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 eLr Materials
2. "Animal Power" and eLr User ID's
3. Other Independent Developers
4. Free Downloads
5. ELR 2006 Calendar

1. New eLr Materials

   28 new tasks have been added to "Sentence Processing - Multi-clause sentences". These tasks provide material for clients to practice using 5 conjunctions, "instead of", "unless", "who", "that", "which". The model used is Typing with phrases. This task requires the client to "rearrange the phrases or words" to make a sentence. However, the model enables you to present the material in a flexible manner to suit your specific goals and client skills, and also to extend the task.

   The task appears on the screen as a rearranging phrases activity. The sentence is divided into phrases. A prompt may be provided, if the client has difficulty reading (click "Prompt" and the completed sentence appears). The client can then rearrange phrases as a word matching activity. Some clients like to use the prompt to read the sentence, then click the prompt away, and rearrange the phrases or words by remembering the sentence. This reinforces decoding skills. Once the client has completed the task as a "rearranging phrases", the challenged can be increased by selecting "word", and then the task is presented as a "rearranging words" activity. The task can be extended so that the understanding of "parts of a sentence" can be taught.

   1. Have the client look for all the "action words" (verbs), then all the "actors" (subjects). Write the verbs and subjects down, so they start to understand different roles in a sentence.
   2. Once the verbs have been identified, the individual clauses can be isolated. Have the client verbally make the 2 or 3 short sentences that make up the complex sentence (ie without the conjunction). They may then write these sentences and work out how to join them together in different ways to make complex sentences.
   3. You could have them use some different conjunctions to join the short sentences, and talk about how the meaning changes with different conjunctions. Encourage use of more sophisticated conjunctions.
   4. Look for describing words, and discuss whether they describe people, things, or actions. This leads to a discussion of adjectives and adverbs.

   These tasks focus on conjunctions. Some of the tasks present short sentences with 2 clauses, and other provide practice with sentences that have more than 3 clauses. Language flexibility and the ability to use complex sentences is increased by encouraging the client to make as many different sentences as possible.

2. "Animal Power" and eLr User ID's

   The eLr User ID's are in the form "abc123" and for some combinations there has been confusion, eg between the letter "l" and one, the letter "o" and zero etc. And over the phone "v/b", "m/n" and so on may also be misheard. We get a number of support requests where the user can't logon and this is quite often the problem.

   In an effort to clarify this, and make them easier to remember and to tell clients, we've begun including a mnemonic in the letters and forms we provide with eLr. Rather than use the rather military "alpha bravo charlie" style, we've used an animal alphabet, so for example "abc" would use "ant bear cow" and "lio" would use "lion insect octopus". For all except the letter "x" we were able to find an animal, so "x" uses "xray".

   Please encourage your clients and parents to use this memory support when you are telling them how to use eLr Guest access.

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

   • September 2006
     ACT - Canberra

     • AASE (Australian Association of Special Education) National Conference. Hyatt Hotel Canberra:
       Fri 29th - Mon 2nd
       Contact: Please contact us for details. We will have a stand at this conference.

   • November 2006
     Victoria - Yarra Glen

     • Yarra Glen Primary School
       Symonds St:
       Wednesday 1st. 4.00-5.30pm
       Contact: Please contact us for details

     Victoria - Swan Hill

     • Swan Hill District Hospital:
       (NB: Changed - again!) Now 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