Wow- A Great Week of iPad Workshops

It is hard to believe that the three Summer iPad Institutes are over- it was really a very exciting and invigorating week working with over 50 educators demonstrating how the iPad can be used with special needs students for learning and communication. One of the tools that I used during the past three days was a Hovercam T3 document camera which enabled me to show my attendees step by step how to navigate the iPad. Even though I was using an iPad 2 with mirroring-this alone is not enough when teaching others how to use the iPad. With the Ipad 2's mirroring all my attendees would see is the final result of my navigating, but they would never see the intermediate steps that I took to get to where I was going. With the Hovercam T3, I was able to show them quite efficiently how to create folders, move from screen to screen and how to access the accessibility features all the time as they were watching step by step. The Hovercams T3's,  3.1 megapixel camera gave me the resolution and the controls I needed to output a clear and clean image of the iPad. When using the Hovercam T3- I used a 800 x 600 image resolution and turned down the brightness on the iPad to get a spectacular image of the iPad on the screen. So if you are looking for a great document camera for the classroom for a Macor PC then take a look at the HoverCam T3- you will be glad you did. At a suggested retail price of $219 dollars there is no better document camera  on the market. If you are interested in a demo or would like pricing of the HoverCam please feel free to contact me.

Exciting Week Coming Up! iPad Summer Institute

After a great deal of planning it is hard to believe that the iPad Summer Institute is happening this week-on Tuesday and Wednesday.During the conference Christine and I will share our insights on how we have been using the iPad as a both a learning and communication tool for students with speecial needs. We have a lot of ground to cover and trust that our attendees are as excited as us about all of the possibilities and the potential the iPad can offer. Once you start using the iPad you begin to realize that the options are endless and the ease of use and user interface is ideal for the students we work with. During the day we will talk about various apps, management issues,peripherals, and how to best use the iPad in the classroom.

Both iPad Institute Sessions are closed out but we will be offering another session on Thursday which is being hosted at the Middlesex ETTC in East Brunswick, NJ and there are still some seats left.

Visit With Me ISTE 2011

It is hard to believe that ISTE 2011 is around the corner! I will be heading out tomorrow to ISTE 2011 for three days of nothing but educational technology. What a joy! ISTE 2011 is one of my favorite educational technology conferences and gives me a chance to spot trends and connect with other educators. I have set up a number of meetings with both educational publishers and hardware developers and hope to get some new information to you via tweets and the blog. If you will be attending ISTE 2011, stop by the Canson PaperShow Booth # 128 and take a test drive of PaperShow for Teachers ($249). Later stop by at the HoverCam Booth #3119 and see first hand why the HoverCam T3 ($219) is taking classrooms by storm for the high quality 3.1 megapixel web document camera. So stop by and say hello-and take a look at these innovative and affordable technologies for the classroom. Hope to see you there! Brian

AssistiveTek Launches iPad Summer Institute

One Day iPad Summer Institute

Held in the Warren Middle School

Two (1 Day) Sessions of the Summer Institute will be offered on

  Dates: July 12 or July 13th

Presenters

Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D. & Christine Besko-Maughan, M.S., ATP

Using the iPad to Enhance Learning & Facilitate Communication for Students with Special Needs

The iPad is a revolutionary technology that is changing the way educators present information in the 21^st century classroom.  The multi-sensory design of the iPad appeals to all learning styles and is an ideal tool for students with special needs.  In this workshop, educators will learn about a variety of applications (apps) that address academic skills such as reading, writing, mathematics, and science.  Communication apps designed for individuals with limited functional communication abilities will also be explored.  The presenters will highlight Proloquo2Go and iCommunicate, as well as other apps designed to enhance language development.  Strategies for implementation and best practices will be discussed.  Attendees are encouraged to bring an iPad for a hands-on learning experience that will transform their teaching strategies.

Seating is limited so register early!                                                    Registration Fee: $99

For more information email: brian@assistivetek.com or call 908-852-3460

School Purchase Orders are Accepted made payable to AssistiveTek, LLC,
174 Stephensburg Road, Port Murray, NJ 07865

Conference Location: Warren Middle School, 100 Old Stirling Road, Warren, NJ 07059




Online Registration  Form

Adobe Acrobat X & Adobe SendNow Perfect Together

One of the really nice features of Adobe Acrobat X is the integration of Adobe SendNow service. Adobe SendNow is a subscription based service that can right within Adobe Acrobat X send your PDF files as a link for your recipients to pick up and download. Adobe SendNow subscription services starts at $9.99 a month and there is a free trial period for you to try it out. If you tend to create large PDF files this is the perfect service for you. Now you can be rest assured that your recipients will receive your documents without the worry of  maxing out their email inbox.

Just today I received a call from a school that I will be providing some services to, and they needed my W-9 and New Jersey Business Registration Form to set up my account in the business office. Having scanned and stored these documents in a PDF file I was now ready to use the Adobe SendNow feature. Right from within Adobe Acrobat X, I clicked on the Share tab- entered the email address of the recipient and within seconds my PDF file was sent. Besides the convenience of emailing the documents from within Adobe Acrobat X- the service keeps a history and emailed me that the file was uploaded successfully as well as that it was successfully downloaded. Having access to Adobe SendNow is a welcome addition to my office toolkit and one feature that I know I will continually use with Acrobat X.

E-book Popularity Skyrockets

The popularity of e-books grows every day, and writers who never would
have considered writing for an e-book publisher even a year ago are
changing their minds. With online bookstores and publishers reporting
increasing numbers of e-book sales every month, with the popularity of
e-book readers, it makes sense to take advantage of this market.

And in the last year or so, even traditional print publishing houses
have begun to recognize the growing popularity of Ebooks. Many are
implementing digital programs of their own for new releases as well as
their backlists. No longer do those who prefer to read online or on an
e-book reader have to restrict themselves to small online publishers
or bookstores. The variety and availability of books that are
digitally published is expanding rapidly.

In fact, the Association of American Publishers recently reported an
amazing increase in the number of e-book sales in the U.S. According
to the AAP, gross Ebook sales in June 2010 reached $29.9 million.
That’s an amazing 118.9% increase in sales from the same month in
2009. That’s a huge difference and it shows no sign of slowing down
any time soon. In fact, while everyone agrees that paperback and
hardback books will never completely disappear, it isn’t beyond belief
that all books will be available in digital format in the coming
years.

Have you tried reading a book electronically? If not, you should
definitely check one out. E-books are written, edited, and published
to the same standards as print books, and you’re sure to find
something you like. No matter what genre of fiction you enjoy, or what
subject of nonfiction appeals to you, look for a book online and give
it a try.

About the author: James Mowery is a computer geek that writes about
technology and related topics. To read more blog posts by him, go to
http://www.ledtv.org

SPARKvue for the iPad from Pasco

With the start of the semester I have been busy preparing for my classes but still have some reviews in the hopper that I have been meaning to post for some time. This past summer I had a chance to speak with Wayne Grant, Ph.D., Chief Education Officer at Pasco, a leading science education company located in California about the release of SPARvue for the iPad. Pasco has been known for their high quality science probes and software for some time now and are leading proponents of mobile solutions to help make science education come alive in the classroom. Dr. Grant was kind enough to show me the latest release of SPARKvue a software app that runs on the iPad that can teamed up with various probes so that students can collect data in real time.

Using the PASSPORT Airlink 2 students can collect real time data on the Ipad without the need to be directly connected. The PASSPORT Airlink 2 uses Bluetooth technology to automatically send data from the sensors to the iPad for instant visual analysis. I had a chance to work with the PASSPORT Airlink 2 and one of Pasco's Weather sensors to see what it would be like to use, to collect data. Pairing the Bluetooth PASSPORT Airlink 2 with the iPad was a cinch and within seconds after plugging in the Weather probe I was collecting data about the humidity in New Jersey. Based on my experience I would say that the PASSPORT Airlink 2 has good range and I was able to collect data from at least 20to 25 feet away from my iPad. It was really exciting to be able to see the data streaming live to my iPad using the PASSPORT Airlink 2 and the Weather probe. Pasco should be commended for designing such and elegant solution that can be used with the iPad to give students hands on opportunity to collect data in real time. Pasco once again has shown their ingenuity and innovation in the design and implementation of this device. If you would like to try out the SPARKvue app just go to the Apple Apps Store and download to see how it works.

Free ARRA Webinar Sponsored by Don Johnston

Free ARRA Webinar: A year into ARRA funding, and only a year left.
Now what?

Two dates:  September 22 & September 29

With an additional $100,000 left in ARRA funding per school, even just 1-2% can have an impact!

Join us for this one-hour webinar presented by Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D. Dr. Friedlander will share stories of districts in New Jersey who have used ARRA funding in creative ways to build an AT infrastructure and implement it.

The webinar will focus on these questions:

• What are some of the misconceptions about ARRA funding?
• How can I advocate for ARRA funding?
• What has worked for other districts?
• What kind of implementation plan should I present to my special ed director?
• Once I have the funding, how can I use it most effectively?
  
  

  Sign Up Now!
  

Launching New Blog for PaperShow for Teachers

For the past year and a half I have been working with PaperShow and more recently with PaperShow for Teachers and I am really excited to launch a new blog to share some tips and tricks. I will launch the blog on September 1st and trust that it will be a place for owners of PaperShow for Teachers to come and learn how to get the most out of their investment. Since using the product, Canson has extended me the opportunity to resell their product line which I have accepted. I am really excited to work be able to work with educators and business people who are using the PaperShow product line. So if you have a chance bookmark my new blog and hop over their to learn some new tips and tricks on how to best use PaperShow to bring your lectures and business meetings to life. If you are interested in purchasing PaperShow for Teachers or PaperShow Enterprise Edition- please feel free to email me about pricing.

Staying on Course with Goalscape Part 1

About a month ago I had the chance to speak with Richard Parslow from Goalscape about his unique software application called Goalscape which runs on both Windows and Macintosh computers. Having been in the field of psychology and education most of my career I am very aware of just how important it is for us to set goals. Without goals, I know for myself, I am less focused and don't nearly accomplish as much as I know I can. I was just reflecting on a mind map that I created about a year ago that laid out some of my goals for the year. Having my goals visible and spelled out allowed me to see where I was going and what I needed to do to get to my desired objective. When I first set my eyes on Goalscape I was fascinated with the user interface and just how easy it was to use. Goalscape makes a lot of sense as a tool to chart one's goals and to assess one's progress.



I had a chance to interview Richard so that you can learn more about the company and their fine software product, Goalscape. What follows is Part 1 of my interview with Richard Parslow a principal in Goalscape.



BSF: Tell us a little about the Background of your company

RP: Professional sailor Marcus Baur came up with the idea for Goalscape when he was preparing for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. He needed a way to communicate with his crewmate and coach about everything they needed to do in every area. Crucially, he also wanted to be able to identify priorities for all the work; and record progress. The original implementation was a hand-drawn version of the Goalscape goal map. Marcus always knew though that he wanted to implement the Goalscape format in a software tool to provide a proper rich display and enable dynamic updates.

BSF: How did you get started?

RP: We produced an initial Java prototype and used it to generate interest in some key markets: sports coaching, business consulting, life management. We sold enough copies to pay for the next stage of development (AS2 version) and progressed from there to the current implementation (AS3 on AIR).



BSF: Who are the principals?

RP: Marcus Baur, Richard Parslow, Emmett Lazich and Malav Shroff



BSF: What re their respective backgrounds? RP: Marcus Baur Managing Director, Germany Marcus is an Architecture graduate. He sailed the 49er skiff class professionally for 12 years, representing Germany at two Olympic Games. He also won 3 European Championships and medaled twice at World Championships.

Emmett Lazich Head of Development, Australia Emmett is another ex-professional sailor. He coached the 49er Olympic Gold Medalists at Sydney 2000 and has twice coached World Championship winners. He is also a software expert and built fault-tolerant systems for Hutchison Telecom in Australia.



Richard Parslow Marketing Director, UK Richard has a background in financial markets and corporate software. He is another World Champion sailor and coached the Team GBR 49er squad from 2001 to 2006, during which time two different teams won World and European titles.



Malav Shroff Director, India Malav was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford and joined McKinsey as a consultant. He is a past President of the International 49er Class Association and is now a successful entrepreneur with several strings to his bow. He also competed at the Athens Olympics.

BSF: Tell us about your position at Goalscape?

RP: I work closely with Marcus on all aspects of the marketing: messages; customer communications; website and presentation text and images. I also negotiate deals with our major corporate customers, play “user from hell” in product tests and do first-line customer support.



BSF: Tell us about how you got started with Goalscape

RP: Marcus showed me the original Goalscape prototype at a 49er World Championship where he was competing and I was coaching. I had worked on software development and other projects and I immediately recognized the power and simplicity of the Goalscape display. Shortly after that we set up a company to develop the concept and market the software.



BSF: Who are the intended users?

RP: Anyone who has ambitious or complex goals! Individuals, companies, consultants (in any field), sportsmen, coaches, clubs and federations… even politicians (should they dare to be clear and transparent!).



The degree of motivation in any project depends on the quality of the goal. Putting goals at the center of attention and making them available for discussion increases the quality of such goals.

Good goals make you money, great goals make you happy, compassionate goals help others, but the best goals do all of the above.



BSF: What is the market you see for such a product?

RP: Goalscape is ideal for providing a visual breakdown of any information structure or project, so it is inherently a cross-market tool… Since human beings are inherently goal-achieving creatures, the market is everyone! For now though, we are focusing on Consulting and Executive Mentoring; Sports and Life Coaching; and Presentations.



BSF: Please share with us about the latest release of Goalscape

RP: Goalscape Desktop standalone software (on download) is on version 2.2.1582.610; and Goalscape Connect (for online collaboration) is on version 2.2.1596.173.

Features

Features common to both Goalscape Desktop and Goalscape Connect include:

• Visual model of any information hierarchy, with unlimited number of levels and nodes (goals)

• Clear display and easy adjustment of Relative Importance (size of slice) and Progress (shading)

• Project work planning: Responsibilities, Timescales, etc

• Shows the overview in a single, easily understood image

• Captures detail as Notes text or attachments (any file format)

• Simple to understand, easy to use (no training or even manual required)

• Full video tutorials embedded as “infopoints”

• Simple restructuring using drag & drop

• Color-coding

• Standard hotkey shortcuts

• Smart Search function

• Spellcheck

• User-definable text fields

• Full support infrastructure: as well as the integral ‘infopoint’ video tutorials there is a full online Help package and a very active customer forum.



See also the Full Feature list: http://www.goalscape.com/Goalscape-Tour



Desktop Goalscape Desktop: all features listed in 2.1.1 above, plus:

• Cross-platform: runs equally well on PC Windows, Mac OSX and even the latest versions of Linux

• Facility to ‘save out’ selected parts of a goalscape – for specific (personal) focus or privacy

• Export HTML reports and PNG images

• Dual language support (English and German – more to follow)

• Smart Undo (extends beyond last Save)

• Easy to download, install and update (standard perpetual licence includes unlimited free updates



Cloud Goalscape Connect: all features listed in 2.1.1 above, plus:

• Simple, easy collaboration by simply sharing project URLs: everyone can read and update the same model

• Browser-independent: IE, Safari, Firefox, Chrome, etc

• Upload goalscapes (.gsp files) created in Goalscape Desktop; download .gsp ‘snapshots’ as backup or for offline work

Enhancements

Corporate branding and other customizations are available for larger deals.

We are working on enhancements in lots of different areas:

• Calendar integration

• Changes in View for Goalscape Desktop (Timeline, Gantt chart)

• Tag and filter

• Enhanced reporting

• Direct print

• Synergetic and recurring goals display

• Budgeting tool (using absolute values rather than percentages, eg $ figures)

• Add platforms (iPhone, other smartphones and touch devices)

• Autosave

• Document history (facilities to compare versions, show latest changes, etc)

• Look and feel tweaks like full goal coloring instead of border colors

• 3D view! …and many more!



Users are also welcome to contribute their own Feature Requests in the public Goalscape “Make Goalscape even better” in Goalscape Connect:



https://connect.goalscape.com/#/goal/D6E22975-581B-9187-4802-D0A87B8D3A0D

Moving from Mind Mapping to Knowledge Mapping

Much can be said about the benefits of using mind mapping software for the personal, academic, and business needs that many of us have. I know for myself that I greatly benefit from using mind mapping software on a daily basis to plan workshops, overview my content for courses, and for managing projects that I am working on. Using mind mapping software makes me more effective at the work I do and allows me to share information in a rich graphical way that resonates with my colleagues. For me, having access to the tools and techniques of mind mapping provides me a rich palette of tools to draw from when I am doing the work that I do. While using mind mapping software in traditional ways has been quite effective for me- my eyes were opened to a whole new way at looking at mind mapping when I learned about a product called Context Organizer about two years ago.

Context Organizer is a summarization tool that can extract summaries from PDF's, Word, and from URL's. With a click of the mouse I can have Context Organizer a MindManager add-in, build me a rich in information map. When I first tried Context Organizer I couldn't believe how fast I could produce my map filled with contextualized information, I was interested in researching. And so that was the "aha" moment for me going from "mind mapping" in a traditional sense to "knowledge mapping" with a click of the mouse. Going from a blank mind mapping canvas to a completed "knowledge map" was quite exciting to see. Imagine the power I felt having all this information in my map that I could organize and structure the way I wanted. This is the true power of knowledge mapping. The synergy between Context Organizer working within MindManager is exquisite giving the user the opportunity to reorganize information as they see fit. As a Professor of Education I am constantly doing research to keep abreast of new trends in special education and assistive technology and have come to rely on Context Organizer to comb the web looking for new information. Developing my own knowledge maps helps me to see the big picture and look at the current trends in the field and gives me a point of access to determine if I need to read the original articles.

Since the release of Context Organizer for MindManager, Context Organizer has evolved and now works in the cloud with an online mind mapping application called Comapping. Comapping works within the browser and the user with a annual subscription can access their maps and collaborate in real time with any browser and a connection to the web. This is a true paradigm shift and one that all of us are weighing as we begin to dip our toes into the cloud. For me having access to my maps whenever I am connected to the web is quite powerful and I have come to utilize Comapping more and more in the work that I do. But more importantly, I have been able to use Comapping with Context Organizer which has been seamlessly integrated into the application. Now I can attach Word and PDF files to my Comapping maps and have them summarized within seconds. An even more powerful feature is being able to attach a URL link to a branch on my map and have the entire contents of the website summarized. For researchers this is an incredible tool and one that you should take a look at. Now I can develop my personal "knowledge maps' that I can store online in a mapping tool that allows me to organize the information the way I want.

Looking ahead Context Organizer is moving to a soon to be announced portal that will enable users to type in a URL which will then return key words and a summary. This new tool called Web Summarizer will give you the capability to type a URL and have the information instantly summarized complete with key words. You will also be able to search your knowledge database to find links to the information you are interested in. With Web Summarizer you will be able to build you own knowledge databases and when you are done you will be able to export the summaries to your mind mapping application-creating the perfect repository for your information set.

So at least for myself, I am using a new term called "Knowledge Mapping" to share with you a new way to think about mind mapping and handling vast amounts of information that can be personalized to meet your needs. If you are interested in learning more how you can handle the information overload with these tools send me an email and I would be glad to share with you how your business or school could benefit from using "knowledge mapping." So happy "Knowlwdge Mapping."

Back from MacWorld 2010

Well I made it back from MacWorld 2010 where we had a great time launching PaperShow for the Mac. All of us from PaperShow were really excited to share this new and innovative application and in the process we won the MacWorld Best of Show Award. To say the least our booth was packed with interested Mac users who wanted to get a first look at PaperShow, a very unique presentation tool. PaperShow allows anyone with a Mac and a projector to come into a classroom or training room and have access to a digital whiteboard that they can write on using the PaperShow flipchart paper. Just write your ideas down using the digital pen and everything that you write in real time is seen on your computer screen. After you are done with your session you can email your notes to your colleagues in a PDF or PPT format. Think of all the possibilities with this tool, especially if you are involved in teaching , training or doing webinars. If you need a digital whiteboard when you are doing webinars then this is the perfect tool for sharing your notes.

If you tend to use PowerPoint or Keynote to craft your presentations then you can easily import your slides into the PaperShow application, print them out on a color inkjet or laser printer onto the 8 1/2 x 11 PaperShow paper and then annotate right on top of them when you are presenting. Again when your presentation is done you can save it as a PDF or PPT and email to your participants. So if you haven't taken a look at PaperShow please take the time to do so-especially if you are looking for a unique presentation tool that you can add to your bag of tricks.

Catch me live here being interviewed at the PaperShow Booth

Canson to Launch PaperShow for Mac at MacWorld 2010

For the past year I have been using PaperShow extensively when I teach, do presentations, and for webinars. It has been a really indispensable tool and I carry PaperShow in my bag wherever I go. Because of PaperShow's ease of use and portability I can walk into any room and within seconds have a digital flipchart ready to go, to share and capture ideas. I have written about my experiences with PaperShow on this blog for the past year and from day one have asked Canson "when will we see PaperShow for the Mac?" Well that day is finally coming and I am happy to share with you that Canson will launch PaperShow for Mac this week at the MacWorld 2010 Conference to be held in San Francisco.

I have worked closely with Canson during this past year and I will be going to MacWorld 2010 to help them launch their new product. I have been working with PaperShow for Mac for the past couple of weeks and in some ways it is even easier to use than the Windows version. With all of the functionality of the Windows version and the ease of use of the Mac this is a real winner. So if you plan on attending MacWorld 2010, stop by the PaperShow Booth in the Exhibitor Hall-Booth 746 and say hello. I will also be doing a presentation on Friday February 12th, a Product Spotlight Session: Make Your Presentations Come to Life with PAPERSHOW for the Mac from 1:30 PM - 2:00 PM. So stop by the booth or come and learn more about PaperShow for the Mac at my presentation.

NPR Inc Releases DVD: Assistive Technology- Powerful Solutions for Success

After months of work I am proud to announce that my new Assistive Technology DVD- Assistive Technology: Powerful Solutions for Success is now available from my publisher, NPR Inc. To find out more click on the links.

Technology is not only having a profound impact on the way we live our lives, but also how we learn and access information. For students with disabilities, technology can make the difference between success and failure in general education environments. Assistive Technology (AT) provides a means to help students compensate for their disabilities while building upon their strengths. Utilizing the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), this revised and updated DVD takes you into classrooms where AT solutions are being successfully implemented for students requiring:

• auditory processing supports
• fine-motor and writing supports
• reading supports

Observe first-hand how hardware and software programs not only assist students in being more successful academically, but how AT empowers them to be more confident and independent learners.

How to use this DVD

• If you are a principal or school administrator, use this DVD at faculty meetings to build the skills of your staff.
• If you are a professor/instructor at a college or university, use this DVD to enhance your classroom instruction.
• If you are a staff developer or trainer, use this DVD with new and/or experienced teachers.
• If you are a classroom teacher, use this DVD as a resource for proven Assistive Technology solutions.
• If you are a parent, use this DVD to better understand the value of Assistive Technology

The viewer will be able to:

• Describe the value of Assistive Technology in helping students access the general education curriculum
• Explain how Assistive Technology adheres to the theory of Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
• List a variety of hardware and software programs available for use as AT solutions
• Identify specific AT devices and software programs to support students experiencing auditory processing, fine-motor, writing, as well as reading problems
• Identify the five steps to successfully implement Assistive Technology

To find out more about the DVD click on the link.

One Sentence Summary Created with Context Organizer After months of work I am proud to announce that my new Assistive Technology DVD- Assistive Technology: Powerful Solutions for Success is now available from my publisher, NPR Inc.

Speaking at the DevLearn 2009 Conference

I am really excited to have my presentation accepted this year at the DevLearn 2009 Conference which will be held in San Jose, CA from November 10-13, 2009. This is a great opportunity for me to share how I have been using eLearning in the work that I do teaching graduate courses in educational and assistive technology. I will be speaking on the topic of: Delivering e-Learning Assets in PDF Format. It is also an opportunity for me to meet some of the renowned leaders in the field of eLearing and learn the latest from some of the best in the field. While I'm out in San Jose, I will also have a chance to spend Monday at the Adobe Learning Summit 2009, an all day conference focusing on learning more about the Adobe products and how to best use them to put together innovative eLearning materials.

Here is a synopsis of my presentation for the DevLearn 2009 Conference:

Using the ubiquitous PDF format, it is now easier than ever to deliver your digital assets for your students to view with the free Adobe Acrobat Reader 9. Today you can also take advantage of screencasting software (Adobe Captivate and Camatasia Studio) that can be integrated into a PDF Portfolio. These technologies now let you incorporate rich media into your courses, and deliver them as a PDF.

In this session, participants will learn how to create PDF Portfolios that can contain Word documents, graphics, Excel spreadsheets, and video, and deliver your final document in one PDF file. You will learn how to use Adobe Acrobat Extended Pro with Adobe Presenter to create e Learning materials from your PowerPoint slides that you can publish as a PDF. You will also view a recently completed eBook project called Technology Support for Writing that incorporates SWF videos.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to create a PDF Portfolio using a variety of file formats


• How to create e-Learning materials from your PowerPoint slides using Adobe Presenter


• How to integrate SWF videos from Camtasia Studio and Adobe Captivate into your PDF Portfolios


• How to deliver your PDF Portfolio with the free Adobe Acrobat Reader


• How to add SWF videos to Microsoft Word and PowerPoint

If you you are interested in eLearning this is one conference you will not want to miss. Hope to see you there.

How to Customize the Quick Access Toolbar in MindManager 8

I was inspired to put this video tutorial together after reading Michael Deutch's post last week on How to Access Your Most Frequently Used Features in MindManager 8. I know that I use the Quick Access Toolbar all the time and like to have some of my favorite features easily accessible. In the video tutorial I will take you step by step through the process so that you can see how it is done. It is a very handy feature and one I know you will use. Please let me know which features you have added to your Quick Access Toolbar in MindManager 8. Click here to view the video tutorial. Enjoy!

MindView 3 from Matchware-Part 1

I had a chance this past week to take a look at MindView 3 Business Edition, which is the latest offering from Matchware, Inc. MindView 3 is a full featured mind mapping application that is a significant upgrade from what used to be known as OpenMind 2. MindView 3, takes full advantage of Microsoft's Fluid Ribbon Interface and makes navigating, formatting, and working with your mind maps easy to jump into. MindView 3 is unique in that it offers the user a full featured mind mapping application as well as including project planning (GANTT charts) and Timeline views that are integrated into the application. I will speak more about these features in part 2 of my review.

When MindView 3 opens you can quickly start creating a new mind map, Outline, Timeline or Gantt chart from the template provided. There is also a complete library of mind map templates that are more specialized that you could start your map from. Once you select your mind map you are ready to get started to map your ideas. From within MindView 3 you can designate the style of the map that you would like to create and you have the option of creating a tradional map with your ideas radiating from the center and going out as well as selecting top-down and left/right maps. To get started you simply type you main idea and press the Enter key to have you ideas radiate from your central point at the same level. To create a sub-branch you can click on the Sub-branch icon on the ribbon or simply Press the Insert key on your keyboard. Generating your ideas moves quickly using the keyboard and within minutes you should be able to flesh out your mind map. Moving ideas on your mind map is easy and intuitive as the program gives you visual feedback along the way. With MindView 3 you can quickly add icons to your branches and sub-branches by selecting the branch and accessing the Icons from the Insert ribbon. This is a fair number of icons that when inserted will appear to the left of your idea in the branch or sub-branch. The icons cover prioritization, arrows, task completion, stars, and library of commonly used icons. You can also access a large library of clip art which can be searched from within MindView 3. Once you find the picture you are looking for you can drag it to the branch. Unless you are using a Floating Picture as it is referred to in MindView 3 the graphic will sit above the branch. While you can select the graphic and make it larger or smaller you can not place it as an inline graphic within the branch. You do have the option of bringing in any graphic of your choice as a Floating Picture which allows you to move the graphic anywhere on your map. Attaching multiple files and hyperlinks to your branches is straight forward and easily accomplisehd using the Ribbon interface. MindView 3 makes it easy to add text notes to your map and opens a large text window at the bottom of the screen to accomplish this. Using the text editor you have the freedom to format to your heart's content, as well as giving you the opportunity of inserting pictures, tables, and hyperlinks.

Formatting your mind map is very intuitive and easy within MindView 3 using the Design ribbon. Using the Design Ribbon you can quickly select from Layouts, Styles and Effects which can quickly let you format your map just the way you want to. To format the branches and sub-branches you will need to access the Properties menu from the View Ribbon to bring up the options. You can also add boundaries around your sub-branches and format them with a range of colors, gradients and fills to highlight certain areas of your map. When using MindView 3 for presentations you will find the Focus Mode and the Apply Branch Focus to be two very helpful features. If you have designed very large maps these two features help to bring your ideas into focus on the screen. The Focus Mode zooms in on your map and what you have selected and brings into focus the branch or sub-branch. Using the Apply Branch Focus will hide all of the other branches except the one you are focused on allowing you to zero in on your topic. Navigating through the two features is fast and intuitive. MindView 3 also has powerful filtering features which lets you set up rules for showing certain branches that meet the criteria. You can use Boolean logic to only show those items in your map that meet the criteria. If you have a designed a large map this feature will come in handy.

When it comes time share and distribute your map MindView 3 gives you lots of options to output your map. You can export your maps very quickly to the Microsoft Office Suite of tools including: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Project. I found the exporting to be very fast and clean with lots of options for tailoring the output. Each export gives you the option of doing a Quick or Advanced export depending on your need. MindView 3 supplies you with lots of Export templates to choose from to make your documents, presentations and projects come to life.

There is a lot to like about MindView 3- in no time you will be developing your mind maps complete with pictures, icons, and links. I found MindView 3, with the Fluid Ribbon Interface very easy to use and quick and responsive. With robust exporting to the Microsoft Office Suite, MindView 3 makes sharing and distributing your maps a cinch. In my next post, I will highlight the GANTT and Timeline feature that is built right into MindView 3 which really makes this a unique software application. Mindview 3 is a formidable mind mapping software application with a sweet spot for those who want built-in project planning tools. Look for Part 2 of this review that delves into the project planning, using calculations and the timeline features found within MindView 3.

Interview with Patrick Koh of SimTech

Wallace Tait and I had the privilege of being able to interview Patrick Koh, the Managing Director of SimTechUSA Office located just outside of Dallas, Texas. Patrick is involved with developing business with customers and reseller partners worldwide for MindMapper 2009. SimTech recently released MindMapper 2009 with a host of new features which now includes use of the Ribbon Interface as well as built in project management features. MindMapper 2009 is a very formidable visual mapping tool which is both powerful and easy to use. During the interview we were able to ask Patrick to share with us his views on the visual mapping field. We hope you enjoy the interview, and look for Wallace and I to do more thought provoking interviews with thought leaders and developers in the visual mapping field. Enjoy.

Technology Supports for Writing is Released

I am happy to share with you that the eBook, Technology Supports for Writing has been released today. Joan Green and I have teamed up to write and design this very innovative eBook on writing supports for individuals with disabilities. The book title, Technology Supports for Writing not only includes a rich source of information about various software and hardware tools but includes over a dozen videos showing you how to use the supports built-in to the software and how these tools can be used. You can download your copy from www.innovativespeech.com



Look for a webinar coming soon on technology supports for writing that Joan and I will be doing shortly.