Reviews

Technology Teaching
PC Live, November 2000

In the first of a new series of hands-on education software tutorials, Robbie O’Leary sets up Clicker – a powerful reading and writing teaching tool.

Clicker 4 is a writing and reading support tool. There are two main parts in the program. Firstly, it contains a talking word processor. Secondly, it contains a Clicker Grid, which can hold letters, words, pictures and sounds. Children can type directly into Clicker Writer or use a mouse to write with words, phrases or pictures straight from the grid.

A large selection of ready-made grids is supplied with the program. These can be edited or new grids can be created – by teachers (or parents), according to the subject in hand and the needs and abilities of the pupils. As such, this is a program with unlimited educational potential.

Main features
Clicker 4 includes built-in speech support. Everything typed into the program can be spoken by the computer.
Teachers and pupils can record their own speech files directly into Clicker grids.
Over 1,000 graphics are included with the program. Also, your own graphics can be easily imported.
Clicker Writer saves all documents created as HTML files. Pupils’ work can the posted on the Web or sent as e-mail. Clicker 4 includes a customisable spell checker and is fully switch accessible.
A range of templates for grid creation is included with the program.
An excellent on-screen tutorial (created with Clicker) is accessible from the main menu. Additional grids can also be downloaded by registered users at www.clickergrids.com
Clicker is sufficiently flexible and open-ended to be used by pupils of all ages and abilities. It was originally intended to aid access to writing for switch users but has now evolved into a very sophisticated package for people at different levels of literacy.

Grids can be linked together so that talking book-type applications can be created, with full multimedia capability.

Power at a price
This is an extremely powerful and versatile application. Such power and versatility comes at a price, and not just a financial one. To use Clicker effectively, teachers will need to work through the online tutorial, one step at a time. It will also be necessary to refer to the user manual or the online help from time to time, particularly for advanced features.

However, most teachers would be well able to use the essential features of the program in a short space of time. Before using the software with pupils, though, it is suggested that an hour or two spent in preparation and becoming familiar with the software would be worthwhile.

How does it work?
First Steps: Installation is a straightforward process. Internet Explorer 5 is installed on your computer, in addition to the program files. The best place to start for new users is the Home Grid, from where you can launch the tutorial or start using the program. Once Clicker Writer is open, an empty grid is displayed on the bottom half of the screen. This can be resized as required.

Inserting text and creating grids
Once Clicker Writer is open, text can be entered and formatted as normal. If a grid is required, it is a very straightforward matter to produce a customised set of words, phrases or pictures. You can create a grid from scratch – a process that is a little like creating a table in Microsoft Word – or you can start with a ready-made template from those provided.

Alternatively, you can open a ready-made grid and edit it to suit your needs. You have full control over the number, size, shape and colour of the cells. Just shift-click into any cell to enter the text, or shift-right-click to alter the cell properties. The contents of any cell can be listened to with a right click, or sent to Clicker Writer, just above, with a left click.

Using graphics
The availability of picture support is a valuable feature of using Clicker. For early or struggling writers, this offers interest and encouragement. You can choose to have pictures appearing automatically as you type into Clicker Writer and/or into grids. Therefore, if appropriate, pictures will appear instantaneously as children type in their words. Selected pictures can be changed (by double-clicking), removed, aligned or resized as required. Alternatively, you can use the Insert/Picture command from the toolbar, to scroll through your hard disk and import your own graphics.

User preferences
Before actually starting to use Clicker it is advisable to select the User Preferences dialog box from the Options menu on the toolbar. Clicker scores very highly on the amount of control it offers users over almost every aspect of the program. From here, you can customise speech and voice effects, spellchecker, pointers, fonts and toolbars, so they will fit your precise requirements with reference to the age and abilities of the intended users.

Special access
For users that are unable to use a mouse or mouse alternative such as a trackerball or joystick, Clicker 4 is designed to be fully switch compatible. The grids can be operated with either one or two switches, and access settings are automatically saved for logged-on users. In this way, learners – of any age – can gain access to a curriculum and be enabled for independent learning and communication. Once again, a drop down menu from Options on the toolbar allows access settings to be configured.

In this way, and with the inclusion of the excellent text-to-speech facility, learners with special needs can be catered for better than with most other computer programs. Indeed, Clicker is widely used both in Ireland and the UK for this purpose.

However, it would be a mistake to suggest that this package is only suited for those with learning difficulties and/or special needs. Grids can be set up to cater for the needs of pupils of all ages, interests and abilities, and in all curriculum areas. For instance, a grid containing subject specific words could be set up under Clicker Writer whereby pupils would use the keyboard for most of their writing and just use the grid for more difficult words. Also, in language teaching, word (and picture) banks can be created to help pupils incorporate new vocabulary into their writing.

Summary
Clicker 4 is a unique program. Its power, flexibility and customisation features offer superlative educational potential, in all curriculum areas, and for the widest possible range of learning abilities. It is a superb example of how technology can be made to adapt to the needs of educators or learners. In far too many cases, it’s the other way round.

Once you’ve become familiar with the features and processes of the program, almost anyone can be using it to help their pupils write, read and communicate effectively and enjoyably. Although relatively expensive, for a great many pupils, it will allow them to use a computer to learn and to enjoy learning in a way that few, if any, other programs can match.

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