ChooseIt! Maker
by Gerry Kennedy
ChooseIt! Maker
For PC Compatibles running Windows 95/98 or NT
Note: New version ChooseIt! Maker 2 is now available.
ChooseIt! Maker is a new ‘choice making’ program from Inclusive Technology Ltd. ChooseIt!ﾃあMaker is a very simple and easy to use programming and editing program for creating linear choice-making activities. It will run on Windows 95, 98 or NT computers that have a Pentium 133Mhz processor (200Mhz or greater is recommended though). You will need at least 32Mb RAM with a SoundBlaster compatible sound card, CD-ROM drive and a microphone is optional (but highly desirable).
It is ideal for making onscreen interactive activities that help users of all ages choose between pictures or concepts as well as develop their switch/access device skills. Clients of all ages can benefit as teachers; parents therapists and trainers can construct and make relevant activities using any pictures and sounds that are age, interest and gender specific/appropriate. It can be used to increase attention span, practise listening to instructions and auditory prompts, help in discriminating between one or more pictures and/or attend to visual prompts.
The software is straightforward to install from the CD-ROM. After restarting the machine, the 
install program creates an icon in the ‘Inclusive Folder’ for you. You double click on the program icon, and an opening screen appears. An activity follows. It invites you to choose a correct picture, number, picture or icon. A twelve (12) page user manual, although small and brief, clearly explains how to install and use the software.
The activities that you use or design yourself consist of ‘pages’(i.e. there are a number of excellent samples). Each page of an activity can have a number of different elements. You can create your own activity with up to six (6) pictures on a page (or screen), a sound (instruction or music), add text, a visual prompt and a ‘repeat’ sound button.
The student (or user, as it is ideal package for adults with intellectual disabilities), must choose the correct picture, prompted either by a sound, voice, text or teacher, trainer or parent. Choosing incorrect answer results in a null response, which is leading practice. If the user chooses the correct picture, the software will either progress to the new page, or show an animated reward (with or without sound or music). This is determined by the teacher/therapist, using various conditions found in Options menu.
Access Options
As the program has in-built access, users may elect to use one or two switches. Other users may prefer to use a mouse, trackball, IntelliKeys or TouchﾃあWindow. ChooseIt! Maker can be used as a switch-training program, or for introducing and refining mouse skills. It can also be successfully used to promote and develop physical skills and/or cognitive abilities. You can set up the program to scan automatically (with a 1-20 delay) or with two switches, with or without a scan sound and a choice of three scan box colours (i.e. red, yellow or black). You can use switches through IntelliKeys or through a serial switch box (Com1 to COM4). Switch action can be set to continuous or single press mode.
ChooseIt! Maker has a number of sound files (.wav) and graphic files that are installed with the main program. You can also import your own clip art, pictures, digital camera images and scanned photos as it can and handle most popular graphic formats. You can use pictures and images from clip art libraries or those you have ‘captured’ from the Internet. You can add sounds and sound effects or use sound files from other sources. Music clips and voice files(e.g. from TV Shows, films or from popular culture Web sites) can also be used. NOTE: It is wise to keep the sound quality at a reasonable level and only import short excerpts as they are better than long passages (due to large memory and storage requirements.
I predict that it will be a very popular program for adult training and leisure centres where clients have either specific access or special training needs. To interact with the program, users can choose from one or two switches, an IntelliKeys membrane board, mouse, ‘switched’ mouse, keyboard or touch window. One or two switches can be set up with a SerialﾃあSwitchﾃあInterface or Don Johnston PC Switch Interface, or overlays can be sent to IntelliKeys – with the left switch being programmed as the ‘space bar’, the right switch, the ‘enter’ key.
There are a number of example files ready to use. There are different types of activities, promoting choice making ideas and strategies. The framework nature of the software provides untold potential to budding ‘programmers’. The figure ground (i.e. visual complexity of the screen) of each sample file demonstrates leading practice and this strategy should be heeded. 
Background colours for visual contrast include white, black, cream and orange. Uncluttered screens with a plain white or black background usually work best. It is always useful to design to accommodate users who are vision impaired. This normally accrues benefit to most others users as well. ‘Busy’ or cluttered screens often frustrate and distract users from the task at hand. Keeping pages and the associated content/task simple will work best.
Rewarding Effort
You can elect to have rewards turned on or off. The length of time that a reward is played varies from 8,16 or 32 seconds. The sound and animations in the rewards can be individually turned on or off by toggling the Show Animation and Play Music options. The Sound On Pages button determines whether any sound plays on the activity page. You are in control.
Example files include:
- Three letter words: A word is voiced. The user must select the corresponding word from two words. Includes hat/cat, hop/top/ tip/pip, not/pot … with reversals.
- Three letter words: A word is voiced. The user must select the corresponding word from three words. Includes sit/bit/hit, hut/cut/nut, pin/tin/bin etc.
- Colours 1: Choose from two or three colours (i.e. a splash of colour shown).
- Colours2: Choose colour from 2/3 high quality digital photographs.
- Dice: Two die are shown with a number (in word form) in order to match the correct dice.
- Find the: You must select the litter bin, letter box or bus from three digital photos.
- Letters a-e: Select the correct letter from a to e from two choices (e.g. find “a” from letters b and a).
- Rhyming: What rhymes with narrow? You must choose the correct word from 3 colour images.
- Road Signs: Three road signs are displayed. You must choose one. Universal road signs are used.
- Shapes: Match the shape, including a circle, square, rectangle, diamond and star.
- Telling Time-1: Choose time (e.g. one o’clock, displayed in words) to two analogue clock faces.
- Telling Time-2: Choose the correct time (e.g. nine o’clock) from 4 digital clock faces/
- Initial Sounds: 26 letters of the alphabet are displayed with their letter ‘name’. Match to one of two colour pictures with the initial sound. This activity promotes a number of early learning ideas for concepts for young children.
- Which is different-2? Find the odd picture from choices of blank areas or from digital photos and graphics.
- Numerals: Match the correct numeral from 1-9 from 2, 3 or 4 choices onscreen (numbers in numeral form.
- Which is different-1? Find the odd animal from choices of mouse, dog and cat – in delightful cartoon drawings.
- Positions: Test for understanding of ‘on’, ‘in’, ‘under’, ‘behind’, ‘in front of’ concepts, with a cute mouse and a box
You can edit any of these files in minutes to make your own activities or modify them and ‘save as’ a brand new set of pages. You can change the order of the pages to ‘mix up’ the activity. The most powerful feature is that you can design individual or group activities to meet your specific needs, and tailor each one!
SwitchIt!ﾃあMaker 2 is a sibling package. It lets you make simple, linear pages with a graphic, sound and text. Both packages provide you with the capacity to create, design edit and use software that accurately accommodates student or client needs. As individual’s progress or your needs change, you merely customise the files to reflect preferences. Both programs offer so much … and deliver so well!
It is up to your skills, imagination and energy! You can create simple yet effective choice making, matching and discrimination activities in a matter of minutes. Once you plan out your learning or training outcomes, 
gather your pictures and sounds, you construct a page or pages. The sample files will give you ideas and programming hints. You provide the time. So often in the past, parents, trainers, therapists and teachers were restricted in what they could provide for switch users. The SwitchIt!ﾃあSeries has certainly made it easier for everyone! Use them to test for switch skills, short-term memory, spelling, number shape and colour recognition, or for matching PCS symbols to photos.
ChooseIt! Maker can be purchased as a single licensed version, a 5-user pack or as a site licence. The software is packaged on a CD-ROM. It is ideal for pre-school, early intervention centres and special and mainstream school settings as well as for adults in day training or residential centres. With ChooseIt!ﾃあMaker you can create, design and make your own switch accessible choice making activities for anyone, at anytime.