needs.
   • EIA  Demonstration: Demonstration of EIA Browser, AAP and Web Tutorial modules to let you see, or show others, how the EIA Browser and its Plugin modules (the AAP and the Web Tutorial) "look and feel".
   • Black  Window: Enhance visibility and reduce distractibility of other programs. Fills the screen with a black background which remains underneath other programs. Mininmize or close the program to restore normal Windows appearance.
   • APAR-C: Allows delivery of the APAR (Assessment of Phonological Awareness and Reading) from a computer using either a scan-switch (such as the Discover Switch), or conventional mouse/keyboard, or touchscreen. Also contains all the score sheets and stimulus cards.
   • APAR/PDF (zipped): APAR (Assessment of Phonological Awareness and Reading) in print-ready PDF format (zipped). Contains all the score sheets and stimulus cards.
   • WordCue  Trainer: Installs WordCue and the WordCue Trainer on your computer. WordCue provides assistance in reading words, links and phrases on web pages. By selecting a word or phrase which is difficult to read, a range of cues are provided directly within the MS Internet Explorer Browser
   • Literacy  Online: Mirror of Literacy Online web site. This is the full (except for external links) set of files (.htm/.js/.css/.gif/.jpg) that constitute the Literacy Online web site.
   
    

5. ELR 2006 Calendar

   • November 2006
     Victoria - Swan Hill

     • Swan Hill District Hospital:
       Friday 24th. 2.15-4.15pm
       Contact: Rebecca Wood (03) 5033 9390

   • November-December 2006
     South Australia

     • To be confirmed! Hopefully will be arranged for a time towards the end of the year (or early in 2007).
       Please contact us if you are interested.

   • Additional 2006 workshops
     This year we are holding workshops at locations within Australia that suit your needs and schedules. So if you would like a workshop for your clinicians, staff, or families, please contact us. We are not charging for the workshops, so to make our trip worthwhile, we would need:
     1. to have a venue provided - it is difficult to know the best locations in all areas.
     2. to be able to also hold a general workshop for other clinicians, parents or school staff in your area. It may suit you to have a specific workshop for your staff, so that you are able to "get the most out of" eLr. We would then like to hold a second workshop for any others who may be interested.
     3. to have assistance from you to publicize the workshop. As with the locations, it is quite difficult to know how the different services are organized in the various locations around Australia. We hope that you may be able to use your existing networks to let people know about the workshops.

     For non-Australian clients, please contact us so that we can also plan ways to demonstrate how eLr can assist in your service delivery.

Subscribing/Unsubscribing to this Newsletter

You are receiving ELR-News because you are an eLr subscriber, or have expressed an interest in either eLr, Rude Readers, Word Meanings or EIA. To subscribe or unsubscribe, send an e-mail with details to news@elr.com.au