SIMPLIFYING AND IMPROVING THE CREATION OF SOFTWARE

AS COMPUTERS BECOME MORE AVAILABLE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, TEACHERS NEED QUALITY SOFTWARE FOR TUTORING STUDENTS. PRESENTLY THERE IS LITTLE SOFTWARE AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS WITH COGNITIVE OR LEARNING DISORDERS BECAUSE IT IS NOT COMMERCIALLY FEASIBLE TO DEVELOP THE TYPE OF SOFTWARE NEEDED. THIS MEANS THAT TEACHERS OR LOCAL CURRICULUM PERSONNEL WILL HAVE TO DEVELOP THE SOFTWARE. IN ORDER TO DO THIS, THE TEACHERS WILL NEED A FLEXIBLE, EASY-TO-USE AUTHORING SYSTEM THAT WILL GUIDE THEM THROUGH THE STEPS OF COURSEWARE DESIGN. EXISTING AUTHORING SYSTEMS ARE UNSUITABLE BECAUSE THEY ARE EITHER TOO LIMITED IN THEIR CAPABILITIES, OR THEY ARE TOO DIFFICULT TO USE. IDDEA PROPOSES TO DESIGN AN AUTHORING SYSTEM THAT IS BASED ON SOUND LEARNING PRINCIPLES AND KNOWN INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES. THE SYSTEM PROPOSED WOULD ENABLE THE EASY AUTHORING OF LESSONS CONTAINING GRAPHIC DISPLAYS, SYNTHESIZED VOICE, AND USING ALTERNATIVE INPUT DEVICES SUCH AS TOUCH TABLETS AND JOYSTICKS. THE TEACHER WOULD BE PROVIDED WITH LESSON STRATEGY "SHELLS" INTO WHICH THEY COULD EASILY ENTER THE CONTENT. THE EMPHASIS IS ON PRODUCING INSTRUCTION THAT WILL MEET THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISORDERS, HOWEVER, IT IS EXPECTED THE AUTHORING SYSTEM WOULD FIND ACCEPTANCE BY A WIDE VARIETY OF COMPUTER USERS.