Tutorial eight; Assistive technology

Tutorial Eight: Assistive technology

Provide a definition of Assistive technology (your Cook and Hussey reading may be helpful with this). Any item, piece of equipment or product system whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized that is used to increase or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities (Cook & Hussey, 2000).

Describe one piece of equipment introduced in the assistive technology tutorial. Provide information on size, cost and functions. Gooshy Switch This is a gel gooshy pad that is soft and sparkly. There are several options with this switch, you could have the switch only, vibration or vibration, music and light combined. This comes in several different colours and costs $69.09 for the switch only, $82.14 for the vibrating switch and $102.97 for the music, light and vibration.

How does your chosen piece of equipment increased functional capacity for the user? Provide examples here from the tutorial and lecture. It allows the user to control whatever it is plugged into, by using actions of the hand, forearm, head or some other body part. The action used needs to be repetitive but not cause fatigue. In the tutorial today we used these devices to turn on radios and use computer programmes and to use a blender.

Tutorial seven

Task One: Explain the step by step process required to embed You Tube videos into your Blog . Consider using screen captures to provide a visual representation of these steps. Log on to you tube. Search for the video you want using key words. Copy the link. Go to your blog, choose customise, add a page element, choose video bar and paste into this. Your video is now on your blog.

Task Two: Explain the step by step process required to embed a Flickr Badge into your Blog . Consider using screen captures to provide a visual representation of these steps. You first need to set up a flickr account, then you follow the steps to upload your photos. Once you have done this you can label and give descriptions for each photo and decide if you want them to be for public viewing or private. If they are public you can make a photo badge by going to the tools and selecting make a badge. Follow the prompts and choose the type of badge, content and colours. Now you copy the code given and go to your blog. Choose customise, add a page element, add html/javascript and paste into this. Your photo badge is now on your blog.

tutorial four and five

Task Four (Blog Posting): Provide a brief summary of the services offered by U Tube. Information can be drawn from the week five tutorial hand out. You tube is a web site where people can upload and share video clips, you can search and view almost anything. You tube is owned by google and often show the latest video clips on the igoogle homepage.

Task Five (Blog Posting): Provide a brief account (1-2 paragraphs) on how the use of planning (storyboarding and scripting aided your groups short film. When our group made our video clip titled “A typical day” we planned what scenes we wanted on a storyboard. The storyboard has a box for each clip, in each box we put a drawing and description of how we wanted the clip. We then went out and shot the clips. The benefits of using the storyboard is that we had planned what we wanted then it was a quick and easy process to go out and shoot the shots saving a lot of time.

I am sooo proud of myself

I managed to load my photos and make another photo badge all by myself. I know this sounds dumb but James had to help me with the first one.

Tutorial six online communities

Provide the web address and the name of the community you are investigating MountainBiking Otago www.mountainbikingotago.co.nz

What is the brief or focus of this community This site keeps members updated on upcoming events and all issues related to mountain biking in Dunedin. It advises the meeting place for weekly rides and provides reports of the previous weeks rides.

What services are provided? How interactive is this site? How can people contribute? This site has information on rides and tracks in and around Dunedin. A news archive, discussion forum, event guide, photo gallery and links to other related sites such as bike shops, other bike clubs, event registrations and sponsers. Members are invited to share information in the discussion forum, they may talk about a good ride or track they have been on, recommending others try it or ask for members to join them on other rides or events. After each weekly ride both the Saturday ride and Mondays Ladies night ride someone in the group is expected to put in a report, this goes into the forum section of the site. You have to be a member to take part in the discussion forum but anyone can access the site and gain the information about the rides and events.

Consider material presented during the lecture and make comment on why people choose to contribute to this community. What is it they are seeking? People who are passionate about mountain biking contribute to this site. They seek to communicate and maintain regular contact with people with similar interests.

Cut and paste an example of the type of topics being discussed (you may have to provide a context to your excerpt). Ride for 26 May - Martha Hi All, The following details are from Martha who is going to take this ride.... "Anyhow, the best one for me to do (if no-one else has already picked the spot – and I won’t be offended if they have!) would be Mon 26th May. This will be my last Mon night girls ride before I shift up to Napier so I would like to do Forrester Park and some of the easy Bethunes track such as the old new track, if the weather plays ball. I thought that we could meet at the Willowbank dairy 5.45pm. If the weather is awful ie raining then the ride is canceled (I can post on the website by 4pm Mon – if I’ve forgotten my password I’ll text Sara and ask you to do it!) If the Monday is fine but the preceding weekend has been wet then we can go up to the top of the motorway +/- Sullivan’s Dam or maybe even the whole W V loop, depending on who turns up." Cheers Sara on behalf of Martha The above is notice of the intended Ladies night ride. It gives all information including cancellation. People will read where the ride is and decide if they want to do it or not. I went on this ride, we ended up going up to Sullivan’s dam as Bethune’s was too wet.

Considering material presented during the course and make comment on the potential ethical issues that may arise in this community e.g. lack of identity and accountability. While anyone can read discussion forum, only members can contribute. To do this they need to have registered as a member and need to use their login to access the site. Some people use pen names or aliases to protect their identity, but many use first names only.

Consider material presented during the lecture and make comment on the benefits this community holds over traditional notions of community e.g. communities reliant on geographic proximity The benefits of using this site is the speed at which information can be shared by members and other interested parties. People can access information quickly no matter where they are and decide if they want to use the information without wasting time, money or energy.

Consider material presented during the lecture and make comment what this community lacks or can not provide which traditional communities can. The only other form of communication is word of mouth amongst its members and participants. Without online access information is extremely limited. There are no means for physical newsletters. The site is reliant on members contributing and maintaining it.

a typical day

this is a film we did in participation to show how to use video and movie editing programmes.

Tutorial Three

Blogger
A blog is a website that you can use like a personal diary, you can post your thoughts, messages or images such as photos or videos and others can view and comment on them. there are several different temmplates to help you design your blog just the way you like.