Technology @ High Point, vol. 10

Fill Your Toolbox!

Well-implemented technology gives classroom staff loads of tools for teaching students with a broad range of learning styles. The time investment in learning new technology will make teaching easier and assist students in advocating for their life-long learning. This newsletter PD is intended to help you learn new technologies at High Point a little bit at a time, slowly filling up your teaching toolbox throughout this chaotic school year.

BigBlu Vision Board

The BigBlu Vision Board is a Bluetooth keyboard that can connect to a laptop, iPad, or Chromebook. This keyboard has large 1 inch square buttons with easy-to-see bold, high-contrast letters. The extra number pad found on the right of some keyboards has been left off to reduce clutter and the function keys row at the top are small to discourage accidental hits. There is a removable clear, plastic keyguard that can help with only hitting the intended key.

Who is it for?

Students with visual impairments will find the high contrast large letters on the buttons much easier to see than the standard keyboard.
Students who are easily distracted may find this keyboard easier to use because it has fewer keys to clutter the visual field.
Students with fine motor difficulties may have an easier time targeting these larger buttons especially with the clear, plastic keyguard in place.
Students who may try to damage the computer can use this wireless keyboard so they sit further away from the computer making it harder to damage.

Setup Instructions

Once the keyboard is paired with your device, you will only need to slide the power switch on the underside of the keyboard to "on" to start using it.

If your keyboard needs to be paired to a device, press the "Pair" button on the underside of the keyboard. The blue light on the top of the keyboard will start flashing. Then look for the keyboard in the Bluetooth Connections. More detailed directions are in the video below (start at the 1:30 point to bypass a very long explanation of installing batteries).


Talking Keys On a Windows computer, the built-in screen reader, Narrator, can be set to say letters aloud as they are typed. Students can use this to learn the letters they are typing on the BigBlu keyboard, a great alternative pencil for those who are not able to write with pencils. Press Ctrl + Windows key + N to open the Narrator settings window. Scroll down to the "Change What You Hear When Typing" section and check the first two boxes, "Hear letters, Numbers and Punctuation as you type." and "Hear words as you type." You will only have to do this the first time you use Narrator. It will remember these settings on this computer in the future. Open Microsoft Word to a blank document with a large font selected. Press Ctrl + Windows key + Enter to start Narrator. When a letter is pressed on the keyboard, it will be spoken aloud. when the space bar is pressed, the text proceeding the space will be spoken aloud.	Shared Writing Pass around a wireless keyboard for all students to take turns writing to add to writing during a shared writing activity on the BenQ board in the class.	Featured Letters Highlight featured letters on the BigBlu keyboard by outlining the letters on the keyguard with Washi tape or circling them with colorful dry-erase marker on the bottom side of the keyguard. This will draw attention to letters students should focus on without removing their access to all the letters for writing. Maybe you want to highlight one letter each day or highlight the letters of their name.

Talking Keys

On a Windows computer, the built-in screen reader, Narrator, can be set to say letters aloud as they are typed. Students can use this to learn the letters they are typing on the BigBlu keyboard, a great alternative pencil for those who are not able to write with pencils.

Press Ctrl + Windows key + N to open the Narrator settings window. Scroll down to the "Change What You Hear When Typing" section and check the first two boxes, "Hear letters, Numbers and Punctuation as you type." and "Hear words as you type." You will only have to do this the first time you use Narrator. It will remember these settings on this computer in the future.

Open Microsoft Word to a blank document with a large font selected. Press Ctrl + Windows key + Enter to start Narrator. When a letter is pressed on the keyboard, it will be spoken aloud. when the space bar is pressed, the text proceeding the space will be spoken aloud.

Shared Writing

Pass around a wireless keyboard for all students to take turns writing to add to writing during a shared writing activity on the BenQ board in the class.

Featured Letters

Highlight featured letters on the BigBlu keyboard by outlining the letters on the keyguard with Washi tape or circling them with colorful dry-erase marker on the bottom side of the keyguard. This will draw attention to letters students should focus on without removing their access to all the letters for writing. Maybe you want to highlight one letter each day or highlight the letters of their name.

Accessibility

Technology @ High Point, vol. 10

Tech for teaching and learning in our new space

Technology @ High Point, vol. 10

Tech for teaching and learning in our new space

Fill Your Toolbox!

This Week's Tech Feature:

BigBlu Vision Board

Who is it for?

Setup Instructions

Maintenance

Ideas for Using This Tech in the Classroom

Talking Keys

Shared Writing

Featured Letters

Talking Keys

Shared Writing

Featured Letters

Jamie Mayo