Extra Language Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
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Is eLr suitable for adults as well as children?
Yes. Although some tasks have a graphic style that is perhaps more appropriate for children, the eLr target categories are designed to be skill orientated and so may be applicable to many age groups. Frequently there are also similar text based activities for the same target.
Will the eLr Task ID's ever be altered?
No - once a task is included, the Task ID will not be changed and that task will always be available. This means that both your recommendations to clients (regarding tasks to use) as well as your clinical records will remain consistent.
Why don't any tasks include digitized voice output/instructions?
eLr tasks are designed to be used as resource materials for an interactive session which involves feedback, interaction, and expansion as part of the activity. They may be presented in different ways and the speech or language response of the client (not the computer) is the most important feature. We suggest that you as the supervisor or clinician, are in the best position to give appropriate instructions and feedback to your client.
Some tasks seem very short
All tasks are precisely targeted and for some targets there may be few available words/pictures. However, it's often valuable to "re-run" a particular task with a different screen colour, "words only" mode and so on. Look for and experiment with the Controls and other screen options. You can also try a browser Refresh (or press the F5 function key) which will likely give you a new combination of colours and icons.
Can the eLr system log a clients progress?
Not directly. Progress is an individual thing, and different clients will require varying amounts of repetition and reinforcement. However it can be useful for clinical records to document specific tasks attempted (record the Task ID). Also look for the small numbers in the top left of task screens which will indicate the number/extent of a series eg 2/10. The Downloadable Report Forms can also help plan and record progress.
Can I get a printed copy of the eLr Directory?
Yes - but, a full listing occupies over 180 pages and it's continually growing! We don't routinely provide printed copies, but as a Subscriber you can download a PDF version and print your own. All users can download a shorter (about 30 pages) summary listing from our Support page. Registered Users will find a link to the full version at the bottom of the Task Loader page. Alternatively, you can open the Task Loader to the section(s) you are interest in, select that block (by holding the left button down and dragging the mouse cursor) and then print just that block from the "File-Print" command (choose "Selection" as the Print range).
What do terms like "phonology" and "digraph" mean?
Please look at the Speech Pathology Terminology page for these and other terms used on the eLr site.
How do I quickly learn how a task operates?
Click on the "?" button in the top-right corner of each task to show/hide additional help information about the general usage of the and controls available, as well additional usage tips. Many tasks have a common set of controls, such as the "Color Changer" which alters the background color for the task. Other tasks will have individual features which allow the operator to alter the way in which the task operates.
What's the difference between a Registered User and a Guest User?
Registered Users pay a yearly subscription and have unlimited access to all eLr materials. Guest Users have free, but limited access by using the guest account of a registered user. In particular guests can't use the Directory to locate specific tasks and can only load tasks by the Task ID number.
Do I give my User ID or my PIN to Guest User clients?
Guest Users need to enter the User ID of their clinician/adviser to gain access to eLr. You should NOT give out your PIN to such clients, or any others. (Note - registered users who've paid the discounted Family rate are restricted from providing guest access to others.)
What's to stop me giving my full User ID/PIN details to others?
Your honesty - and the terms of your subscription licence. You paid for a subscription and your PIN is a protection of your investment.
Can I change my User ID and/or PIN?
User ID's are randomly allocated to each new subscriber, and remain with that subscriber throughout renewals. The PIN on the other hand, is changed each year with a subscription renewal. If you believe others are abusing your present User ID or PIN, please contact us.
How do I know when my re-subscription ends?
Each time you log into eLr you enter the Expiry Date of your subscription (month/year). We'll contact you close to that date, but if you don't renew in time, you'll simply find that your logon process stops working once the date is reached.
Do others have access to my address or e-mail details?
No. Our policy is clear on this. We do NOT provide names, addresses (including e-mail) to any other parties. We keep such records only so that we can properly service your subscription.
Are records/logs kept of the tasks used?
Yes - our system does log the usage of tasks - but without names (ie using only the User ID's). We monitor such logs as part of a Quality Assurance process to ensure that the system is performing effectively.
Do I have to use the Microsoft Internet Explorer browser?
Yes! eLr tasks rely heavily on "dynamic HTML" to produce their interactive nature, such as as colour changes and movable text and images. To date, no other browser supports all the features we needed. If (when) this changes, we'll add more cross-browser capability. For more information please click here.
When I load tasks, the edges are sometimes "off the screen"
All task screens are optimized to fit an 800x600 pixel screen. This generally means maximizing each task before use (eg click the Maximize button, or double-click the Title bar). If your computer is set to a resolution greater than 800x600, all task windows will automatically open to an 800x600 size, and won't usually need to be maximized.
How do I change the Windows screen resolution to 800x600 or larger?
You change the resolution settings on your computer from My Computer-ControlPanel-Display-Settings. Look for the slider control that says Screen area and move it to 800x600 pixels.
Do I have to stay connected to the Internet throughout an eLr session?
No - once you see the eLr logo in the top, left corner of a task, all images and content needed by the task are temporarily stored or "cached" on your computer. You can then usually disconnect and continue to use any such task(s) for as long as your browser remains open. An efficient way to run a clinical session is to select (perhaps using the Quick Load List) all the tasks you'll be needing, wait for them to load, disconnect and then cascade or minimize them on the Windows desktop to be used as needed.
How do I print an eLr screen from Windows?
In newer Windows Browsers, the "printer" icon in the top-left of each eLr task links directly to your computer's Print command. For older Browsers you'll need to right-click in a blank part of the task screen and select Print from the shortcut menu. You'll probably also want to set the Page Margins to a minimal size (eg 5mm) to print as much of the screen image as possible, or print in Landscape mode if you find pages are being "chopped off".
I've found a task that doesn't work or is incorrect
We do many checks and tests of the materials used in eLr. But, we're only human. If you find an error, we'd be most grateful to hear of it. A brief e-mail with the Task ID (eg "1234-789") will do. Since all materials are on the Web, all changes and corrections are immediately available to all users.
I get a browser error that say things like "elrMASTER is undefined"
This is likely to be the first in a "series of errors" - all of which will end up with a screen(s) with some material missing and which doesn't work properly! The scripts which run the pages arrive at your computer separate from the page content & there may have been a transmission problem. Try re-loading the page, or even logging in again. Please contact us if problems like this persist.
In some tasks, such as the "drag" ones, I see colored digits (between 0 to 9) instead of "icons"
Many tasks use our own "icon" sets (such as animals, dinosaurs etc) which are prepared as small (8-10k) "embedded fonts" which are temporarily downloaded (and "embedded") by MS Internet Explorer as required. The settings on some computers may prevent this downloading, but this is usually easily adjusted, and causes no adverse effects.
On Windows-2000/XP/Vista the mechanism is always installed, but can be denied by security options set within Internet Explorer. Look for "Font Download" in Tools-Internet Options-Security-Custom Level. Change the setting to "Enable".
On Windows 98 go to -
1. ControlPanel|Add/Remove Programs
2. Select Microsoft Internet Explorer and choose to Add a Component
3. Choose "Internet Explorer Browsing Enhancements" which will activate MSIE's "support for font embedding so you can see the text exactly as the page designer intended"
You will probably need to have the original MSIE or Windows CD available for this. Otherwise MSIE will tries to get the required components from the Microsoft web site - which is also OK, but may take longer.
I get a browser message that says "This page uses fonts that need to be temporarily installed" Many tasks use our own "icon" sets (such as animals, dinosaurs etc) which are prepared as "embedded fonts". Answer "Yes" - they are safe, and are removed from your computer along with other temporary Internet material.
I'm using Windows Vista and when I try to run the eLr-Offline program I get a lengthy alert message which says "Unable to set Registry key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PROTOCOLS\Handler\ic32pp to enable the protocol handler required for WebCompiled presentations. This part of your registry may have been restricted by your systems administrator. Running once as a user with Admin authority may resolve this, or you may need to speak to your systems administrator."
This is a feature of the enhanced security provided by Vista. Right click on the eLr icon, and select "Run as administrator" and when the User account control box appears select "Allow". eLr-Offline should then load. Once you've done this the program should load normally in future.