ELR Software combines the skills of speech pathologists and software designers to create software for speech, language and literacy intervention. Our programs may be used within therapy, to increase efficiency in service delivery using the Internet and CD based materials, 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) 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) is available online at www.elr.com.au/news and an email version is sent monthly to members of our mailing list (See Subscribing/Unsubscribing).
In this issue -
Whew! This month has been a bit of a whirlwind, and we've passed mid-month already. The ELR Software team had a thoroughly enjoyable time at the National Speech Pathology Australia Conference in Hobart. We had our trade stand, and it was nice to put faces to the names of many of our existing customers, meet other conference delegates, and also attend some of the excellent papers and workshops. It's always a good opportunity to catch up with colleagues, and get to know other clinicians who are producing therapy materials for speech pathologists. We also took advantage of good weather and the wonders of Tasmanian wilderness, walking for only a day and a half, up and down and around the Cradle Mountain National Park.
This month we have continued to add new tasks to the section which was opened in last month - "Syntactic Processing". As was mentioned in the last newsletter, it is in the early stages of development, so that currently, only a few subsections contain tasks.
There have been 80 new tasks added to "Syntactic Processing - Active Sentences (Noun + Verb + Noun + Prepositional Phrase)". The models are word based - "Typing With Phrases", and "Typing With Words". The variables which have been controlled for in the tasks are "concrete/ abstract", "regular/ irregular" verbs, verb argument structure, verb tense, and use of pronouns.
These models require the client to rearrange either phrases or words to make sentences. They have been designed to allow flexibility in the way they are used. For example, if a client needs full support, the target sentence can be displayed so that it can be completed as a word matching activity. As skills improve, the target sentence can be switched off, so that the client needs to comprehend word meanings in order to complete the task. In both models, the words can be "re-shuffled" enabling repetition of each item.
The Word Meanings Volume One CD is now available for purchase, and was released at the Speech Pathology Australia Conference.Word Meanings is an Interactive Language Program designed to build understanding and recall of words by strengthening semantic processing. It enables repeated practice and the opportunity for reinforcement of word meanings at an error-free level. Based on the therapy manual Building Language: Word Meanings by Robyn Dower and Jan Mackey's, Helios Art and Book Co, 1996, this Volume covers Picture Meanings, Spoken Word - Picture Links, and Written Word - Picture Links.
For information at this stage, please contact us directly. The supporting Website is being developed and will soon have mechanisms to download a free trial version, for online ordering, for Frequently Asked questions and the additional "plug-in" accent/language voice files. Please watch http://www.elr.com.au/meanings for details.
We are just about to leave for New Zealand where we will be holding 8 workshops in the North and South Islands (see below Calendar section below for details). A big thanks to the clinicians in New Zealand who have been so helpful in our efforts to organise the trip. We're looking forward to seeing New Zealand, and to meeting the clinicians in the various departments.
ELR now 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.
A series of free workshops (about 2 hours each) covering eLr, Rude Readers, Word Meanings and EIA. Please contact us by email if you'd like more details about venues etc.
- Auckland Monday 26th May, 1-3pm
- Rotorua Tuesday 27th May, 1-3pm
- Palmerston North Wednesday 28th May, 2-4pm
- Wellington Thursday 29th May, 3-5pm
- Invercargill Tuesday 3rd June, 3-5pm
- Dunedin Wednesday 4th June, 3-5pm
- Christchurch Thursday 5th June, 3-5pm
- Nelson Friday 6th June, 3-5pm
ELR Software will have a stand at the Speech Pathology Conference at La Trobe University.
We will have a stand at the Speech Pathology Workshop at the Royal Children's Hospital.
We will have a stand and probably a presentation at the 2003 NSW Computer Education Group (CEG) Conference
You are receiving ELR-News because you are an eLr subscriber, or have expressed an interest in either eLr or EIA. To subscribe or unsubscribe, send an e-mail with details to news@elr.com.au
Copyright ©2003 ELR Software Pty Ltd
| Postal |
ELR Software Pty Ltd PO Box 1456 Bairnsdale VIC 3875, Australia |
| Phone International |
(03) 5156 8309 1800 018 309 +61 3 5156 8309 |
| Fax International |
(03) 5156 8609 +61 3 5156 8609 |