Abstract
Original teaching materials with multimedia-enabled dot codes were created for use with students with various disabilities. The “Post-it-like” sticker icons on which dot codes were printed were used there; each sticker icon could be linked with up to four multimedia mediums, in addition to up to four voices/sounds. Touching a dot code icon with a speaking-pen enables audios to be replayed, and touching a dot code icon with a dot-code reader enables multimedia to be replayed. Four software packages to create contents with dot codes were developed by Gridmark Inc. The sticker icons, a speaking-pen and dot-code reader, and software packages are distributed to schoolteachers for free; they can now create original self-made teaching materials for students in their classes. This chapter presents basic information on school activities, performed in promoting sounding out words, learning sound-symbol correspondence, word recognition, and text reading.
TopBackground
More than 14 years ago, author Ikuta began helping students with various disabilities use a tool to trace two-dimensional Scan Talk dot codes (Olympus Co., 1999) printed on paper to reproduce sound (Ikuta et al., 2013). However, some intellectually and severely hand- and finger-challenged students at special needs schools were unable to trace the long and straight Scan Talk codes correctly and to join in with class activities. Therefore, the authors sought alternative systems, so that students could easily touch the dot codes with a speaking-pen to reproduce the voices/sounds clearly, which would allow a greater number of disabled students to learn to use the dot code content (Ikuta et al., 2015). One of the authors, Ikuta, began collaborating with the company Gridmark Inc. Gridmark Inc. (n.d.) had originally developed the Grid Onput dot codes in which a maximum of four multimedia mediums, such as movies and audio recordings, could be linked to each dot code symbol icon. With the assistance of author Ikuta, Gridmark Inc. has developed four easy-to-handle software packages (Sound Linker, File Linker, GM Authoring Tool, and Gridmark Content Viewer [GCV]) and a “Post-it-like” dot sticker.
Author Ikuta also created two types of original sheets (called “magical sheets”) with a “Post-it-like” removable sticker icon overlaid with the dot codes, which one of the authors Ikuta has given free of charge to schoolteachers with the accompanying easy-to-use software and tools such as a speaking-pen and dot-code reader the Gridmark Inc. developed. Now schoolteachers are able to create their own original Grid Onput booklets for disabled students without needing to buy costly software or printers.
The teachers can remove the “Post-it-like” sticker icons from the magical sheets and affix them to any real items they wish to link with voice/sound and multimedia, such as movies. By simply touching the symbol icons affixed to the real item with a speaking-pen, such as G-Speak, students are able to hear the voices/sounds very clearly. Further, by using a dot-code reader, such as the G-Pen Blue with Bluetooth functionality, students can replay multimedia on iOS devices such as iPad and iPhone.
Author Ikuta has a collaborative worldwide research group of more than 200 schoolteachers from Japan, the USA, the United Arab Emirates, Korea, China, Saudi Arabia, and Oman. Funds for the project were provided by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, Japan, and by Otsuma Women’s University, which has enabled the purchase of the necessary tools and software for the collaborative research work. Gridmark Inc. also supports the research projects by providing the software free of charge and discounting tools such as speaking-pen and dot-code reader.
Key Terms in this Chapter
GM Authoring Tool: This software can overlap the dot codes on users’ designed document at any place, in any size, and in any number. A maximum of four audio and multimedia files can be linked to each unique set of dot codes.
Sound Linker: A software that can create content for a speaking-pen. A maximum of 10 audios can be linked to each “Post-it-like” sticker icon or dot code overlaid with using the GM Authoring Tool program. Created content is copied into a microSD card in a speaking-pen. Touching the icon with a speaking-pen, such as G-Speak and G-Talk, replays the corresponding audio.
Alternative and Augmentative Communication: Alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) is designed to assist individuals who cannot speak when interacting with others. AAC is used by those with a wide range speech and language impairment, including congenital impairments. The technologies Girdmark Inc. developed and the authors presented in this chapter may be classified as an example of AAC.
Multimedia-Enabled Dot Code: Invisible dot codes developed by Gridmark Inc. are a novel two-dimensional code technology consisting of extremely small dots. Each “Post-it-like” sticker icon or dot-code overlaid with a GM Authoring Tool program can be linked to up to four audios. A maximum of four multimedia, such as movies, can be also linked to the same icon. A simple touch by a speaking-pen and dot-code reader on the dot codes enables a link between the paper and the digital content.
School Activity: School activities at special needs school can be improved through the use of original and individual self-made teaching materials and aids tailored to each student with disabilities.
File Linker: This software can create a standalone application on Windows OS. A maximum of four multimedia-like movies can be linked to each “Post-it-like” sticker icon or dot-code overlaid using a GM Authoring Tool. Touching the dot codes with a dot-code reader replays the corresponding multimedia on a screen of PC.
Dot-Code Reader: Multimedia files, such as movies, can be linked to the dot codes overlaid with the GM Authoring Tool and “Post-it-like” sticker icons of the “magical sheet.” The linked multimedia is replayed on the screen of iOS or Windows OS devices by touching the dot codes with a dot-code reader.
Gridmark Content Viewer (GCV): This software can create content available on iOS devices, such as the iPad and the iPhone. Using G-Pen Blue with Bluetooth functionality users can replay the multimedia, such as movies, photos, audios, and Web pages on the screen of an iOS device.
Speaking-Pen: The G-Speak and G-Talk speaking-pens reproduce original voices and sounds simply by touching the “Post-it-like” sticker icons or overlaid dot codes printed directly on a paper. These speaking-pens connected to Windows PCs can also replay multimedia, such as movies, using a standalone application created using the File Linker program. Up to four multimedia can be linked to each dot-code icon.
Assistive Technology: Assistive technology consists of devices and services. An assistive technology device is an item or piece of equipment that helps a person with a disability increase, maintain or improve a student’s functional capabilities. Assistive technology devices can be high-tech or low-tech.