Hurrah! At last Mayer-Johnson UK and LTS have got their act together and brought out a cheap deal on BoardMaker for Scotland.

Boardmaker Plus Resources for Macintosh and Windows (2010) Boardmaker is a graphics database library containing over 3,000 Picture Communication Symbols. Users can make Boardmaker materials quickly and efficiently and can also import digital pictures into Boardmaker libraries. Enjoy the flexibility to access Boardmaker on Windows, Mac and Chromebook laptop and desktop computers. Import and edit your favorite material from older versions of Boardmaker software. A mood board is, by its very nature, a personal collection of thoughts and concepts. Adobe Spark provides you with a range of customization options to ensure that you can create something that truly reflects your thoughts and ideas. Support learning, communication and behavioural needs in the classroom, therapy room, clinic or home. Access easy-to-print materials for learners of all ages. Enjoy an intuitive interface with built-in editing, templates and advanced search. Import saved material from older Boardmaker versions. Compatible with Windows, Mac and Chromebook. Boardmaker is a complete special education platform that supports education, communication, access and social/emotional needs of more than six million students in 51 countries. At home, at school, or in a clinical practice, Boardmaker drives your student’s success.

CALL has been pushing for this. BoardMaker purchasing information has been pretty muddled lately, so the new clarity is welcome, as well as the discount.

Boardmaker Australia Mac

The offer is only for the latest version, BoardMaker Plus! V6, which is the ordinary print-based BoardMaker 6 plus some new interactive features (see below). In case you are unclear - here's a few basic questions and answers.

I've got BoardMaker 5 - why might I want V6?

Lots of nice features such as 'Swap Button', easier photo importing, easier resizing, and the magical 'symbolate as you type' tool.

Why can't I just upgrade my print-only BoardMaker?

A marketing decison by Mayer-Johnson, it seems. The old paper only version looks set to fade away quietly. (You MAY still be able to get it through third party suppliers, for now.)

I don't want to pay for extra features I'll never use!

I know, it's really annoying! But this LTS deal may take some of the pain out of it. And you never know, you may change your mind later and see a use for the new interactive possibilities of BoardMaker Plus!

I've got BoardMaker 6 - why might I want the Plus! version?

Well, it's not necessary IF all you ever want to do is make print-based symbol materials. But the Plus! version is also interactive - it talks, kids can use it themselves - drag and drop and switch access - brilliant on interactive whitboards or large plasma screen - you could make symbol quizzes, language activities, on screen work sheets, homework exercises etc. - could be just the very 'next step you were waiting for, for your pupils...

I'm new to all this. Why might I want to buy BoardMaker Plus! at all?

Well it is a really valuable tool to help you make the educational environment visual and supportive, useful for ALL pupils actually, but especially early years, additional support needs, those with language or literacy difficulties. It's not the only tool - (CALL is not wanting to 'advertise' as such or to promote one symbol software above all others, but we do believe almost everyone can benefit from using symbols more, and BoardMaker is a tried and tested old warhorse). There's a good overview and comparison (and free trial) on the Mayer-Johnson website Also there are more and more free downloadable resources coming out all the time through the Adapted Learning website - a bit like the Clicker Learning Grids (only in symbols)

I like the sound of the free downloadable resources. Are they only for the Plus! version?

No, they are mixed. Many are for V6 print version but these will also play in V5. I suppose in time more of them will become more Plus! oriented

I've got an ancient Mac version - does the upgrade apply to me?

Yes, to ANY/ ALL old versions - but you'll get a PC version V6, there is no Mac BoardMaker Plus! (If I were you and I still use Mac, I'd keep my old Mac BoardMaker that will run in any machine without the CD in the drive AND buy the new PC one at the discounted price)

I hate upgrades! I love my old BoardMaker because it is so simple! Will the new version look all different and complicated?

No actually, it looks and behaves pretty much exactly the same as the older version, it's just got the new features added in. You don't see the new interactive features unless you double click and go looking for them.

What is the BoardMaker Plus! Player?

It means you can set a symbol exercise and get a pupil to complete it on ANY computer, without needing the BoardMaker Plus! CD in the drive. Interesting possibilities here for homework perhaps

What are the Symbol Addenda and why would I want them?

This is a one CD pack of ALL the new PCS symbols that have come out since 2000. (There were 5 editions - 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008). Everyone is always muddled about which symbols they did or didn't buy - whether they installed them - how to tell which Addenda are or aren't installed and so on. It's confusing to see symbols in some materials that you then can't 'find' in your BoardMaker. The Addenda are where many of the symbols particularly useful for autism materials are. So frankly I'd advise everyone to get this pack unless you are 100% certain that you already bought and installed all of those Addenda at the time (and still have the CDs...) Ensuring that ALL classes / schools have the same full set of Symbol Addenda is a valuable step forward in preparing to make your school or authority Communication Friendly. The symbol Addenda will work with all versions, including older ones.

I use BoardMaker with my communication impaired clients, but I'm not in a school - can I buy at the LTS discounted rate?

As far as I know, yes, if you are in Scotland.

Boardmaker Online Mac

For further information about the LTS deal, available from 22nd February 2010, see software pages on LTS website or call Jonathan Cairney (Commercial Licensing Manager) on 0141 282 5000.

STOCKHOLM, Nov. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Tobii Dynavox,the global leader in assistive technology for communication, todayannounced the new generation of its special education platformBoardmaker. Boardmaker provides a fully inclusive educationenvironment for parents, special education teachers and schools tomillions of students around the world.

Boardmaker has been the world's leading software for specialeducation for the past 30 years and currently supports education,communication, and access needs for more than six million studentsin 51 countries. Hundreds of thousands of teachers rely onBoardmaker's learning resources and have used it to develop morethan a million education activities which all can be shared andaccessed through the platform and its associated online usercommunity.

In Boardmaker 7, features from previous generations have beencombined in a new software that runs on Windows, Mac andChromebooks in 14 languages. The software interacts seamlessly withBoardmaker's online features, student management platform and thelarge online sharing community. It can be used by students viatraditional computer interfaces, via touch screens, eye gaze andseveral other access options, making Boardmaker the most accessibleplatform on the market. Boardmaker 7 includes a modern andstreamlined user interface allowing users to easily create anddeliver print or interactive curriculum and communicationsupport.

'Over many years, we have made large investments based on thelatest technology and customer feedback to build Boardmaker 7. Weare convinced this will make a big difference for teachers andstudents on their educational journey. Boardmaker 7 allows everystudent to succeed at their own pace with communication andliteracy at the heart of it all,' said Fredrik Ruben, Division CEO of TobiiDynavox.

Boardmaker 7 includes Tobii Dynavox Picture CommunicationSymbols (PCS), the largest symbol library available with over45,000 individual picture symbols adapted for children, adults,individuals with vision impairments and those with Aphasia. The PCSsymbols are translated into 44 languages and used to create andpersonalize communication and education activities. These symbolshave also recently been introduced in Google's Action Blocks forAndroid and in several of Microsoft's Office products.

Over the past years, Tobii Dynavox has successfully transitionedBoardmaker to a Software as a Service (SaaS) offering with stronguser growth and excellent user retention. With the launch ofBoardmaker 7, this business is well positioned for continuedlong-term growth, with a large portion of subscription-basedsales.

For more information, visit:https://www.tobiidynavox.com/software/windows-software/boardmaker-7/

Contact:

Lina Perdius, Corporate Communications Manager, Tobii AB, phone: +46 (0)70 018 78 75, email:lina.perdius@tobii.com

Henrik Mawby, Investor Relations,Tobii AB, phone: +46 (0) 72 219 82 15,email: henrik.mawby@tobii.com

This information was brought to you by Cisionhttp://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/tobii-ab/r/tobii-dynavox-launches-boardmaker-7---the-new-platform-for-special-education,c3238562

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/2874/3238562/1336268.pdf	Tobii Dynavoxlaunches Boardmaker 7 - 17Nov2020
https://news.cision.com/tobii-ab/i/boardmaker-7,c2851155	Boardmaker7

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SOURCE Tobii AB