Free Resources from the Net for EVERY Learner » universal design for learning

Microsoft Mathematics 4.0 – Powerful Free Maths Software

Paul Hamilton — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 17:16:56 +0000

I wrote about the Mathematics Add-in for MS Word and OneNote in February of 2011. As of December 2011, this remains one of my most frequently visited posts. Today’s post is prompted by a comment left there by Murray Bourne. Murray kindly informed me that Microsoft Mathematics 4.0 is available as a free standalone program, not just as an add-in for MS Word or OneNote. This is a powerful and versatile free tool for anyone learning or teaching maths, at the secondary or perhaps late middle school level.

Mathematics 4.0 can be installed and run on its own in Windows 7, Vista or XP. It can also be installed as an add-in that will run within MS Word 2010, MS OneNote 2010, or MS Word 2007. The standalone option means that the program can be used without having to purchase MS Word or OneNote. [The add-in can be downloaded HERE, and the standalone program HERE. If your computer system is 64-bit, you'll need to download MSetup_x64.exe. If you have a 32-bit system, download MSetup_x86.exe.]

Mathematics 4.0 enables the user to “do” math on the computer. This is helpful for anyone who has difficulty using pencil and paper. In the context of UDL (Universal Design for Learning) the program is also helpful because it offers powerful visual alternatives for representing information to learners, as well as options for action and expression. For example, the graphing calculator can animate graphsof 2D and 3D equations. Below is a list of what Microsoft says the program will do:

The Microsoft Mathematics Add-in can help you with the following tasks:

Compute standard mathematical functions, such as roots and logarithms
Compute trigonometric functions, such as sine and cosine
Find derivatives and integrals, limits, and sums and products of series
Perform matrix operations, such as inverses, addition, and multiplication
Perform operations on complex numbers
Plot 2-D graphs in Cartesian and polar coordinates
Plot 3-D graphs in Cartesian, cylindrical, and spherical coordinates
Solve equations and inequalities
Calculate statistical functions, such as mode and variance, on lists of numbers
Factor polynomials or integers
Simplify or expand algebraic expressions

My math skills are such that I am not competent to review Mathematics 4.0 properly. I refer you instead to the excellent review posted by Murray Bourne on his website, squareCircleZ. Keyboard shortcuts are available for Mathematics 4.0, but I don’t know if these are sufficient for use by someone who is blind. Mohan Manohar Mekar has written a post listing and describing the available keyboard commands. Embedded below is Microsoft’s promotional video.

Microsoft promotes Mathematics 4.0 as a teaching tool, and it can indeed be used to great effect by teachers of Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Calculus, Physics, or Chemistry. If I were teaching any of these subjects, I would want to use this program, via projector, to help explain, demonstrate, and review. Mathematics 4.0 is also an impressive learning tool for individual independent exploration and for completing assigned work. This is a program that can be used by learners in the classroom and at home.

Pictured below are the two main user interfaces of the program. I find it noteworthy that handwriting can be entered when the program is open on a tablet computer.

Qwiki — Experiencing Information in Multiple Formats

Paul Hamilton — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 01:02:00 +0000

A fundamental tenet of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is that information must be available to learners in multiple formats. Here’s a resource that presents information visually, with text, and auditorily by way of text to speech.

Qwiki‘s stated goal is to “…forever improve the way people experience information.“ Although Qwiki is still under development, I think they’re off to a great start! There is nothing unusual about Qwiki’s search box. It’s the multi-modal way in which search results are presented that is truly exceptional.

In response to a query, Qwiki presents a slide show of related images, along with text that is read aloud in a high quality voice by a text-to-speech engine. The slide show and scrolling text can be paused, and the source of an image is revealed by rolling the cursor over it.

When a ‘Qwiki’ ends, you are offered links to Qwikis about related subjects. There are also links to articles on the same topic in Wikipedia, Fotopedia, and Youtube, along with Google search results for the term.

Clicking on the ‘Contents’ tab of a Qwiki yields yet another way of accessing the information. The text of the article is displayed next to the related images. A convenient option for printing the article is available as well. Qwiki articles can be embedded elsewhere, or shared via Facebook or Twitter.

Check out the Qwiki of the Himalayas that I’ve embedded below.

UDL At A Glance

Paul Hamilton — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 21:01:23 +0000

The video embedded below is a fabulous free resource that will be invaluable if it contributes to significant positive change in the life of even one learner.

Every learner is uniquely gifted, and has his or her own unique set of learning needs. I’ve concluded that a one-size-fits-all approach to learning has done more harm than good in the lives of countless children who have been subjected to it. I never have to look far to find heart wrenching evidence of this reality–individuals who have “learned” in school that they are incompetent failures.

There are no magic bullets, and our model for schooling is inherently flawed; but the situation is far from hopeless. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) offers both a research-based theoretical framework and a practical approach that can go a long way toward meeting the unique needs of the individual learners in our classrooms.

The video below offers an excellent introductory overview of UDL. Following the link above will take you deeper. If you are not familiar with UDL, please take a serious look.

Celebrating Diversity

Paul Hamilton — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:21:26 +0000

Last week I co-taught a course on assistive technology to 43 teachers. Packing a full-semester course into 5 days made for an intense but rewarding experience. We introduced Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as the pedagogical framework for understanding and implementing assistive technology. Then, using Ira Socol’s “toolbelt theory“, we encouraged the teachers to think in terms of helping to equip all learners with a “toolbelt” of digital tools to serve as effective life solutions. Class members were impressed by the range of free tools that are readily available to anyone.

I want to share a video put together by one of the teachers who was enrolled in our course. Myriah relates her personal journey in overcoming some of her learning challenges. I find the arrogant ignorance of some of Myriah’s college teachers appalling. How do you respond?

Celebrating Diversity from myriahmichaux on Vimeo.

Navify for Multiple Means of Representation

Paul Hamilton — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 23:49:22 +0000

Multiple means of engagement and multiple means of representation are essential if there is any chance of connecting with all learners, or of meeting the diverse learning needs in any given classroom. With the rapid proliferation of digital resources, there is less excuse every day for educators who do not encourage learners to use resources and tools that work for them.

It is paramount that teachers recognize and remember that most of their students do not learn in the same ways that they themselves learn. Simply trying harder doesn’t work if you learn differently!

I’m especially pleased when I discover new resources that put multiple means of representation together in one place! Here’s one that gathers text, images, and videos into one place. Of course, you can add an audio version of the text as well, with one of many readily available text-to-speech options.

Navify is a service that combines Wikipedia articles with related videos from Youtube and online images. So, when a topic is entered into the search bar, it brings up the pertinent Wikipedia article along with videos and images on the same subject. With the multiple means of representation offered, there is a far greater chance of engaging a wider range of learners.

The first screen shot below shows the Wikipedia article that opens when ‘tiger’ is typed into the search box. You can see the tabs above the article for Images and Videos. The second screen shot shows what appears when the Images tab is clicked, and the third shows the videos.

It should be noted that it is up to users to select the images and videos that are associated with an article. For all of the search terms I entered, I was offered an extensive collection of images and videos to choose from. Since Navify is a relatively new service, there were relatively few videos associated with any of the topics I searched.

Two other features of Navify are also worth mentioning. The first is that users have the opportunity to comment on topics. Secondly, related topics are suggested with search results.

KidsNumbers.com (online resource)

Paul Hamilton — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 14:33:50 +0000

In a world more ideal than the one we have, the emerging principles of universal design for learning would guide curriculum and determine the range of learning tools available to all learners. In an ideal world, I don’t believe that children would be grouped by age for learning purposes. It’s obvious that children of the same age vary greatly in terms of aptitude, learning style, learning needs and learning “readiness”.

Teachers who adopt a UDL approach in classrooms where children are grouped arbitrarily by age, need resources that meet diverse learning needs. That’s why I’m encouraged by a math resource shared by Richard Byrne.

KidsNumbers.com is from the Kids Know It Network. The developers of KidsNumbers certainly have the right idea.

KidsNumbers.com is the absolutely free math resource designed by teachers, specifically for students and children of all ages. A place where students can practice all aspects of math, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, in a fun and pressure free way.

KidsNumbers isn’t the answer for everyone; but it does offer a systematic approach to learning and re-enforcing fundamental math concepts and skills. This approach will be helpful for some learners. There are activities, games, and even worksheets that can be printed and completed with a pencil.

This is a great example of the kind of resource that I believe teachers need to have available to help meet the range of learning needs in their classrooms.

Kerpoof (Online Resource)

Paul Hamilton — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 04:53:22 +0000

I’ve been aware of this terrific resource for a couple of years, but I’ve never written about it here. I’ve held off because it is not 100% free. There is more than enough that is free, however, to make it well worth sharing. In the language of Universal Design for Learning, this engaging resource facilitates multiple options for learners to express themselves.

Kerpoof offers children between the ages of 4 and 14 endless opportunity for creative expression in a variety of formats. Kerpoof is an online multimedia “studio” that facilitates drawing, story writing, creation of animated movies, and card making.

Tutorials are available for getting started with using Kerpoof to make pictures and movies. An extensive library of scenes and objects is available for use in stories, pictures, and movies. User interfaces in Kerpoof Studio are intuitive and easy to use, as illustrated below in the screen shot of the drawing palette.

With paid Kerpoof memberships there are additional features–more objects for use in Kerpoof projects, chat, group galleries, buddy drawing, etc. Some of the features available with memberships are also available on free teacher accounts. Teacher accounts include administrative tools that support use of Kerpoof with an entire class. Helpful classroom ideas and lesson plans are also provided on the Kerpoof site.

Supporting Every Learner in the Classroom

Paul Hamilton — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 15:06:53 +0000

Recently, work has kept me away from my Google Reader, so this weekend I’m catching up with the blogs I subscribe to. I’ve just read something that I wish every educator and parent of school age children would read. So, even if you read no further in this post, please go directly to The Perfect Storm by Lisa Parisi and read what she has to say.

Lisa has summarized very well much of what I have come to believe about effective education. Lisa and her teaching partner Christine Southard approach learning in a way that facilitates success by every learner in the classroom, no matter what an individual class member’s learning needs may be.

In a more recent post, Lisa says something else that I’ve come to believe: “…every child has special needs.” So, in Lisa and Christine’s classroom, supports and tools are made available to all learners. This is key; and it accomplishes two important objectives. First, learners who require tools feel less centered out when other classmates are using the same tools. Secondly, and of even more significance, this encourages children to take ownership of their learning. Learners have the opportunity to try learning support tools and then adopt them if they find them helpful.

Lisa and Christine intentionally encourage learners to take ownership of their learning in other ways as well. When an individual takes ownership for his/or her learning, it can only result in increased engagement and much greater success. Almost all teachers would like to see more engaged and successful learners in their classrooms, but for too many this remains an unattainable ideal because too many learning needs are not even being addressed.

Please read what Lisa has to say about UDL (universal design for learning) PBL (project based learning) and about providing supports that enable ALL learners in a classroom to be successful.

Leveling the Playing Field with Free Digital Resources

Paul Hamilton — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 13:56:12 +0000

I hope that anyone who reads this blog regularly knows that I am a passionate proponent of universal access and of universal design for learning. EVERYONE deserves the opportunity to learn, regardless of learning style, and no matter what learning challenges are experienced–including physical “disabilities” and learning “disabilities”. Fortunately, assistive technology exists today that can help make learning truly accessible and possible for ALL.

Many fine commercial products are available on the market to help learners overcome barriers that have too often been insurmountable in the past. These products are wonderful for people who can afford them. Unfortunately, lack of money is an additional barrier that is often faced by individuals with learning challenges. This sad reality is one of my prime motivators in writing this blog.

Free tools and solutions that are readily available on the internet have tremendous potential to help overcome the additional barrier of material poverty that prevents learning and restricts basic access to learning. Today is Blog Action Day 2008 where the focus is on poverty. Please join me in spreading the word about free learning tools that can help individuals succeed as learners and potentially escape the cycle of poverty.

Simple English Wikipedia (Online Resource)

Paul Hamilton — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 14:02:54 +0000

You would have to have had your head in the sand for a long time not to at least be aware of Wikipedia, an amazing online reference resource that is used every day by countless learners and teachers around the world. You may not be aware that there is an alternate version of Wikipedia that is more accessible in terms of language and grammar.

“Simple English Wikipedia is for everyone!” This bold declaration is contained in the opening paragraph on the home page. In other words, the Simple English Wikipedia is by design a resource that facilitates universal access and supports a UDL (Universal Design for Learning) approach in the classroom. Writers have been encouraged to “use easy words and shorter sentences”. In my experience, there are learners in classrooms at all levels who benefit from this approach.

Simple English Wikipedia is part of the Wikimedia Foundation. In appearance and layout, Simple English Wikipedia is exactly the same as Wikipedia. Simple English Wikipedia currently contains 36,599 articles. We are all invited, of course, to contribute new articles or to edit existing ones. I see great potential here for teachers who are looking for meaningful and motivating projects.