Tutorials And Strategy Guides for the Kurzweil 3000, Inspiration, and PDFAloud

This package of materials includes: interactive tutorials for Kurzweil 3000, Inspiration, and PDFaloud, along with curriculum-based strategy guides designed to identify barriers to learning, strategies to address those barriers, and expected learning outcomes. Each curriculum-based strategy guide consists of a sample activity in which students use directed practice to learn a process that they can then apply to their own work in a variety of disciplines. In addition to the tutorials and strategy guides a Strategy Guide Activity Book (a Microsoft Word document) offers a step-by-step introduction to the organization of the package of resources. Together, these materials provide a comprehensive package to facilitate student learning.

This package of materials was developed in consultation with community college instructors to introduce students (and instructors) to a process for learning designed to lead to greater student independence.

Quick Start Guide

Minimum System Requirements:

• Inspiration ver. 7
• Kurzweil 3000 ver. 6 (version 7.5 requires install disc - not upgrades)
• PDFAloud (PC only)
• MS Word

Mandatory Steps:

The interface organizes these materials as an Inspiration map using hyperlinks as a navigation tool. Please follow these steps!

1. Download and Save the SG Zip folder (zip file) to your computer desktop:
   1. Unzip the file (you may need an unzipping utility such as WinZip to extract the files).
   2. Create a Master Copy of the “Strategy Guides” folder onto a CD or a USB removable hard drive.
2. Student use:
   1. Copy and paste individual student copies of the “Tutorials and Strategy Guides” folder to the computer (this is inside Strategy Guides Folder).
   2. Open “A.Strategy Guide Interface” file within the “Tutorials and Strategy Guides” folder to begin program.
3. Navigate through Tutorials and Strategy Guides:
   1. Print “Strategy Guide Activity Book” for instructions on using “Tutorials and Strategy Guides” (this file is inside Strategy Guides Folder)

Support for Installing and Using Tutorials and Strategy Guides:

Additional on-site training on using the Tutorials and Strategy Guides is available through the HTCTU. To receive this training please directly.

Assistance and statewide meetings with Stacey Kayden on installing and using the Tutorials and Strategy Guides will be available through Web-based seminars. These meetings will be announced on the LD listserver.

Suggestions for Using Tutorials and Strategy Guides:

1. Instructors should use the Strategy Guide Activity Book to familiarize themselves with the materials before introducing them to students.
2. Resize Footnotes in Kurzweil 3000 as needed:
   1. Go to Tools menu, select Options.
   2. Click Image tab, and select Small in Note Marker box.
3. To maximize transfer of learning, instructors are encouraged to assist students with applying these strategies to course-based curriculum materials.

Feedback Forum:

This is the first version of these strategy guides to be presented to the California Community Colleges. As the designer it’s my goal to develop a product that will address the needs of both instructors and students. Your input and feedback on the usefulness of these Strategy Guides is profoundly important in that process. As feedback arrives I will update the Strategy Guide Package as needed. The Changes will be implemented once a month.

Discussion of the content is highly encouraged and is available through the Learning Disabilities Listserv. Subscribe to the LD Listserv by sending e-mail to: subscribe-ld@htclistserv.htctu.fhda.edu .

If you have specific questions, please directly.

It’s Your Turn:

Here are the steps to create and submit your own strategy guides for possible inclusion in this package:

1. Create your own strategy guide
2. Click on “Create your own Strategy Guide" in the main interface page for developing your guide
3. E-mail your guide to Stacey Kayden with the subject heading: Strategy Guide Submission

Accessibility:

California Community Colleges should make every effort to use software resources that are fully accessible to students with disabilities. Although these guides were developed specifically for students with learning disabilities, the highly graphical interface of Inspiration Software, designed for use by students with learning disabilities, is not accessible to students who are blind or have low vision.

Acknowledgements:

Many people have assisted in the development of this project. While it is impossible to name them all, grateful acknowledgement is given to the following:
Peggy Tate, Carl Brown, Sondra Neiman, Scott Hamilton, Susan Baldi, Terry Shaw, Marcia Krull, Brian Brautigam, John Kress, Ellen Cutler, Miriam Kantor, Chris Weidenbach, Susan McMurry, Myra Lerch, Cerritos DSPS staff, Jeanette Covington, Ron Kendis, Susan Matranga, Derek Benko, Joanne Albini, Santa Rosa DSPS staff, Gaeir Dietrich, Sean Keegan, Kathleen Buob

Special Acknowledgements:

I’d also like to acknowledge special thanks to my partner Dianna, my son Koby, my father Bob, and my special friends: Wandralee, Helene, Simon, Alice, and Debby for their love, support and patience.

Project Developer:

This project was developed by Stacey Kayden through a grant from the California Community College Chancellors Office. Stacey Kayden is a High Tech Learning Specialist at Laney College along with being a trainer on assistive technology for the High Tech Center Training Unit.