VIRTUAL PENCIL, INTERACTIVE
ARITHMETIC SOFTWARE FOR PENCIL-IMPAIRED STUDENTS
Presenter
# 1
Jim Watson
Henter Math, LLC
(888) 533—6284 — Toll Free
(727) 302—9422 — Fax
Email: jim@hentermath.com
Virtual
Pencil is assistive software for students that are pencil impaired. It displays
arithmetic visually and audibly, while the user interacts with the problem,
going through each step, working towards a solution. Help messages and tutoring
information are also available.
The traditional pencil is a problem for people that are blind, or people that
can’t grip it or move it, or those that are learning disabled. A pencil plays a
key part in learning Math, and other equation-solving disciplines. Typically a student
uses a pencil to ‘work through” a math problem, writing down the intermediate
answers and using them to get the
final answer. But if you can’t operate a pencil then you can’t write
down the intermediate answers, which makes it very difficult to use them in
acquiring the final answer, and does not leave anything on the paper to show
that you actually worked through the problem and you know how to solve it. Of
course, if you are blind, the pencil doesn’t tell you what numbers to add
together either.
Virtual
Pencil is computer software that is used to interactively solve math problems. t is designed for those who are pencil impaired: unable to
operate a pencil effectively. This is not a tutorial, although tutorial mode is
part of the package. Think of it as a virtual pencil, a tool that can be used
to solve a math problem. It moves to the right spot on the “paper”, guided by
the user, and inputs the answers that the user selects. When used with a screen
reader the numbers and actions are read out loud, or displayed in Braille.
The
math problem is displayed on the screen, one number above the other with digits
lined up in vertical columns. The Tutor tells the student where he is in the
problem, what steps need to be done to solve it, and will even do the
navigating and provide the answer. In test mode the student does not have the
help provided by the tutor; extended tutor or next step features. He or she
must know how to navigate around the problem, where to read the digitals in the
intermediate steps, and where to put the answers. Just like using a pencil.
Teachers
can create on assignment , password protect it, and then send it to the student
via email, save it to a diskette, save it to the hard drive, or print it or
emboss it. When emailing it or saving it, the password will stay with the
assignment file wherever it goes. This is designed to prevent students from
switching from test mode to tutor mode, so the test results will be valid. When
an assignment or test is created in Virtual Pencil, the same file can be
printed—out for the able—bodied students in the class, saving the teacher a lot
of time.
There
are many options to change the look and behavior of Virtual Pencil, like the
font size and color, the amount of information displayed or spoken, sound
effects, hot keys, and message strings.
The current product handles addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division
with hecimals and fractions.
For more information on Virtual Pencil please visit our website at www.VirtualPencil.com or call us at 888) 533—6284.
Go to previous article
Go to next article
Return to 2006 Table of Contents