Classroom Suite 4

Tonight I spent some time playing around with Classroom Suite 4 from Intellitools. 

I was able to create a “wh” activity and upload it to the Activities Exchange,   http://aex.intellitools.com/.   The process was remarkably easy!  Overall it took about 30 minutes.  Most of which was spent trying to find the best icon to support the word choices that were being given.  I was surprised to see that when I uploaded the file there was not a separate area for keywords.   I did write a brief description and included keywords there but I’m not sure if others do the same thing.  This is a sharing group that has some potential to become something that I would upload to on a regular basis because of its ease and simplicity in the ability to upload. 

Another plus to this product would be the ability to have a staff member make-up an activity.   Unlike some of the other software products I have tried to use, I feel that I could properly train my staff to create the basics so that I could go in and tweak the activities to suit them to exactly what I need.  

I am very excited to see if the student’s interact with the software the way I anticipate.  These are “work” activities and the student is rewarded with a gold star and tone when the answer is correct.  No grand visual display; without the pomp and circumstance for each correct answer, CS4 is much less distracting to both the student doing the work as well as the other students in the classroom. 

I am looking forward to creating other activities that not only assist with “wh” IEP goal, but also focus on comprehension goals and math goals.

Sharing Sites

On the suggestion of a colleague, I thought I would check out Classroom Suite 4 from Intellitools.  I have heard about this software and had seen it as supporting file on the Unique Learning System dashboard.  Because ULS also offered the file as a PowerPoint I never paid much attention to the CS4 version. 

While waiting for the Classroom Suite 4 software trial to load I decided to take some time and look around some different sharing sites that are out there for special education teachers.  

I checked out Boardmaker Share at http://www.boardmakershare.com/ .   I signed in and did a search for ULS grade level 6-8.  My search returned 7 files uploaded, most recently uploaded 10/25/2009.   I tried to adjust my search to unique and came up with 29 files, some referring to Unique Learning Curriculum, some not.  Because I did not have my Boardmaker CD at home I could not open the files, but a few of the previews looked like activities that could be adapted for upcoming units in the Unique Learning Curriculum.

I also have a subscription to Pogo Boards. www.pogoboards.com When I searched ULS one file came up, which was one that I uploaded with support icons for Unit 18.  A few more files came up when I searched for Unique, some were files that I had uploaded but others were files that others had created, I could not exactly place the Unit that the files corresponded with.

It would be nice if N2Y would have a sharing site where users of their curriculum could sign in and share resources that they have created.  

At this point I am still waiting for CS4 to finish downloading and unzipping.   I started checking out Classroom Suite’s Activity Exchange.  http://aex.intellitools.com/  When I searched ULS I came up with 6 activities.  None were listed to accompany the middle school lesson.  When I searched Unique I got back 35 hits.  None of the files were for the middle school level but the ideas gleaned from the files I did look at look like they might have potential to work for my students.   I will have to make use of this 30 day trial to see if I can create activities to support the free summer curriculum from Unique Learning. http://unique.n2y.com/

        I then signed back into ULS and my dashboard, and attempted to open the CS4 file under the supporting files.  I eventually was able to open the file.  When looking at it from the perspective of a teacher who works with students with limited reach, I would prefer to have the controls that are at the top of the page at the bottom.  I would think that my students would become frustrated when trying to press the buttons and instead they activate the words on the screen.  I will have to try this out when I start summer school and begin to work with the TAP·it®.   Until then I will be creating activities and playing with the CS4 software, to see if it is something my students can use to help them reach their full potential. 

New Technology

I found out recently that I will be receiving a new piece of technology for my middle school classroom of students with multiple special needs.   I am excited that I will be receiving a TAP·it® interactive board to use with my students (http://www.teachsmart.org/tapit/index.html).   I have had a SMART board in my classroom for over a year and have found it to have many disadvantages for students with physical and cognitive challenges.


The disadvantages of the SMART board for my students were:

• Horizontal work surface
• Too large of a screen and students could not reach the top section
• Single touch at a time
• projector behind student creating shadow
• inability to move board and projector because of cords on floor being a tripping hazard for students that ambulate

I am hopeful that the TAP·it alleviates all these issues so that the students can have the opportunity to interact with the board at any angle that works for them. 


I use the Unique Learning Curriculum available from N2Y, http://unique.n2y.com/, I use the middle school level and will be posting extension activities as well as how I have adapted the lessons to be used with the TAP·it. 


Although the TAP·it, uses SMART notebook software, I will be using other software that I have available, mainly PowerPoint and Boardmaker Interactive.  But I also plan on using Jigsaw Maker, ChooseIt and SwitchIt.


Join me on the journey to tap into unique opportunities for student with multiple special needs.