MackinVia, a tool available in Loudoun County Public Schools, provides ebooks with an option to adjust the playback speed. Listeners can adjust the speed to either slow down or speed up the playback based on their needs. MackinVia is available through LCPS Go and as an app in the Google Play Store on Chromebooks.
Screenshot of a book in MackinVia showing the variable playback speed options.
The PASS software download from PRC-Saltillo allows users to run the various augmentative/alternative communication (AAC) language configurations (i.e. Unity, UNIDAD, CoreScanner, LAMP Words for Life, WordPower, Essence) on a Windows computer. The software works the same way as the AAC tool except it does not speak aloud. The software is useful for educators to model language on a laptop or interactive whiteboard using the same AAC configuration as a learner.
The software is approved to be installed on Windows computers supported by Loudoun County Public Schools.
Learners sometimes make mistakes with math because they have not lined up the numbers properly. A strategy that might help is to use the Google Chrome extension EquatIO to automatically align the numbers. Use the Equation Editor in EquatIO to generate math on the first line. Press “Enter” to move the cursor to the second line. A series of icons will appear in the menu bar which can be used to align the math. The math will be aligned to the left by default Select Align Left, Align Center, Align Right, or Align by Relation based on need or preference. Aligning by relation will allow the user to align by the equal sign which will create another column in order for this to happen. At the time of this blog post’s publication, EquatIO is available to every learner in Loudoun County Public Schools.
Tarheel Gameplay is a website that turns videos into interactive experiences by intermittent pausing. Users search the library of activities all of which are created by other users. Once a video is selected and started, it pauses periodically. The participant then selects the button that appears on the screen either directly, by pressing a key on a keyboard (like the Enter key), or by activating a switch.
Tarheel Gameplay
More button over a video in Tarheel Gameplay.
Microsoft has recently added a new reading fluency practice feature to Immersive Reader called Reading Coach. Using a tool that has Immersive Reader such as Microsoft Word, a learner reads a passage aloud. Reading Coach then analyzes the audio to provide specific, personalized feedback to the individual including five target words to practice. The feedback includes measure of a percentage of accuracy, time spent reading, and words read accurately per minute. Learners can keep a record of their scores and use it to document progress over time.
Feedback from Reading Coach
This video provides a quick demonstration: