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Evaluations
Clicker 4 Publisher: Crick Software Age group: 8-16 years Year published: 2003 Curriculum: Cross Curricular, Literacy Recommended Price: ¤164 euro single user copy ¤27 euro per additional licence.Licence: Single user, Multiple users, Network licence Format: CD-ROM System: PC, Mac Min spec to run: PC Mac SUMMARY Clicker 4 has a unique combination of ‘Clicker Writer’ and ‘Clicker Grids’ available to the user. Clicker Writer is the word processing part of the software that can be viewed in conjunction with clicker grids or by itself. Clicker grids appear at the bottom half of the screen. The grids are divided up into cells containing text or pictures. By clicking into a cell words and pictures can be inputted. This word or phrase then transfers automatically up into Clicker Writer. The insertion of a full stop results in the word or phrase being read aloud to the student. There is a wide selection of grids covering a range of cross-curricular topics available within Clicker and hundreds of additional grids available on the http://www.learninggrids.com website as well as on CGfL Clicker Grids CD-ROMs. This title is ideally suited to students who require support for literacy. Individual learning programmes can be set up by the teacher as the software allows the teacher to input content for the grid or the student can enter their own content. Clicker 4 is compatible with switch devices and has a range of settings that make it accessible to special needs pupils.
Clicker 4 is a talking word processor primarily designed to develop literacy skills. Clicker 4 is also a very useful cross-curricular tool. While it appears to be more commonly used at primary level in Ireland it can be successfully used with individuals or small class groups at post primary level particularly with pupils with special educational needs. I evaluated Clicker with a ‘special’ class at first year post primary level as part of the Laptops Initiative for students with dyslexia or other reading/writing difficulties.
