ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY BLOG | INVENTIONS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

The MeadWestvaco Corporation announced today the release of MeadMap a new online collaborative visual mapping application. To those of you who are familiar with CoMapping you will see a real similarity, since MeadMapping is based on the underlying technology found in the CoMapping application. MeadMap has the same feature set from what I can tell and they are offering a free 30 day trial so that you can try it out. Meadmap has lots of collaborative features so that you can invite others to edit and review your visual maps. You can also publish your maps to the internet or a blog by embedding the map within a page. I found Meadmap very easy to use and if you have been using CoMapping then the transition will be minimal.

As I reported it is now possible to embed a YouTube video in your Google Presentation by simply using the Insert Video command and then searching for the video you would like to use. It is best to do your search within YouTube since it will help you to sort out which keywords to use to search for the video you will use. Here is a very simple Google Presentation showing you what a YouTube video looks like when it is embedded in your slide. I embedded a YouTube video that I created showing how you can Hide and Show the Ribbon in MindManager 7. Enjoy!

It was a real treat to have the time to meet with Kyle McFarlin, the Visual Strategist, this weekend in Cleveland, OH. Having spoken a number of times on the phone and on Skype it is always great fun to finally meet Kyle in person. We had a chance to speak about the state of visual mapping and to catch up with one another. Kyle and I spoke about the upcoming visual mapping event on October 1, 2008 and how excited he is to be able to participate in it. The theme for the event is: Intelligent Visual Mapping: graphical information management, solving your real world problems. Join us for this wonderful event on:
College of St. Elizabeth
2 Convent Road
Morristown, NJ 07960
USA
To Register for the event click here

I have been a big fan of Google Apps and with each passing day the suite of applications keeps getting better and better. Today Google added two new features which I thought would be of interested to you. Google Presents just added the ability to add Speaker Notes which is certainly a really nice feature. You can access the feature when editing a slide- simply click on the Speaker icon on the bottom right of the slide.


This will open up a window where you can type your notes. With the release of this upgrade we will now have the ability to embed a YouTube video right within a Google Presentation. I'm sure this is going to be a big feature and one that most users will delighted to have. Enjoy the new features and isn't great that all we have to do to access these features is point our browser to Google Apps.

I received a comment today from Jim who has been beta testing WriteOnline and he was kind enough to send me a link meets Web 2.0 for to get a better idea of the features and capabilities of WriteOnline. As Tim said- WriteOnlineassistive technology. Crick Software as certainly raised the bar and has found a way to give students access to the tools and supports they need wherever they are as long as they are connected to the web.

It was a real surprise this morning to wake up to a comment on my blog from John Crick, the CEO of Crick Software whom I have known for quite sometime who commented on WriteOnline. You can read my original post about WriteOnline by clicking here. I thought that it was important for everyone to see his comment in a post rather than have it buried in a Comment. So here it is. And John thanks for taking the time to write a comment.

"Brian is the first person in the US to write anything about WriteOnline! We are currently in beta with the UK version and we have orders from hundreds of UK schools and a number of whole districts. We've just gone live (late on Thursday) with our new LearningGrids World site in both the UK and US (at the usual LearningGrids.com address). This will be used to deliver WriteOnline. You can view a tour of WriteOnline on this site at http://www.learninggrids.com/WriteOnlinePage.aspx?siteid=2
We are expecting to 'ship' WriteOnline in the US at the end of June (do you 'ship' an online product?)."

Many of my readers have asked me to post some of the audio recordings from my Pulse Smartpen and I just wanted to let you know that it is in the works. I hope to be to do this by the end of the week. I had the opportunity to use the Pulse Smartpen last week in a large lecture hall and the audio recording using the 3D recording headset was exceptional.The quality is surreal! I hope to be able to share the page and audio very soon.

For the last three weeks I have been part of a Private beta of a new product from Mindjet called Mindjet Connect. I am now longer under a NDA and can talk about my experiences using this new and innovative collaboration tool for sharing MindManger Pro 7 maps. In order to use Mindjet Connect you need to download a new version of MindManager Pro 7 which includes the Mindjet Connect component. Once you have installed the new version of MindManger 7 Pro and have set up your account you can invite your friends and clients to share a workspace that you have set up for them. As the owner of the workspace you can give your colleagues different Access levels as far as being able to edit or read your mind maps. Mindjet refers to these as Author, Owner and Reader. You can in addition to placing mind maps also store Word, PDF, and any other files that you would like to within the workspace.

I had the opportunity to practice using Mindjet Connect with Steve Rothwell and Gaelen O'Connell and it was quite amazing being able to change things within a MindManager Pro 7 mind map in real time as if we were sitting next to each other. Steve and I connected via Skype for the audio and worked on a mind map together. When another user is modifying an idea there is a legend in the top right portion of the screen showing who is making the changes and there are visual cues on the mind map when someone makes a change. The changes on the mind map occurred very quickly and the system as a whole was very responsive. As long as you store your attached documents in the workspace clicking on an attachment on your mind map, works as you would expect. Links to websites work as you would expect by opening your browser and opening the URL.

One of the really nice features which is part of Mindjet Connect is the ability to launch into a web meeting right within the application. This lets you share your screen and desktop and is very similar to a WebEx or GotoMeeting session. There is also the ability to use a chat feature to communicate to the users online and that are involved in the session. If you are interested in trying out Mindjet Connect let me know and I will see that you get an invite. I can also invite you to my collaborative workspace and you can check out the mind map that is there. If you would like to give it a try shoot me an email and I will get an invite out to you.

As a youngster I was always excited to get a new Erector set for my birthday and have the chance to build new items using nothing but my imagination and a couple of screws. Today's youth can take this idea and use their imagination to create their own PicoCricket project using arts and crafts materials alongside with a powerful computer that they can program to spin, light up and make music. Students have the opportunity to apply math, science and engineering principles into their projects to give them a taste of how these content areas can be applied. The PicoCricket Kit is similar to the LEGO® MINDSTORMS™ robotics kits. MINDSTORMS is designed especially for making robots, while the PicoCricket Kit is designed for making artistic creations with lights, sound, music, and motion. For example, students can make a cat and program it to purr when someone pets it. The kits are full of wonderful materials to spark their imagination of students and engage them in learning and how to program using an easy to use software application for PC and Mac.

At the heart of the system is the PicoCricket which can be programed by connecting it to a computer via a USB port. Students can select from a number of different sensors that the PicoCricket can interact with. There are many different types of sensors available for students to choose from which include: light sensor, motor, sound, and touch to name a few. PicoCrickets looks like a great way to engage students in engineering, math, and science in a fun and exciting way. You can check out PicoCricket on their website

If you are an avid MindManager User then you should take a look at this month's Mindjet User Newsletter which just hit the web. In it you will find some great articles by Jamie Nast and Stephanie Diamond who show you how their clients are applying and using MindManager to solve real world problems. Also, please check out my latest MindManager Quick Tip Video in the newsletter on how to add Resources and the Task Completion icon. The screencast video was created and produced using Camtasia Studio. Enjoy

It was with great anticipation that my Pulse Smartpen arrived and I had a chance to use it and see just how effective a tool it could be. After using it for two straight days it is surpassing my expectations as far as the quality of the sound that is captured. Using the 3D microphones that plug into the Pulse Smartpen you can get very high quality recordings of the the teacher speaking. The 3D microphones which also serve as ear buds were draped over my shoulders to record the sound. The quality of the recordings is rich with most of the background noise canceled out. It was really amazing to be able to click on the page and hear the audio cue up to the spot on the page almost instantaneously. You should have seen the students when I was using it to record my classroom observation. The desktop software that comes with the Pulse Smartpen allows you to download your digital ink to your computer which can also be played. Your journal pages are all indexed and you can search your pages quickly for any words that you wrote. When the software finds the text it highlights it for you. As the computer plays back your audio it highlights the words that you wrote on the page that were synced to the time that it was said. All in all the Pulse Smartpen worked right out of the box without a hitch and the sound quality of the recording was unbelievable. You have to see and hear it to believe it!

Visual Mapping and the Information Economy

By Wallace Tait- Visual Mapper

BSF: Hi Wallace can you share with us what is a visual map?

WT: A Visual map is: “A systematic and graphical framework expressing information and knowledge in a non-linear format”

We do indeed live and work in a linear world when it comes to academics and business. Taking a look at our established formats for communicating information and knowledge, there’s no denying, we clearly rely heavily on linear text and thinking.

Linear communications are natural; but not always the best format to convey information and knowledge in a succinct and clear manner. As visual mappers we firmly believe that non-linear information and knowledge communication tools that are readily available can, and do, enable you to experience an exponential increase in information management.

A lack of clarity and focus is what causes constraints within information exchange and knowledge growth. In this century, professionals are compelled by established systems to merely maintain the status quo of their respective information economies. Effective communication is essential to organizational efficacy, but we rarely see this as a reality within the overwhelmed business and academic environments where communication clarity and focus is not only expected but demanded.

BSF: What do you mean by the term information economy?

WT: The information economy is defined as: “Knowledge and information that ultimately affects process, system and organizational business investment”

Information has become a commodity that is exchanged both internally and externally within information economies. These economies are our established organizational systems, which in many cases have been overlooked with dire consequences to the organization. Corporate scandals of the late 90’s were characterized by the abject mismanagement of organizational information economies. This can be avoided by adopting the tools such as Mindjet MindManager Pro 7 and techniques of visual mapping into your business functions.

BSF: Can you expand on your idea about knowledge and its relation to the

information economy?

WT: “Knowledge as the main element of the information economy is of no profitable use unless it is created with focus, managed effectively and re-invested as an improvement tool”

Information is what knowledge is made up of and, we must take responsibility for the successes and failures of our information economies, after all, our information economies are what enable, assure and secure our personal, academic and business future successes.

Visualize a national financial reserve being a knowledge bank and the information economy as being the supplier of the resources that secure the strength of this institution. It makes logical sense that the continuous supply of resources is essential to the strength of the reserve. This is indeed how we should be viewing our information economies. Whether you are an academic or business professional, the continuous development of your information commodities ensures your strength, existence and further survival.

Taking a further view of the information economy, we see that it is absolutely impervious to any kind of recession. Global economical recessions do not affect information economies, while a downturn or recession is happening; the one thing that remains constant is information
exchange. Information being a priceless commodity that supplies our knowledge banks ensures our survival through the most severe of global effects of recession.

BSF: Where does Visual mapping fit into this information economy you may be asking?

WT: We firmly believe that the software tools such as Mindjet Mind Manager Pro 7 and techniques of this graphical framework are more than capable of enabling you to experience an exponential increase in your information management skills. We are all information managers, whether we acknowledge it or not, the fact that we create, manage and exchange information to gain knowledge is a testament to the human need for expansion. Within academia and business we must manage information for greater good of the systems that we support. There are various degrees of information management efficiency yet, we see time and time again that the informant managers who connect with our visual mapping approach, see the bigger picture and gain absolute control of their information economy.

The exponential gains experienced using Mindjet MindManager Pro 7 and techniques of visual mapping add to the financial bottom line of the environment of use. For the academician the gain is effective formats for enhancing student and faculty information exchange and management. The business system is relieved of information gaps that may affect further expansion of information resources and organizational processing.

The gains to business at all levels are experienced by enabling corporate communications to be

managed from a “master map database”. This master map is the realization of visual mapping as being a “graphical framework for business improvement”, thus adding to the financial bottom line of corporate profit.

BSF: Wallace to summarize what are the benefits as you see it in using visual mapping

WT: Information management, quality system analyses and improvement are but a few of the benefits of using visual mapping to exponentially add to the bottom line of any business function. The financial constraints associated with time management and organizational training is known to be aspects of business and academia that often cause frustration at the base level and financial loss at a higher level. We firmly believe that using tools like Mindjet MindManager Pro 7 and applying techniques of visual mapping to benefit all aspects and functions of any business or academic institution.

Visual mapping will enable you to become a more effective communicator and information manager whom effectively improves upon the bottom line associated with your working environment.

Wallace Tait: Visual Mapper.

Come join us on October 1, 2008 for a full day conference on how to use MindManager Pro 7 and the strategies of intelligent visual mapping to help you to better communicate, manage your information economy, manage projects; to exponentially add to the bottom line of any business or academic organization. The conference will be hosted and led by Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D. and his professional team of preeminent visual mappers. The conferences’ working title is: “Intelligent Visual Mapping: graphical information management, solving your real world problems.” His assembled team comes from such areas as banking, psychology, manufacturing, business management and college teaching. The conference will be held on the campus of the College of St. Elizabeth which is centrally located in Morristown, New Jersey, in close proximity to Newark Liberty International Airport and to Manhattan via New Jersey Transit. The entire team will spend the day sharing their insight and strategies to help you derive the benefits of intelligent visual mapping and to enable you to experience the power of visual mapping as your systematic framework for improvement.

We look forward to meeting you on October 1. 2008; please contact Brian S. Friedlander for conference cost and booking arrangements. To register for the conference click here.

Conference: Intelligent Visual Mapping: graphical information management, solving your real world problems

Date: On October 1, 2008

Time: 8:30 am- 5:00 pm

Place: College of St. Elizabeth

City: Morristown, NJ 07960

Phone contact: 908-852-3460 Email contact: brian@assistivetek.com

Several readers had asked me about the pricing for Mind2Chart and Dennis from Mind2Chart was kind enough to email me the information for this MindManager Pro 7 add-in. Below is a screenshot of Mind2Chart running with MindManager Pro 7. I just installed the trial version and will give you my feedback once I had a chance to use it a little more. So far I found it easy to use and the integration is fantastic!
Pricing
The base price for a single copy will be $79 excl. taxes. Volume discounts are
available:
5-19 licenses $69 each;
20+ licenses $59 each.

If you are looking for a free open source web conferencing solution look no further then Dimdim. Dimdim which was in private beta is now open to all parties that are interested in setting up an account. Dimdim is a free cross platform web conferencing service where you can share your desktop, show slides, collaborate, chat, talk and broadcast via webcam with absolutely no download required for attendees. I have used it with some of my clients quite successfully. Like all webinar platforms you will need to learn how to navigate your way around- but once you do you will find it a very easy platform to do your webinars in. Give it a try- it is a great way to deliver professional development programs and the price is right:-)

I just came across a new project management add-in for MindManager 7 called Mind2Chart which I though that you would be interested in learning about. I have emailed the company to see if I can get a copy of the add-in and hope to review it shortly. The text that follows is from the Mind2Chart web site.

With Mind2Chart just a couple of clicks will turn your discussion topics into tasks for plan. Our add-in will display them in the most popular way of graphical representation of projects – Gantt chart.

Mind2Chart add-inlets you:

Benefits of Mind2Chart:

Such pleasant details as automatic time calculation, automatic taking into account task relationships and resource capacity, and also elements of analysis, representation of all obtained information on the chart, printable reports – everything that makes planning process as easy and clear like never before.

The more I explore Google Docs the more I find hidden features that continue to make things that much easier to do. Today I was looking at the Share tab and learned that it is possible to post your Google document directly to your blog by first selecting Publish as web page... After you have selected that option you will then be able to post your Google document to your blog. You may need to configure Google Docs and supply it with your blog address and password. You can even test the connection to see if it will work. As a test I am going to post this to my Blogger account from Google Docs. Let's see what happens.

Google announced just yesterday that it is now possible to export your Google presentations to PowerPoint format. Now you can design your presentations in Google Presentation and you are able to save it in a PowerPoint format. Pretty cool!

A couple of months ago I had the pleasure of meeting Meir and introduced him to the power of visual mapping and what it could do for him and the work that he is now doing. I thought it would be interesting to get Meir's perspective on how he is using MindManager 7 to solve business problems and allow him to work more efficiently. Enjoy!

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BSF: Hi Meir- can you share with us the work that you do?

MK: Hello Dr. Friedlander. Thank you for the opportunity to share with your readers how MindManager 7 has helped me be more productive and work with greater efficiency. I work for an actuarial consulting company that provides full-service plan administration and consulting to small and large sized companies offering employer sponsored retirement plans. As the Information Technology Coordinator I manage all IT related activities, provide technical guidance and support for our pension staff and assist in the identification, implementation and maintenance of information management policies and procedures.

BSF: What was is about the demands of your work that made you gravitate towards using visual mapping and MindManager 7?

MK:Several months into my new position my company began working towards automating various pension related processes. With this ongoing project came a great deal of information that needed to be organized, as well as numerous tasks that required management and tracking within specific time frames. MindManager 7 was a lifesaver, allowing me to visualize the different projects and tasks and effectively manage all the necessary information.

BSF:How has MindManager 7 helped you to solve some of your business problems?

MK: MindManager 7 has helped me prepare detailed flow charts illustrating various workflow processes. These maps were used for staff training purposes and utilized as a visual learning tool to demonstrate specific business procedures and prepare for different process outcomes.

BSF:How receptive were your coworkers to the idea of using visual maps to convey and present information?

MK: I am happy to say that most of my coworkers were accepting to the idea of using visual maps and have even expressed their appreciation for the organizational quality and visual support that visual mapping provides. The response from management however was somewhat mixed. Some of the management staff were very receptive to using MindManager 7, while others were unexcited and uncomfortable with using visual mapping as a business tool.

BSF: Since you started using MindManager 7 have any of your colleagues jumped on board?

MK: Yes. One co-worker who I work closely with has become a strong supporter of visual mapping as a business tool and is in the process of learning how to use MindManager 7.

BSF:What would you say are the top 2 or 3 benefits of using MindManager 7 in the work that you do?

MK: The greatest benefits of using MindManager 7 in my work have been the ability to organize and capture my ideas, tasks and business activities on a visual dimension within a platform that is entirely integrated with Microsoft Office. As a person who has always preferred a visual learning style, MindManager 7 serves as my ideal tool to manage all my information technology and information management responsibilities.

BSF: As a new comer to visual mapping what suggestions would you give to other users who are on the fence or just starting out using this tool?

MK: I would suggest that they try to be creative and identify various ways that visual mapping can help them in their work environment. Greater integration of visual mapping as a business tool means more practice and more opportunities to develop visual mapping skills. I would also recommend utilizing the numerous visual mapping templates and libraries that are available. I have found it easier to customize existing maps to meet my individual needs rather than creating something from scratch.

BSF: Can you share a specific application that really attracted you to using MIndManager 7.

MK: I can’t think of an application that specifically attracted me to MindManager 7 but FreeMind was the first visual mapping application that I experimented with. The limitations of FreeMind ultimately lead me to MindManager 7 which I have found to be a more comprehensive and effective visual mapping alternative

Just a reminder join me for :Inside the Mind of an Educator: Using PersonalBrain for Your Classroom, Studies and Beyond
Special Web Event with Dr. Brian S. Friedlander

What: Students and teachers deal with complex issues and concepts that have many relationships and connections. PersonalBrain offers a new and exciting way to bring your content to life and foster a deeper understanding of your subject matter. Teachers and school administrators can use PersonalBrain to organize lesson plans and activities. Students and instructors can organize key topics and ideas to see the big picture on key ideas and simplify complex topics to drive understanding and new insights.

Who: Dr. Brian S. Friedlander is a certified (licensed) school psychologist with expertise in assistive and educational technology. He maintains an assistive technology practice that provides assessments, workshops and individual trainings. His columns can be read at: http://assistivetek.blogspot.com Dr. Friedlander is also an Assistant Professor of Education at the College of St. Elizabeth in New Jersey, where he teaches graduate courses in special education and educational technology.

Topics Covered:

• An introduction to visual learning and PersonalBrain for education
• Visually mapping and organizing ideas for enhanced understanding
• Classroom brainstorming techniques and creating interactive Brains
• Example Brains on lesson plans, research and course material from both student and teacher perspective

About two weeks ago I gave a presentation at the New Jersey Education Computer Cooperative 2008 Conference and spoke on the topic of the state and trends in the field of assistive technology and where I saw the industry headed. A large part of my


presentation was looking at the impact that Web 2.0 applications were having on the field and how that had ramifications for software developers who were developing software for the assistive technology industry. One of the trends that I see that should come as no surprise to other educators who have been following the avalanche of Web 2.0 applications is that students need access to their tools 24/7 and the way to go about doing that is to deliver them through the browser. As I speak to educators I am learning that more and more of them are relying on services like Google Docs to support students with their writing. Being able to collaborate and give students feedback on their written work on any computer connected to the web is a very powerful feature. There are many excellent applications that have been developed that run within the browser and if you search my blog you can find examples of them. When software companies begin to create their assistive technology applications that run within the browser the whole model of distribution will change. Companies will now offer subscription models based on the number of students in the school district or building. From an IT perspective software as a service will lighten their load since the applications are running in the cloud. As new features get added to the software there is no need to install service packs or updates everything is done at the server level by the publisher. That part is pretty sweet! Of course there is always the issue about storing files on someone else server and confidentiality which we will have to wrestle with.

As I was perusing the Crick Software UK website I came across a soon to be released software application called WriteOnline. When I delved into the website I learned that WriteOnline is a new writing tool that is delved on line complete with word prediction, text to speech and word level supports. What is unique about the application is that it will be available as a subscription and will run within the browser. Wow! So now students can access WriteOnline from any computer connected to the web and pull up their files with all the supports right there for them that they need. Now students can start projects at school and access their saved work at home with supports that you would find on standalone applications. Going froward I'm sure that many publishers in the assistive technology space will be offering their software as a service-but for now hats off to Crick Software for getting the ball rolling. I for one can't wait to preview WriteOnline.

This morning I received an email from one of my graduate students who was working on a software project who said she was stuck and didn’t remember how to add a Note card in her ClozePro project. My first inclination was to write her a long and complex step by step process and email it to her. However, on second thought, I decided that it would be a lot easier to create a quick Jing video and show her exactly what needed to be done. So I opened Jing on my MacBook and recorded a 20 second video showing my student, Donna how to create the Note card in her project. Once I created the video, I sent my student an email with the Jing link so that she could view the video. Here is her response.

Dear Dr. Friedlander-thank you. I am just so fascinated by all this new
technology. I will revise my work at the college today or tomorrow. Your
e-mail response just blew me away. It was great to see that visual
presentation. Have a nice Sunday......Donna

If a picture is worth a 1000 words then a video has to be worth at least a million! So remember the next time one of your students asks you how to do something why not create a quick Jing video. It’s just an idea!

Since connecting with my colleague and friend Karen Janowski, I have had a chance to revisit Jott and look at all of the new features. I know that a lot has been written about Jott in the last couple of weeks, but the more I use the more applications I see both for myself and for students that struggle putting pen to paper. If you are new to Jott it is easy to set up a free account and get started dictating your messages using your cell phone. It is easy to Jott- simply call a toll free number, state who you want to Jott and within minutes your voice message is transcribed and emailed to your account. I have done several demonstrations for my graduate students and the speech to text transcription is quite good. Once the text is emailed to you- it is easy to copy and paste it into a word processor. Imagine student who has trouble writing being able to call Jott and answer their Social Studies homework questions simply by talking into a phone. You can also create what Jott calls Lists- which are handy ways to organize your messages. Likewise you can also set up Lists, which allow you to specify which contacts yu would like to get your email messages. This featre is very cool. With Jott you can also post messages directly to you blog and add events to your Google Calendar. If you want to see speech to text in action then give Jott a try.