Switch Access

With this access method, you can select cells in Wordbars with switches.

 

When using one switch, the scan moves between items automatically. When using two switches, the second switch moves the scan.

 

During use, a Switch Access button appears in the top-right hand corner. This provides a quick way for the teacher to pause scanning temporarily. Use the mouse to click the button. Click again to resume scanning.

 

To enable switch access, click  in the Options ribbon tab and open the Access Method tab. Click the Special Access box and choose One Switch or Two Switches:

 

• Scan Grid Tools - include the Grid Tools in the scan.

Timings

These settings only work with the Crick Switch Box (except Auto Scanning Time):

 

• Auto Scanning Time (One Switch only) - the time the scan will linger on an item before moving to the next. If more time is needed to make choices, increase this to slow the scan.
• Hold Duration - the time a switch must be held down for the press to be detected. To reduce accidental presses, increase this sos that only deliberate presses are detected.
• Ignore Repeat - this time in which subsequent presses are ignored. If a switch is being juddered while attempting to press it, increase this so that presses occurring too soon after the first are ignored.

Exit Group

 

• Pause at end of group (press switch during pause to exit) - pause after the last group item is scanned, so you can exit the group.
• Exit group after it's been scanned - automatically exit groups after X iterations.

Start Scanning (One Switch Only)

 

This defines when scanning starts in a grid/page when it opens:

 

• Start scanning immediately - scanning starts automatically.
• Start scanning after - the scan lingers on the first item for X seconds.
• Press switch to start scanning - scanning doesn't start until a switch is pressed.

Scan Type

To show when a cell is highlighted:

 

• Highlight the background of the cell - the cell's background becomes your chosen color.
• Draw a line around the cell - outline the cell in the chosen color and thickness.
• Enlarge the cell - enlarge the cell by the chosen amount.
• Don't draw a line or enlarge the cell - don't outline or enlarge the cell.
• Highlight Color - Choose the color of the highlight.

Sound

Scan and Select Sounds

 

When an item or group is highlighted:

 

• Make a sound - play a short beep.
• Play the right-button sound of a cell (auditory scan) - play the highlighted cell's right-click sound (which usually speaks its contents).

When an item or group is selected:

 

• Make a sound - play a short beep.

Other Sounds

 

Make a sound:

 

• As soon as a switch is pressed (If an acceptance delay is used, this may be before the switch is accepted) - beep on each switch press.
• After all the items in a group have been highlighted - beep after you've scanned through a group.
• When the item to exit a group is highlighted - beep when scanning the last item in a group.
• When exiting a group - beep when exiting a group.

Switches

These setting only work with the Crick Switch Box.

 

Switch X

 

• Action - choose what the switch does.
• Auto-repeat when switch X is held down - repeats a switch press after the configured Auto-repeat time.

Auto-repeat Delay

 

• Auto-repeat time - how long before a held down switch repeats a press.

This only affects switches that have the Auto-repeat option enabled.

 

Switch Shortcuts

 

To use DocsPlus with a third-party switch interface, configure it to use these keyboard keys:

 

• F7 - select
• F8 - move
• Esc - exit scan group