CDs for all your needs At a 1994 conference dealing with the potential benefits of today's communications technologies, Newton N. Minow, Director of the Annenberg Washington Program, noted that: Civilization advances, someone once said, when what was perceived as misfortune is recognized as an injustice. For too long, American society has barred people with disabilities from countless domains of ordinary life -- schools, workplaces, theaters, libraries -- in a way that we have perceived only recently as unjust. Communications technology is giving us the opportunity to rectify this injustice. Innovations such as CD-ROMs, digitized books, voice-activated software, and on-line database systems will make the classroom truly inclusive. (Blanck, p.4) This publication deals with one specific technological innovation -- the CD-ROM. In case you haven't noticed, CDs aren't just for listening to music. For children and adults with disabilities, CD-ROM technology opens up a world of learning and leisure opportunities. What is CD-ROM technology? CD-ROM stands for Compact Disc - Read Only Memory. CD-ROM software programs integrate sounds, text, still or motion video, and animation into a multimedia presentation controlled by a computer. An audio CD disk and a CD-ROM disc containing a software program are identical in outer appearance; both are 4.72 inch laser discs. CD-ROMs have the capacity for large amounts of information. One CD-ROM stores the same amount of data as 270,000 pages of text or one hour of full-motion, full-screen, full-color video (Herther, 1989). Because a CD-ROM can store far more information than a conventional computer diskette, software developers are able to greatly increase the use of video motion, digitized sound and high-quality graphics. How do children with disabilities benefit from CD-ROM technology? For all youngsters, the educational CD-ROM software now available encourages learning by doing. Children interact with the computer and obtain immediate feedback. The multimedia approach, which includes digitized sounds and video segments, increases attention span and accommodates varied learning styles. As an instructional tool, CD-ROM technology motivates students while it enhances the curriculum. To help teachers and parents evaluate CDs for their students or children, companies such as New Media Schoolhouse, Don Johnston, and Educational Resources provide product guides (on CD-ROM) free or at a low cost. Club KidSoft, available by subscription, sends subscribers a CD-ROM full of activities and software demos each quarter. Children with disabilities can obtain the same benefits from CD-ROMs as their peers. The combination of auditory feedback and repetition helps compensate for specific learning disabilities. Many CDs do not require keyboard use; the child indicates a choice by moving a cursor to the desired area and clicking with the mouse. If a physical disability prevents mouse use, alternatives such as a trackball, Touch Window (Edmark), CrossScanner (R.J. Cooper), Click It (IntelliTools), or a keyboard emulating interface enable even single switch users to access CD-ROM software. Several developers of CD-ROMs for children have incorporated accessibility into their program design or even into the programs themselves. Vendors are also beginning to offer CD-ROMs directed specifically toward children with disabilities. From Hartley Software, Community Exploration teaches students about the different places in towns and cities. As learners explore locations such as the shopping mall or fire station, they can click on an object, see its label and hear the word pronounced. A new Macintosh version of Dr. Peet's Talk/Writer, a child-friendly word processing program, incorporates large text with voice output. Teachers and parents activate built-in options for students with visual and physical impairments through a special menu. WiggleWorks (an Apple Home Learning program by Scholastic) is a CD-ROM containing a library of books and related activities. Children can opt to have a book read aloud, read the book on their own, write their own version of the book, or use the magnet board to play with letters and words. Adults control the settings which customize the program for each child. Text can be highlighted and read, and the size of the cursor and text increased. Three scanning speeds and four scanning cycles simplify access for children who require an alternative to the standard mouse; an onscreen keyboard works with a single switch for writing activities. The Living Books series (Broderbund), a collection of electronic books, are designed for preschool and early elementary age children. Arthur's Teacher Trouble, a Mercer Mayer story, has universal appeal. Each page of the book contains several sentences of text which are read aloud and high-lighted, as well as a number of hotspots. Clicking on hidden hotspots begins animated sequences which delight and amaze. Turning pages is accomplished by a click on an arrow at the bottom of the screen. Each CD ships with the print version; English/Spanish and other languages co-exist on the same disk. Other exemplary titles from the same publisher include The New Kid on the Block, a collection of 18 poems presented in an interactive format, and Math Workshopª, a series of creative activities designed to reinforce math concepts and problem solving. Broderbund has an ongoing collaboration with the Foundation for Technology Access, an national organization working to redefine human potential by making technology accessible to individuals with disabilities. Alliance sites across the U.S. test Broderbund software for compatibility and usefulness with adaptive devices and technology. Results of the testing project appear in each Broderbund catalog. Written with built-in single switch scanning options, Edmark's award-winning CD-ROMs require only a switch interface for switch access. For children in early childhood classrooms, Millie's Math House reinforces fundamental math concepts. The lively character of Millie guides children through exploring math concepts in an independent play activity. In Question and Answer Mode, students respond to specific questions. No reading is required. Other titles in the series include Sammy's Science House, complete with a friendly snake named Sammy, and Bailey's Book House, which introduces early reading concepts. The Thinkin' Things series, directed toward elementary school students, is a collection of challenging activities which develop memory, observation, listening, and spatial skills. A Grow Slide automatically increases the teacher-set difficulty level as students succeed. An interactive storybook maker, Imagination Express (Edmark) allows students in Grades 1-6 to create printed masterpieces with amazing graphics, or talking electronic books full of text, narration in the child's own voice, and music. The optional CD-ROM theme packs contain illustrated backgrounds and "stickers" for destinations such as the neighborhood or the rainforest. Don Johnston, Incorporated, one of the few vendors with CDs specifically for students with disabilities, both develops and markets products. K.C. & Clyde in Fly Ball is an interactive adventure story program targeted towards students with learning disabilities. Through making choices, the students participate in the creation of a story. Four levels of interaction let teachers choose the story style and level of student involvement. Automatic word and book scanning options for students with disabilities are built-in. Workshop, the latest in a series of Jokusª single-switch software from AheadMedia A.B., offers seven different learning and discovery activities for single-switch users. Pippi Longstocking, the CD version of the story about the girl who can do anything she likes because she lives without any grown-ups, promotes early literacy skills. As children explore Pippi's home, they encounter hidden games, surprises, stories, and puzzles -- all accessible with single-switch. Students whose primary language is American Sign Language now have an alternate means of communicating with others. Developed at the Communication Technology Lab at Michigan State University, The Personal Communicator combines an American Sign Language video dictionary with voice output communication. The Macintosh program operates on a PowerBook or desktop computer. Why is CD-ROM technology useful to older students and adults with disabilities? For people with disabilities in general, this technology means efficient access to written material. Because one small CD-ROM can contain a set of encyclopedia or a collection of reference books, information published in printed book format can be made available on a CD- ROM. Problems of physical accessibility to reference books, whether they are in a library or on a bookshelf in home or school, disappear when an individual can independently access the identical information through his or her computer, with or without specialized assistive technology. Removing heavy books from a shelf, locating the index, and turning pages are replaced by the insertion of a CD into the drive and the click of a button, a switch press, or a voice command. At this time, a limited number of books are available on CD-ROM; however, because of production costs and durability, this may change in the future. A quick look though one catalog (CD-ROM Warehouse) offering includes the following: Encyclopedia of the J.F.K. Assignation (10,000 pages of original source evidence), Sherlock Holmes (complete works), World and U.S. Atlas, CD Sourcebook of American History, Multimedia Family Bible, Grolier Encyclopedia, Mammals: A Multimedia Encyclopedia, and the new Time Almanac 1995. Another catalog (CD-ROM Buyer's Guide) included: Greatest Books Collection (150 works), Shakespeare Study Guide, Great Poetry Classics, and the Computer Reference Library. The narration available on some CD programs, such as the American Heritage Talking Dictionary, which pronounces the listed words, supports both auditory learners and those for whom English is a second language. Individuals with severe visual disability can access CD- ROMs through screen readers and speech synthesizers. The CD-ROM Advantage for Blind Users from the National Braille Press provides basic information on CD-ROM technology and a listing of titles reported to be accessible through speech or braille output. How much does CD-ROM technology cost? CD-ROM software varies in cost depending on the potential market. If the software has general appeal to the education, home, or business market, the cost will be lower than specialized software designed for a small group of people. Doing some research before purchasing pays off. Reading current reviews and comparing prices will provide the best values. Although some CDs can be used with both Macintosh and IBM-compatible computers, most are platform specific. DOS CDs run on IBM-compatibles, but do not require Windows. They run from the DOS prompt (C:>). WIN CDs require Windows. MAC CDs run only on Apple Macintosh computers. To utilize a CD, you need a CD-ROM drive; the drive can be internal (built-in) or external. If you are buying a new computer, including the CD-ROM option adds little to the overall cost. Makers of multimedia computers may also include a number of CD-ROMs as part of the package. Adding a CD-ROM drive to an existing late model computer may cost anywhere from $149 (mail order "CD-ROM drive blowout!") to over $500 for an advanced, high-speed drive. Typical components to a CD-ROM system include an internal drive and interface card or an external drive and cable, along with a software driver which is installed on the computer's hard drive. Any computer to which a CD-ROM drive is added must also have the appropriate microprocessor and enough RAM to accommodate the CD-ROM software. What kind of computer do I need? To utilize today's CD-ROM technology, you need an IBM-compatible or a Macintosh computer with the following minimum specifications: IBM Compatible: 486 Processor (older CDs will run on a 386) VGA graphics (256 colors) 8 MB RAM 10 MB free hard disk space for each CD Double-speed CD-ROM drive Sound card Speakers Macintosh: Macintosh LC or higher 14Ó color display (256 colors) 8 MB RAM 10 MB free hard disk space per CD Double-speed CD-ROM drive Speakers Is CD-ROM technology difficult to use? Once the necessary hardware is present, individual CD-ROMs may still require the installation of additional files (provided on the CD) in order for the program to run properly. Although some programs run directly from the CD drive, others must be launched from the hard drive of your computer. This information is provided with the CD. It is important to pay attention to the publisher's hardware requirements before you purchase a CD; the technology is constantly changing. If your computer is not the most recent model, you may not be able to run brand new CDs until you upgrade your system or your CD-ROM software driver. Where can I call if I have more questions? For additional information about CD-ROM technology and individuals with disabilities, in Michigan, contact the Living and Learning Resource Centre (800/833-1996). If you are outside of Michigan, contact the Alliance for Technology Access (502/449-0645) for the location of the ATA site nearest you. RESOURCES Apple Computer, Inc., 1 Infinite Loop, Cupertino, CA 95014-6299 408/996-1010 Broderbund, P.O. Box 6125, Novato, CA 94948-6125 800/521-6263 CD-ROM Access, 27361 Moody Rd., Los Altos, CA 94022 800/959-5260 CD-ROM Buyer's Guide/Tiger Software, One Datran Center, Suite 1500, 9100 S. Dadeland Blvd., Miami, FL 33156 800/238-4437 CD-ROM Today, P.O. Box 5229, Pittsfield, MA 01203-9464 CD-ROM Warehouse, 1720 Oak St., Lakewood, NJ 08701 800/237-6623 Club KidSoft, 718 University Ave., Suite 112, Los Gatos, CA 95030-9958 800/354- 6150 Communication Technology Lab., 253 Communication Arts Building, Michigan State University, E. Lansing, MI 48824 517/353-5497 Edmark Corporation, P.O. Box 3218, Redmond, WA 98073-3218 206/556-8431 Educational Resources, 1550 Executive Dr., Elgin, IL 60123-9330 800/624- 2926 Hartley, 9920 Pacific Heights Blvd., Suite 500, San Diego, CA 92121 800/247-1380 IntelliTools, 55 Leveroni Court, Suite 9, Novato, CA 800/899-6687 National CD-ROM, 11005 Indian Trail, Suite 101-A, Dallas, TX 75220 800/237-6613 ML Productions, 692 South Second St., Carbondale, CO 81623 800/368-7289 Orange Cherry/New Media Schoolhouse, P.O. Box 390, 69 Westchester Ave., Pound Ridge, NY 10576 800/672-6002 R.J. Cooper and Associates, 24843 Del Prado, Suite 283, Dana Point, CA 92629 714/240-1921 or 800-RJ-COOPER Scholastic Inc., 2931 E. McCarty St., Jefferson City, MO 65101 800/325-6149 REFERENCES Blanck, P. (1994) The Annenberg Washington Program in Communications Policy Studies of Northwestern University. Communications Technology for Everyone: Implications for the Classroom and Beyond. Washington, D.C.: The Annenberg Washington Program. Joyce, M. (1992) CD-ROM: Books for the Information Age. The Independence. pp. 12-13. Croft, D., Kendrick, D., Gayzagian, A. The CD-ROM Advantage for Blind Users. Boston, Massachusetts: National Braille Press, Inc. 1994. Herther, N. A Data Base on Every Desk: The CD-ROM Solution. Information Center May, 1989, pp. 32-37. Eiser, L. (1993) Shopping for a CD-ROM Drive. Technology & Learning, pp. 40-46. Parham, C. (1993) CD-ROM Storybooks: New Ways to Enjoy Children's Literature. Technology & Learning, pp. 34-44. Donna Heiner, Ed.S. Living and Learning Resource Centre 600 W. Maple St. Lansing, MI 48906 517/487-0883 This publication is available in alternate formats. This document was produced in part through an IDEA State Initiated Grant awarded by the Michigan Board of Education to the Physically Impaired Association of Michigan. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the Michigan State Board of Education or the U.S. Department of Education, and no endorsement is inferred. This document is in the public domain and may be copied for further distribution when proper credit is given. For further information or inquiries about the Living and Learning Resource Centre, contact Michigan Department of Education, Office of Special Education, PO Box 30008, Lansing, MI 48909. (10/06/95)