ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY BLOG | INVENTIONS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

SimTech has announced on their website that they will soon release Mindmapper 2008 USB. With Mindmapper 2008 USB you will be able to have access to Mindmapper 2008 by simply plugging the USB flash drive into any USB port on a Windows computer. MindMapper 2008 USB will give you full access to the application and does not need to be installed to run the application. Mindmapper 2008 USB ships on a 4 Gigabyte drive which allows you to save your mind maps on the drive and open and edit them as if it were installed on your hard drive. Here is the information about MindMapper 2008 USB:

Product Introduction

Run MindMapper on any PC: MindMapper 2008 USB Edition is portable MindMapper that lets you run MindMapper on any PC with a USB interface. No installation No registeration or activation It also doubles as a 4GB USB flash drive so you can store all your MindMapper files and other files for your convenience Miniature slim swing-type USB drive Gold plated appearance to give you the best and valuable looking USB device among all your peers Small enough to easily attach to your keychain or mobile phone with the included strap

What's in the Box

USB Flash Drive with MindMapper 2008 Professional Edition built in MindMapper 2008 USB Edition has MindMapper 2008 Professional built in. Think of it as portable version of MindMapper, as you can plug it into any PC and start MindMapper

A couple of weeks ago I had reviewed the initial release of Mind2Chart and found it to be a very easy to use MindManager add-in for project planning. I did make some recommendations to the developer for improvements and as a result of my feedback we now see that many of them have been incorporated into the latest version of Mind2Chart 1.3 which was just released.

Mind2Chart has now been upgraded to version 1.3. Mind2Chart 1.3 is an add-in to MindManager 7 and has been tested to ensure compatibility with the latest MindManager 7 build. Mind2Chart includes the following new features:

- Coloring tasks and color synchronization between MindManager topics
and Gantt bars;
- Master Schedule for the whole project and individual resource
schedules, to specify working days, holidays, individual days off and
vacations;
- Project cost calculation based on the resource costs. New report for
project cost calculation;
- Automatic Task Alignment Tool - allows to reorganize the project
schedule depending on the resources assigned, so resources will not be
overloaded and project will finish at earliest possible date.

Mind2Chart was thoroughly tested for compatibility with Mindjet
Connect®. Such compatibility should enhance collaboration within
project teams when planning and tracking task performance.

My bags are packed and I off to San Antonio, TX for the National Educational Computing Conference. I will have 5 full days of educational technology and meetings with both hardware and software developers. At this conference the hardware and software developers will announce new products and services which always makes this one of the more exciting conferences of its kind. For the conference, I am packing my MacBook, Livescribe Pulse Smartpen, Olympus Digital Camera, Blackberry Curve, and FlipVideo camera. If I have learned anything, attending these conferences, is make sure you bring lots of business cards. I have lots of meetings and look forward to reporting to you from the convention floor-up to the minute news. I have set up my Jott account so that I can use my cell phone to quickly post to my blog. So if you see some minor errors please know that it is the speech recognition that is faulty. It should be a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to reporting the news to you- so stay tuned.

For those of you that are considering using Mindjet Connect, take a look at my vignette to give you some insight as to how I have been using it for the last couple of months. I have found Mindjet Connect indispensable for planning the Fall Visual Mapping Conference. I have been able to share my MindManager 7 visual maps, as well as PDF and Word documents in the workspace. When I have needed to I have been able to in real time to co-edit my MindManager 7 maps with my co-presenters which has been really fantastic. So if you have the chance view the vignette to find out how I have been using Mindjet Connect.

Anyone who has been following the visual mind mapping arena for any time certainly has heard of Chuck Frey. Chuck has been a vigilant leader in the field who keeps all of us abreast of the trends and software developments in the field of visual mapping. I for one am grateful for the work that Chuck has done and honored that he will be one of the guest speakers at the Intelligent Visual Mapping Conference on October 2-3, 2008 in the Greater New York City Area. Chuck recently started a new mind mapping blog which I wanted to make you aware of. Once you goto Chuck's new blog you will treated to one of the most informative blogs on visual mapping that you can imagine. So click here to take you to Chuck's new blog.

I have had the opportunity to beta test Mindjet Connect before its initial release last week and have really enjoyed the ability to collaborate in real time on my visual maps. Once you use Mindjet Connect, there is no going back. Mindjet Connect is a wonderful and easy to use collaborative technology that lets you not only store your maps but other files types as well. I have been using Mindjet Connect to plan the Intelligent Visual Mapping Conference in the Fall and it is great having one single access point that all of my presenters can go to for all of the conference information. I am now storing Word and PDF files in my workspace along with JPEG files which makes it easy for me to access wherever I am. To see Mindjet Connect in action you can click on this link.

Along with Mindjet Connect, Mindjet announced the availability of MindManager Web which lets you create visual maps using an application that is served up through your browser. As long as you have a Mindjet Connect account you can launch the MindManager Web client from your computer and create and access your visual maps from your workspace. While you will need to have a Windows computer with a Mindjet Connect Account you can successfully use MindManager Web on a Macintosh to edit and create new maps. Having access to my visual maps from any computer is a great feature and one that I am going to really enjoy. Mindmanager Web was very easy to use and is functionally the same as the desktop application. MindManager Web has a great look to it and is very responsive when using it. Once you start using it you will soon forget that you are using a program through the browser. The interface is very well done and it looks as if the client was written using Adobe Air and Flash. When creating topics and subtopics MindManager Web behaves just like the desktop version and so you can easily use the Enter and Control Enter keys to add topics and subtopics to your visual maps. All of the standard markers, symbols, flags, and smileys are available to you for use. You can also add boundaries and relationships as you would on the desktop version of MindManager. Adding your own images to your topics can be easily accomplished within the application. One of the really nice features is the ability to open your MindManager visual maps and import them into your Connect workspace. Similarly, you can also add attachments and hyperlinks on your visual maps that you create with MindManager Web. With access to all of the features you would expect from a visual mapping application having them available to you 24/7 is really terrific. Check out Mindjet Connect and see what all of the excitement is about.

FYI:


PersonalBrain 4.5 beta is now available you can download it at
http://www.thebrain.com/download.

It is a free upgrade for all PersonalBrain 4 users.

New features include:

. Increased performance on all platforms
. Complete undo and redo support
. Paste outlines for easy importing of content
. New SiteBrain features
. Timed events and reminders
. Merge Brains command
. Copy and paste improvements

CS Odessa Introduces ConceptDraw Office - The Integrated Solution for Effective Project Management Visualization and Communication

Odessa, Ukraine, June 17, 2008 - CS Odessa announces today the general availability of its new ConceptDraw Office business productivity software suite. ConceptDraw Office reflects CS Odessa's collective expertise in developing market leading business applications, data visualization technologies and project management tools.

Using CS Odessa's new InGyre Technology in its ConceptDraw Office business productivity applications (ConceptDraw MINDMAP, ConceptDraw PROJECT, and ConceptDraw PRO), users are provided with a seamlessly integrated workflow solution. The functionality of one stand-alone application is significantly extended, by utilizing the capabilities of the other applications within the suite, to create powerful work environments.

Building representative visual documentation that reflects work progress is a critical project task that ConceptDraw Office was developed to support. InGyre Technology assists in the creation of visual dashboards and reports that represent key indicators of work progress, from either project files or a set of selected tasks. It also quickly transforms task outlines into professional looking Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) charts that are editable by using ConceptDraw PRO.

From a communication standpoint, impressive visual project reporting is critical for the project success of any participant. ConceptDraw Office introduces a wide selection of tools to easily generate professional visual project reports.

Gregory Zhukov, Chief Executive Officer of CS Odessa explains, "We have seen from how our customers use currently available software products on the market, that there is a clear need for a visually-based application suite that has the capability to break through many of the business productivity barriers which have an adverse effect on project success. Years ago, Microsoft Office revolutionized the way we work with text documents and spreadsheets. In much the same way, ConceptDraw Office revolutionizes the way we work with project management data and business information."

Gregory Zhukov, further states, "With the time and other resource constraints that face knowledge workers today, it is important that the tools they use closely fit the tasks at hand. With CS Odessa's forward thinking design of CD Office, knowledge workers can now focus on accomplishments without struggling with the tools they use."

A common customer usage scenario often begins with the brainstorming of project ideas, using whiteboard views and organizing results into highly informative mind maps. During the next phase, information is developed into detailed project plans with Gantt charts and visual performance dashboards. Managers can then balance and efficiently allocate resource loads using the Resource Usage view, or assign and send task lists to team participants in the form of mind maps. ConceptDraw Office provides start to finish process and project cycle management.

For more information about ConceptDraw Office, please visit:
http://www.conceptdraw.com/pg?id=cdo_1.0_press-main

ConceptDraw Office is available for $499 USD at:
http://www.conceptdraw.com/pg?id=cdo_1.0_press-buy

ABOUT CONCEPTDRAW PRODUCTIVITY LINE
The ConceptDraw product line for Macintosh and Windows is comprised of:

• ConceptDraw PRO
  Diagramming and drawing software
• ConceptDraw MINDMAP
  Brainstorming tool that utilizes mind mapping techniques to help organize ideas and tasks
• ConceptDraw PROJECT
  Professional project management software
• ConceptDraw WebWave
  Software for creating professional diagrams and drawings on the stage of website or application prototyping and design, page mocking-up and site-mapping
• ConceptDraw NetDiagrammer
  Network and system design

ABOUT CS ODESSA
Founded in 1993, Computer Systems Odessa (www.conceptdraw.com) supplies cross-platform productivity tools and graphics technologies to professional and corporate users. With headquarters in Odessa, Ukraine and an office in California, USA; CS Odessa sells products internationally through resellers in over 25 countries. The ConceptDraw Productivity Line of products has won numerous awards and is used by hundreds of thousands of people all over the world

If you have a chance go over to Mindjet where you see a total redesign of their website. With the release of Mindjet Connect and the recent acquisition of JCVGantt there is a lot happening at Mindjet these days. Each month I have the opportunity to share a Tip 'n'Trick via the Mindjet Connections Newsletter. This month I created a screencast giving you an overview of Mindjet Connect which is a great collaboration tool. For the past month and a half I have been using Mindjet Connect with my team of presenters as we prepare for the October 2-3, 2008 Visual Mapping Conference to be held in the Greater New York City Area. Mindjet Connect has been indispensable as we plan the conference. All of our maps, Word documents and PDF's are stored in the Connect Workspace for easy access. There are times when my co-presenters will work and edit the maps in real time- which is really a tremendous feature. With all of the maps and files for the conference n Mindjet Connect all of the presenters can keep on top of the schedule and gain access to the files if they need them. Having presenters all over North America and in Europe makes it easy for them to access them according to their schedule. So take a look at the screencast and then if you have the chance give Mindjet Connect a try!

I have had the opportunity through my blog to get to talk and meet with many MindManager Users who are using the program in innovative ways. I had the opportunity to talk with Mark Miller from EndUserSharepoint.com, who is is an internationally recognized technology trainer. He has taught throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia at companies such as Hewlett-Packard, Autodesk, SGI and Charles Schwab for over a decade. Mark shared with me that one of his most satisfying assignments was using SharePoint to help coordinate AIDS vaccine data for five research labs around the United States. Mark uses MindManager 7 for everything from creating Information Architecture schemas to brainstorming site plans in front of live audiences. His current project is the creation of a subscription based training site for SharePoint Information Workers that will go live in September 2008. Mark was kind enough to share his last EndUserSharepoint.com screencast, which if you watch the first couple of minutes he shows you how he uses MindManager 7 to help explain a key concept called Content Types for those users who are setting up Sharepoint systems.

It is hard to believe that IQ Visual Mapping Conference is just 4 months away and in our efforts to keep you abreast of all that is happening we have put together a blog dedicated to the conference. This is where you can go to find out the latest information about the presentations and the what is happening. We will keep you updated all along the way and please feel free to visit the blog and add your comments to the posts and get a conversation going. If you were not aware we announced last week that the conference will be a 2 day event, October 2-3, 2008 to be held on the campus of the College of St. Elizabeth in Morristown, NJ. The campus is in the Greater New York area and is just 30 minutes from the heart of New York City-so come to the conference and then spend the weekend visiting the city that never sleeps.

View Larger Map

I have received numerous emails asking me about what is going to be covered during the conference and to give you a flavor, Stephanie Diamond was kind enough to interview Wallace Tait, Arjen te Hoeve, Adam Clayman, Chuck Frey and myself. We have since put the interviews up on our conference blog so that you can listen to them and get a good feeling of what will be covered. Please come back often since this will be updated. As you listen to the interviews you will begin to hear some themes coming through about the conference which include: learning new strategies for using visual mapping, learning about the tools, doing some real social networking, becoming part of the larger visual mapping community and making yourself more valuable in the work that you do.

Since we moved to a 2 day event we have gotten a tremendous response from vendors and software developers, who not only want to exhibit but who now will be given the opportunity to present so that they can share with you the unique feature set of their software. So stay tuned to find out who will be exhibiting at the conference.

Check out Chuck Freys's Mind Mapping Software Blog for the Top 10 Reasons to attend the IQ Visual Mapping Conference on October 2-3, 2008 at the College of St Elizabeth, Morristown, New Jersey. For those of you who been following the conference announcement here is some breaking news! Due to the overwhelming response from exhibitors and conference participants the event has expanded to 2 full days. With the expanded venue we will be able to have our exhibitors share with you their latest software and developments. You will be able first hand to see the latest offerings from the software developers themselves. So sty tuned for list of software developers who will be attending the event. In the mean time here are the top two reasons to attend.

Here are the top 2 reasons why this is a don’t-miss conference:

1. It’s an opportunity to increase your value to your employer by becoming a more visually-oriented thinker, decision maker and problem solver.
2. Learn how to take your company's information management strategies to the next level of effectiveness.

To see the rest of the reasons go to Chuck Frey's Blog

To Register for the event click here

FYI

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Visual Mind 10 is released!

The Visual Mind Server is also available for free evaluation. Click here for more information.

Several weeks ago I shared with you the impending release of a new assistive technology application called WriteOnline from Crick Software. The release of WriteOnline is a departure from the release of any other software product, that I know, in that the application is delivered through the browser. This is a monumental paradigm shift for the industry and one that I have been talking about for years. WriteOnline raises the bar for other software developers as we move to software as a service model. But more importantly having software tools delivered through the web enables students to have access to their files and the supports that they need wherever and whenever they want to work on it. No longer will students have to give up their software supports when they leave school and go home to work on projects and papers.

Since that post I have the opportunity to use a beta of WriteOnline which will soon be available in the UK. Once I was given a link to the program, WriteOnline installed the the Java application and within seconds I was into the WriteOnline writing environment. For those of you are familiar with Wordbar from Crick Software you will certainly see the similarity. I for one was up and running within seconds and using all of the supports provided in WriteOnline. The screen is divided into three windows: the word processing area, the word prediction pane , and the Wordbar pane at the bottom of the screen. WriteOnline provides powerful text to speech support right within the application and by setting up the user preferences you can set the word prediction and wordbar pane to read the words by right clicking on a word. The text to speech engine produced clear annunciation of what was being read and the user could change the unit of how WriteOnline would read the text. With this release the text to speech engine used British speech engine but an English engine will be used when it is released here in the United States. I did have a chance to show some of my graduate students WriteOnline and many were really excited by all of the features. Most of my students whom are themselves are special education teachers shared that it was a great tool for differentiating the instruction.

Quite frankly when one is using WriteOnline it is hard to discern that the application is working online. For students with writing disabilities WriteOnline provides and incredible level of supports. WriteOnline comes with a host of Wordbars that are ready to be used with a click of the mouse. Additional free Wordbars can be downloaded from Crick's LearningGrids site. I was able to develop my own custom wordbars by simply shift clicking in the cell and typing the word. This worked very similar to Wordbar or Clicker 5. When you right click WriteOnline will read the content of the cell and is an excellent support for students who may also have reading disabilities. Students who need spelling support will find the word prediction tool really handy. I should note that the user has the option of hiding or showing the word prediction and wordbar pane as they see fit. The word prediction dictionary can be adjusted in size (number of words) depending on the age and skills of the student. The word prediction library can be set from anywhere from 250 to 60000 words and can also be set up to predict from the wordbar list as well. The word prediction tool was surprising good and was able to determine the proper ending of words depending on what looks like some grammatical rules. The word prediction tool had more difficulty when I spelled word phonetically. I will have to inquire about this feature. Using both the wordbars and the word prediction tools can provide students with the scaffolding they need to help them complete their writing. More importantly one must remember that since WriteOnline is an online application, students can access their files and continue to use these supports at home or wherever they are as long as they connected to the Internet. Now this is truly a paradigm shift!

Overall I was very impressed with the feature set of WriteOnline and will continue to explore the nooks and crannies and share with you new information as I find out about it. I should note that there are a number of writing analysis tools built into WriteOnline which would be helpful for a teacher as they look at a students written work over time. WriteOnline does support the insertion of comments which would lead me to believe that the student's teacher could access the written work and add comments where appropriate. While I certainly have more to learn about WriteOnline I for one was extremely pleased with the feature set and its capabilities. More importantly this marks a real transition in how assistive technology applications are delivered and I for one am overjoyed by the fact that students will have the writing supports they need wherever and whenever they need it. No longer will they be tied to one computer with their specific tools- this is a very liberating feeling and one that goes a long way for students having real access to what they need.

I should note that I would like to thank John Crick for giving me access to WriteOnline and if anyone is going to NECC 2008, please stop by the Crick Software booth and see for yourself the incredible tool set that can be found in WriteOnline. When you see John Crick, just tell him that Brian sent you:-)