Doorway Online

Free accessible educational activities that learners will find easy to use independently.

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News

Doorway Activities in a multi-platform environment

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Doorway Activities have been developed in Flash. This is a very suitable medium for creating these learning activities. However since the original development work was done, Flash has become less popular. The first blow was that Flash was not allowed on the iPad.

There is a solution to this in the form of Puffin Browser. You can download it at www.puffinbrowser.compuffin_browser

Accessing Doorway Online using Puffin Browser on your iOS device or Android device (tablet or phone) should allow you to use the activities on this site without difficulty. This works in most homes. However, there may be restrictions on school networks that prevent this working. We are looking for solutions.

The best solution would be a new version of each activity on the site. We’ve made a start. Take a look at Doorway Cashing In.

cashing_in_newThis has been totally re-written in HTML5 and JavaScript. We had to save up the funds to cover this development. Our next conversion is Text Type, the touch typing activity that is widely used by visually impaired learners, as well as general learners. Touch Type will be a complete re-write with new features for VI learners. We are seeking funding for this and future conversions, and you can help by donating, or perhaps having a fund-raiser in your school.

Doorway Text Type 2 and Microsoft Browsers – Important information – Use Chrome.

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Important. Please share this information

Please can you share this information around. It’s very important.

A recent upgrade to Windows 10 has made Doorway Text Type 2 unusable in either of the Microsoft Browsers. Internet Explorer or Edge.

Text Type 2 is our widely used touch typing tutor with features aimed at learners with visual impairment, large clear text, choice of colour schemes and speech feedback.
It’s available here: www.doorwayonline.org.uk

It is widely used in homes and schools in the UK and beyond.
The current solution is to download and install Chrome Browser from Google. Just search for Download Chrome, download and follow the instructions.

We have been planning a replacement for Text Type 2, to be developed in Html5 and Javascript. This will solve all the problems as the Microsoft browsers are blocking the use of the keyboard in a Flash activity.

We are working hard on a new version, but we cannot rush just because of the changes made by Microsoft. So please bear with us and use Chrome browser in the meantime. Please donate via the link on the Doorway Online site to help us with the large costs of development.
For more information please contact – [email protected]

Doorway Online – A Teacher’s Toolbox for Assessment and Learning

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This is a summary of the presentation to be given at CALL Scotland ASL & Technology Conference 14th June 2017.

Our Principles – Accessibility, Availability, Inclusiveness

Our Range – The Doorway Online Suite offers a range of activities covering aspects of:

  • Early Literacy and Spelling
  • Number up to 100 from counting up to pre-tables work and addition with carrying and subtraction with decomposition
  • Practical approaches to time and money
  • Typing Skills for visually impaired and single handed users
  • Early Skills, Memory, Matching and Targeting

Assessment and Learning – Most of our activities have two modes, or different sub activities, that are for either learning or assessment

The Talking Computer Materials – These materials were developed by Philip Whittaker during his career as ICT support teacher for AN. They take advantage of the talking computer facility that is now implemented widely (Clicker, Textease, Wordtalk). He’ll be using Clicker to demonstrate use of these materials to develop literacy by using overlearning of phonic patterns in an enjoyable way. There is some humour!

Note – Doorway Activities work with most browsers on most desktop computers. However because of restriction on Flash there may be difficulties on school networks that need to be fixed by consulting with the network admin. The activities work with Puffin Browser on iPads and Android devices.
An installation CD for Windows can be licensed, which avoids the use of an internet connection, and any restrictions on Flash.

The Doorway Talking Computer Materials (aka Bordertalk) and Talking Tasks

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CALL Scotland ASL & Technology Conference – Edinburgh – 14 June 2017

Doorway Online will be represented at this conference again this year. The presentation will include these materials which have been added to the site:

The Doorway Talking Computer Materials (formerly Bordertalk)
Talking Tasks

These materials were developed while Philip Whittaker worked as an Support Teacher for pupils with Additional Support Needs. They require the use of a talking Word Processor; Textease, Clicker, MS Word with Wordtalk installed.

Doorway Letter Formation

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Pupil at the IWB using Letter Formation

Doorway Letter Formation models, tirelessly, correct letter formation.
Handwriting is a fine motor skill, and like gross motor skills once learnt it is not forgotten. That’s the good news, but also incorrect letter formation is very hard to unlearn. It really is best to get it right from the start.

Doorway Letter Formation can be a help, whether tracing on a tablet (requires Puffin Browser), or on an interactive whiteboard, or just tracing in the air. It’s the correct formation and direction of the slopes that matter.

Thanks to St Andrews Nursery for the photo.

Internet Explorer Issues Resolved

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We are aware that some users with Internet Explorer version 10 have been experiencing difficulty accessing the Doorway activities over the last couple of weeks. This issue should be fixed now. If you are still having problems you may need to clear your temporary internet file cache and reload the page. Thanks to all our users who helped solve this problem. We are sorry for any inconvenience caused.

Many thanks to these bodies for grants of funding

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The Logos of Donors supporting Doorway Online
The costs of development of the activities have been shared by; Scottish Borders Council, The RS Macdonald Trust, the Agnes Hunter Trust, Charity Begins at Home (Kelso), The Robertson Trust, The Scottish Sensory Centre.

The web-hosting is funded by a grant from CALL Scotland, Edinburgh University.

New Doorway Online Website

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It’s finally happened! Our new website has gone live. After six years with the excellent Sojomedia of Yetholm donating our webhosting, our new web sponsors are CALL Scotland. Thanks to everyone at CALL, the Scottish centre of excellence for everything to do with ICT Support for Learners with a wide variety of needs.

Our website address has not changed and all your favourite activities are there in the same categories. Enjoy the new look of our site which will be easier to update and maintain. Spread the word. Thanks. We need funding to keep the site going and to develop new activities as well as tablet compatible versions of existing ones.

You can help by donating here:

https://mydonate.bt.com/charities/doorwayonline

Welcome

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Doorway OnlineDoorway Online is a collection of free and highly accessible educational games that learners will find easy to use independently. Each activity has a range of accessibility and difficulty options. Originally developed with funding from Scottish Borders Council, it is now managed by the Doorway Accessible Software Trust, a Scottish charity.

Doorway Supermarket – Our Latest Activity

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Doorway Supermarket  is a simulation of shopping in  which the prices will keep up with inflation, matching the prices in supermarkets roughly. Here you see the Chilled Food shelf. There is also a General Groceries and a Fruit and Vegetable shelf, holding a total of 48 commonly purchased items.

Students have the option to try rounding the cost for each item, keeping a tally on the rough value of the basket.

Doorway Supermarket image 2 shelves

Students see their basket empty and the items move along the conveyor belt, while the cost of the items are rung up. This is more a bit of fun which adds to the impression of being at a supermarket.

Doorway Supermarket image 3 conveyor belt

The student pays for the basket of goods. They are expected to proffer a sensible amount. Change is given.

Doorway Supermarket image 4 payment

The student is shown a receipt, which can be printed out. As well as the usual information, you also see the results of the rounding (if this option has been selected). You can judge how well you did at rounding and estimating.

This activity has been designed in close consultation with staff at Howdenburn School House, Education Support Centre, Jedburgh. It fills an until-now unmet need for a software activity that closely simulates shopping. We are hoping to recruit a large number of schools and colleges, with students following National 2 courses, into a community of early users of Doorway Supermarket. Can you help spread the word?

This development has been supported by The Robertson Trust, The Agnes Hunter Trust and Charity Begins at Home, (Kelso)

.The Agnes Hunter Trust The Robertson Trust Logo Charity Begins at Home (Kelso)