ScreenToaster.com: Quick, Easy and Free Video Tutorials from Any Computer

Ever need to demonstrate software or how to do different things on the computer? You should consider using ScreenToaster.com to create a more permanent and "on-demand" online video demonstration.
Find yourself repeating directions and demonstrations over and over to staff, students or parents for tasks using the computer? You need to stop what you are doing right now and spend 10 minutes to learn how to use ScreenToaster.com.
ScreenToaster.com allows you to record activity on your computer screen from any computer with an Internet connection, add voice narration (either as you record or after you finish) and quickly upload it to the Internet to share with staff, students or parents.
This ScreenToaster.com video tutorial will get you up and running with this incredibly flexible and free tool.

Ever use ScreenToaster or another web-based screen capture tool to teach technology skills? Post a comment and let us know!

Viewing two screens at the same time in Word 07
When writing an assignment in Microsoft Word it can be useful to have two windows visible at the same time, for example a screen with and outline and a working screen. This jing demonstrates how to use the "view side by side" function in Word 07. http://www.screencast.com/users/elliseit/folders/Jing/media/6e55898d-8027-413f-9ca3-8d28b49dcfc8

UDL Share Space - How to be alerted when someone adds something of interest

If you would like an email notification when someone adds something to a folder that interests you on the UDL Share Space, you can set up an alert.  Just go to the folder of interest and click on Actions-->Alert Me.

MSWord Clip art for school projects and assignments

Want a source for graphics that you are allowed to use freely as an educator for instructional purposes?

MicroSoft Clip Art

The MSWord Clip art gallery can be used for "school assignments and projects" . There are thousands of pictures built into MSWord or online. In MS Word, just click on the "Insert" ribbon tab, then click on Clip Art. Search by typing in a word, even verbs. I typed in "worried" and got lots of good pics. Right click on the picture, copy and paste into a graphics folder in your My Documents folder. Here's a quote from their website.

"Clip Art
The Microsoft Clip Art Gallery provides a compilation of artwork for your personal use. The following guidelines apply to your personal use of clip art:

You may use clip art in your school assignments and projects"

Converting a page in the curriculum guide to Kurzweil

Now that the curriculum guides are in a digital form in the MCPS curriculum archives, it's easy to convert a page from the digital .pdf of the instructional guide to Kurzweil. Students can then use Kurzweil to read text selections from the instructional guide or fill in worksheet from the instructional guide. ( If you want to convert multiple pages, indicate the "print range" on the "print" window.)

Click on the link below to view the short video which demonstrates how to convert a page in the curriculum guide to Kurzweil.

video

SOLO passwords

Question: 
What are the passwords for SOLO?

Answer:
See this quick guide

New rules for passwords on Bookshare.org (Updated)

Bookshare no longer requires that you have a download password that is different from your account password.  You will no longer be asked for a password when unzipping a downloaded file.

If you are unable to unzip a file that you previously downloaded from Bookshare, then it might be because you downloaded that book at a time when the download password was required.  Download the book again  from the Bookshare website.

Using MS Word 2007 Smart Shapes to create prewriting graphic organizers

Often students need additional, customized support to help them organize their ideas prior to beginning a writing assignment.

Here's a video link that will step you through making prewriting graphic organizers using Smart Shapes in MSWord 2007.
Video


If you want a paper handout, here is a HIAT Quick Guide
QuickGuide

Adding students to Bookshare

Question:
I finallly registered teachers as sponsors in Bookshare. Do I add the members (students) or let the teachers add them?

Answer:
You can do this either way, but if the teachers are going to add them, then you have to explain to all the teachers how to add the kids online. That might take up the same amount of time as adding them yourself!

Another thing to consider is that you have to notify the ITSS of all the kids who are added so they can have access to the Copyrighted Text folder on your network. Decide on a way that works best logistically in your school. The ITSS needs the kids names, grades, and login ids.

How do you handle this at your school?

Adding members and sponsors to Bookshare

Question:
I want to add new members and sponsors. Just give me a quick review. Do I use the template I received when I took the Bookshare class and upload it?

Answer:
I saw that Bookshare now has a simpler way to add kids and teachers. You can just click to get a popup window and add them one at a time. If you have a longer list to add, you can still use the spreadsheet if you prefer, but you might try the pop-up window way for one or two additions, just to make sure your account is active and working.

1. Log into your Bookshare account at http://bookshare.org/
2. Click on My Organization
3. Click on either Members or Sponsors
4. Then click the orange “Add a …” button and fill in the requested information

Using PDF files with Kurzweil 3000

Question:
Can you please tell me how to put Adobe PDF files into Kurzweil 3000?

Answer:

1. Go to the computer that has the professional scan version of Kurzweil installed.
2. Open the Adobe file in Adobe Reader.
3. Print the file – choose the printer “Kesi virtual printer” (if the file is many pages, just print the pages that you need)
4. It will take a few seconds for the document to process, so wait and watch for Kurzweil to open with the file loaded
5. Save the file as a KESI file
6. You will probably have to clean up the file for it to read correctly, depending on how complicated the layout was. See the section “Editing Your Document After Scanning” in this Quick Guide
   

Bookshare's Free Daisy Readers

Question:
Do the students who have access to Bookshare need to be visually impaired to get the Daisy Reader free or can any of our qualified Sp. Ed. Students download the Daisy Reader so they can read books at home?

Answer:
Any member of Bookshare can download either of the two readers. One is Read:Outloud and the other is Victor Reader. They can both read DAISY files. Read:Outloud is better suited for kids with learning disabilities and Victor is better suited for kids with vision issues. (To be a member of Bookshare, students must qualify as having a print disability. Read more at http://bookshare.org/about/membershipQualifications).

Opening Files Downloaded From Bookshare

Question:
I downloaded a book from Bookshare. I unzipped the file I downloaded, but I can't open the book.

Answer:
Double check that you actually unzipped the file you downloaded. If you just double-clicked on the zip file, you are viewing the contents, but you have not actually completed the step to uncompress them yet.

1. Go back to the zip file
2. Right-click on the zip file and choose "Extract All" from the pop-up menu
   
3. NOW you can open the .xml file or the .opf file in your text reader
   

Welcome to the HIAT Help Archive

People ask us questions all the time. Wouldn't it be nice to see the questions that other people asked and have a place you could go to find all those answers when you actually need them? That is the purpose of this blog.

We welcome your comments.