BOARDMAKER:
BEYOND THE BASICS
Karen Foreman MA-CCC-SLP, AAC Specialist Special Education Technology Center 400 E. 8th Avenue, Ellensburg, WA 98926
GOALS OF THE TRAINING
The Boardmaker software programs are used extensively to produce teacher and student materials, communication boards, and overlays for speech generating device overlays. This is an intermediate level lab class that will focus on the new and interactive features available with Boardmaker Plus. Participants will learn the new features and have an opportunity to explore Boardmaker Add-On software programs.
At the completion of the class participants will be able to:
• Navigate the Boardmaker Plus Program
• Assign button actions
• Make interactive boards
• Make symbolate buttons, message displays and Pop-Up Boards
OPENING THE PROGRAM
Click on Boardmaker icon on desktop
See opening screen 3 options (pg. 3 of manual)
Saved Boards
Click on open saved boards
Any boards you save will go here unless you save them to another location like a jump drive. They are saved to the hard drive of the computer you are on, so if you need to access them elsewhere, you need to save them someplace else.
Templates
Click, on open a template
These are templates you can use to save some time. Be sure to save as when use these
Templates there include:
Activity pads BM calendars
BM communication devices
Alphabetized, can go to their site and download new ones Save as when use
BM MJ displays BM schedules
Interactive sample boards v 6- will look at later Interactive sample templates v 6
New Boards
Click on open a new board
This is where you can create new boards, activities etc.
PROGRAM WINDOW
Toolbar (pg. 6, 7)
Make a button (pg. 10) and move it around the screen Spray a button (pg. 11)
Change the shape of a button (pg. 32) Add text to a button (pg. 40)
Add a line to a button and change the color of the line (pg. 35) Change button borders (pg. 33)
Add shadow to the button (pg. 34) Deleting buttons (pg. 39)
Making a freeform button (pg. 29, 30) 1-random shape
2-freeform button-control/mouse click at the corners
3-select the free form button, and rough out a shape, go to the button shape menu and select the polygon you want to make it into.
SYMBOL FINDER
Page 8, 9.
Search by beginning of word, anywhere in the word, whole word Next and back arrows
Alternate symbol name field
Searching by category – search field must be empty to view all the selected symbols in a Category- Making a topic board quickly
Putting symbol on the button, enter, or click on Making a one time symbol name change
Using different language with Display option for symbols When changing button size-
Shift/control maintains proportions
Shift/alt makes picture smaller, text stays the same.
WORKING WITH SYMBOLS ON A BUTTON
Copying a symbol to a button (pg. 13) Replacing symbols
Adding additional symbols Telescope + man
Changing size of symbols
Shift/control maintains proportion of picture and text Shift/alt picture smaller text the same
Using a portion of a symbol, marquee or lasso
Clearing symbols and text, select buttons, use clear in edit menu or right click select clear buttons, face
ADDING NEW SYMBOLS AND PHOTOS TO THE SYMBOL
FINDER
(pgs. 21-23)
Importing saved photos or graphics Naming and categorizing new symbols Library organization overview
Copying a new symbol from a button
Dragging and dropping images-either onto a button or the background, or symbol finder
Omit label by holding the alt key, if can’t drag and drop from a web browser, then right click, copy and paste
WORKING WITH THE PAINT TOOLS
Make “house” button on screen Make view double size
Select picture with the pointer tool Change to bitmap
Pencil tool-thickness, color Eraser tool, thickness Color tool (pg. 31) Thickness tool Fill partial Fill all
Make button for “I like that one” Invert tool
Flip horizontal and vertical Rotate tool
WORKING WITH TEXT IN BUTTONS
Changing text, color, font type, font size, justification Text only buttons
Control + and control –
Changing multiple buttons-select all and change
PRINTING
Will get a slightly different layout from different printers Maximum size board is 60”X 60”
Page break lines Print preview
MAKING SYMBOLATE BUTTONS
Creating a button (pg. 25)
Use underline on combination words like solar system, science class. Put in sentence”I did something new in Science Class”
Editing a button
Changing the symbol on a button F1 and F2 or single click on the symbol (pg. 26) Making new word symbol pairs
Double click the picture “new” Go to add a new symbol
Find symbol you want-ok
Changing the text for word symbol pairs-hold down alt key and type in text while holding down to change text & not resymbolate (pg. 27)
Changing the text position-in symbolate properties, edit menu Adjusting the button border-click on, click on thickness
Changing font and symbol size-font highlight, then go to text menu, change size Changing the buttons symbolate properties-edit menu
ASSIGNING BUTTON ACTIONS
Double click to get to menu Making a button speak (pg. 15)
“Surprise” and “I am really surprised”
Making a button play a recorded message (pg. 16) Making a button play a saved sound
Spoken previews/recorded previews
Editing actions-deleting, rearranging (pg. 18) Change boards, to link
“go back, and next” Return to last board
Linking specific boards together, like a story, see page 131
Change back, return to main, and change to next important to have
You can right click on one of these links while still in the design mode, and go to the next board
INTERACTIVE BOARDS
MAKING INTERACTIVE BOARDS
Plan how the boards will link, map out ahead of time (pg. 46) Create main board first
Make all the subsequent boards ahead of time, and label, will make linking easier Link subsequent boards back to the main
May want to make a separate folder, so they are all in one place We will practice this later in training
PRACTICE MAKING INTERACTIVE BOARDS
Brown Bear BookPrint set up change to portrait, ok Use print page, ok.
PAGE 1:
Go to new
Make title page with 4 squares:
Type name of book in top box, and make it speak (double clicking button) Put picture of brown bear in middle box, remove label first, make it speak Put author name in third box and make it speak.
Type next in to next box
After you make other pages you will come back and put in change board to page 2.
PAGE 2:
Make a new page.
You have a choice between using symbolate with the words of the books or just plain words.
You can make your boxes any shape you like, with any type of line around them from thick to invisible.
Make 5 buttons – do not put anything into them yet. 1. Top button for the picture
2. Next button for either text, or symbolate
3. Small box for “go back” – double click on box and choose “change board back”, ok.
4. Small box for “main page” –double click on box, and choose “change board to page 1”.
5. Small box for “next page” Save the page as page 2.
Then “save it as” page 3, then 4, then 5, up through page 6. Go back to page 2
Put a bear picture in the top box – make it speak “Brown bear, brown bear what do you see?”
Save.
Navigate back and forth between design and use by “control D” and “control U.”
PAGE 3:
Picture: Here you have an option. I have chosen the simpler option of having one picture in here. You could also have 2 pictures in the box. This may entail flipping pictures so they are facing each other.
So Option one: a picture of a red bird (will have to change blue bird to red.) Have it say the same sentence as the text.
Option two: pictures of the red bird looking at the brown bear. Text: “I see a red bird looking at me.”
Double click on next page button, “change to page 4.” Save.
PAGE 4:
Picture: of a red bird (will have to change blue bird to red.) Have it say the same sentence as the text.
Text: “Red bird, red bird, what do you see?”
PAGE 5:
Picture: of a yellow duck, have it say the same sentence as the text. Text: “I see a yellow duck looking at me.”
Double click on next page button, “change to page 6” Save.
PAGE 6:
Picture: of a yellow duck , have it say the same sentence as the text. Text: “Yellow duck, yellow duck, what do you see?”
Double click on next page button, “change to page 7.” Save.
POPUP BOARDS
Small communication boards that pop up on the top of a current board. (pg 161-164 complete manual).
Topic board is the main board that popup goes into when a button is activated.
PRACTICE MAKING POPUP BOARDS
Make a symbolate button that says, “What do you want to do? Make it speak the button.
Make a button, have it speak button text and change board back. Copy the button 3 times.
Make buttons for “watch TV, listen to music, play a game, go for walk.” Arrange them where you want them to pop up.
TOPIC BOARD
Select all of the pop up buttons (hold down the shift key while clicking on each button)
Select create popup board in the dynamic buttons menu. Save as Popup _______. (Easily identifiable names help). Save
Go back to the original topic board
Double click button that will activate the popup
Go to button actions, board change, select go to popup, ok. Save
MOVABLE BUTTONS
Can use to create dynamic on-screen activities (pg. 51 - 54)
PRACTICE MAKING MOVABLE BUTTONS
The movable button needs to be opened. Go to the Dynamic Board menu
Go to show
Click movable button tool. Create a new board.
Make a label for the board, “Finding Triangles” Make a large square.
Make 4 triangles and 4 circles Click on movable button tool
Then click on each button and label.
Label the triangles sequentially 1-4, and repeat this with the circles. Mix up the order of the shapes
Click on movable button tool
Move triangle one to the destination box Label the destination box
Make triangle speak, “Good job” Repeat with all of the triangles Click on the arrow tool
Right click on each circle and choose movable button properties Select snap back.
Ok
Repeat with each circle. Save.
MESSAGE DISPLAY WINDOWS
Allows you to have the message display and speak in a window. Often see on communication boards.
Can make a template and pre-program all buttons, or do one at a time. Can have it display words, or pictures.
If choose select entire message after speaking it will highlight it.
If choose selectable display it will allow you to click on the window after you put together a sentence and have it speak the entire sentence.
Can make it say and/or write the message. (pg. 49) When writing a message, put a space after it.
If make buttons from dynamic buttons window and select picture could make a template with rather than program one at a time
If you use picture buttons, must have a display window on your board. (pg. 50)
PRACTICE MAKING MESSAGE DISPLAY WINDOWS:
Select message display in the dynamic buttons window (pg. 48) Adjust how you want it on the page.
Double click on the message display window to get the message display settings window.
Can choose a highlighting color
Choose how you want it to say the message-by letter, word, or entire message Go up to the dynamic buttons window
Choose action button Double click the button
Choose speak message- use button text
Choose type message –use button text – notice that inserts a space after the text Adjust button size, and spray making into 9 buttons.
Put pictures into each of the squares: Boy, ran, pizza
Girl, ate, loud
You have an option of inserting a picture into the message window by selecting picture button when you click on the picture or when you first make your template.
BOARDMAKER ADD-ON PROGRAMS
COMMUNICATION DISPLAYS FOR ENGINEERING PRESCHOOL AND ADOLESCENT ENVIRONMENTS
Two discs. Can purchase individually or as a combo.
Preschool could be used through elementary school. Adolescent includes vocational.
Created by Goosen and Elder. Follow the Fitzgerald key for color coding by parts of speech.
Designed to use for both receptive and expressive language.
Receptive for Aided language stimulation-modeling use of a communication system.
Expressive as communication boards.
Designed to be used throughout the classroom with all students. Come in a variety of picture size, configurations and array.
Supplemental boards for specific tasks (e.g., food supplemental for lunch, or art supplies for art.)
QUICK AND EASY OVERLAYS FOR THE CLASSROOM
Similar to above, but less comprehensive. Primarily for younger kids
Provide in communication device overlays for the: cheap talk, Hawk, Macaw, Super Hawk, Tech Speak, Tech Talk, and a low tech communication board version.
Not color coded for most of the overlays.
Include boards for topics such as: bubbles, big/little, Wheels on the Bus, body parts, lunch, puzzle etc.
QUICK AND EASY OVERLAYS FOR HOME
All boards designed for boards, not communication devices.
Boards for toileting, choosing clothing, bath time, fixing hair, eating, timeout etc. Functionally based.
BEYOND BOARDMAKER II
Templates and pre-made boards for several school day activities such as: job chart, bus communication, book report, a preposition work folder, scavenger hunt, and show and tell.
Tend to be geared for younger aged students. Can make these and III, interactive.
BEYOND BOARDMAKER III
Same as above, but geared toward older students.
Examples of types of boards: pep rally, mp3 player, telephone messages, Olympics, story starter, study checklist.
SCHEDULE IT-SEQUENCE IT
Contains blank templates and pre-made sequences for a variety of activities for preschool through secondary.
Can change pictures
Variety of array sizes, from 2 page to single line. Variety of formats.
Examples of sequences: brush teeth, calm down, cleaning the bathroom, fast food, making coffee, and riding the bus.
BOARDMAKER BACKGROUNDS
Visual scene displays for a variety of settings.
Can be static or interactive. Is only interactive for Boardmaker Plus or with Speaking Dynamically.
Static
Can print out and use for posters, stories, books. Could Velcro on pictures for adapted books, vocabulary etc.
Interactive
They give you a sample of how you could set up the visual scene displays as a communication system, or an academic activity for the art room and school room. Add pictures by adding buttons and change the background to clear.
PRINT AND LEARN THEMATIC UNITS
Units, and the pictures to go with them. Elementary and academically based.
MAIN STREET COMMUNITY SCIENCE
Both static and interactive boards focusing on Science in functional settings such as: the dentist, farm, school, the grocery store, the zoo, a construction site, and a recycling center.
Static
Worksheets, flashcards, map it, matching.
Interactive boards-best way to view. Can enter into each of those areas and view books, lab reports, ways to be healthy, and vocabulary in an interactive manner.
COOKING UP FUN
Both static and interactive forms. Secondary emphasis.
Static
Worksheets on healthy foods, utensils, meal choices, recipes, self monitoring, shopping, and money needed.
Interactive
Training for cooking, next dollar up exercise, healthy foods, cooking do’s, and grocery shopping.
REFERENCE GUIDES FOR LIFE
In a static form. Could be made interactive with Boardmaker Plus. Great transition types of information presented in pictures.
Information presented in Boardmaker pictures on: communication, community, emergency, home, personal, problem solving, relationships, school, and work.
PRINT AND PLAY BINGO GAMES
Bingo games with different themes to print out and use with students.
Examples of themes are: baseball, farm, holidays, creepy crawlers, lunch, zoo, going places etc.
PRINT AND PLAY DICE GAMES
Games can print out for students to play, using rolling of dice.
Games paired with either a drawing or an activity making something.
VELOCITY FOR SPEAKING DYNAMICALLY PRO
This is a communication system to be used with Speaking Dynamically Pro. It is a set of pre-programmed boards to use for a communication system for a student.
It can be expanded, but provides a starting point for educational communication. Could be loaded on a netbook and used for communication.
OTHER RESOURCES
Mayer Johnson website: www.mayer-johnson.com
