Interactive Whiteboards as Inclusive Technology

The Mimio Xi Portable Whiteboard Creator

Kellie Mote, an Assistive Technology Development and Information Officer at BRITE in Edinburgh, describes how a portable interactive whiteboard device has been used to provide access to whiteboard content for students in Scottish FE colleges.

BRITE (Beattie Resources for Inclusiveness in Technology and Education) is a national resource, providing staff development, support and access to assistive technology for all further education colleges in Scotland. BRITE was established in 2002 as one of a number of responses by the Scottish Executive and the Scottish Further Education Funding Council to the recommendations of the Beattie Committee Report “Implementing Inclusiveness: Realising Potential” (September 1999). BRITE aims to help build the capacity of Scottish further education to be inclusive and to embed the skills among staff to support and assess students with additional support needs.

This article will focus on the use of the Mimio Xi rather than interactive whiteboards generally, as it is significantly different from generic interactive whiteboards in terms of its flexibility and portability.

Why choose Mimio?

About two years ago, I became aware through talking to colleagues that there was a potential for interactive whiteboards to be used to promote inclusion in the classroom. Following a discussion on DIS-FORUM , I decided to investigate further so that I could be better placed to advise college lecturers on how to use this technology effectively to include students with disabilities or differentiated learning styles.

Virtual Ink, which produces Mimio interactive whiteboard creators, impressed me by instantly recognising what I meant when I asked about its assistive features. The UK director was able to provide me with examples of where it had been used inclusively, for example, by a school pupil with low vision. I was also immediately emailed a document which outlined the additional benefits of Mimio for learners with an additional support need.

Mimio also seemed appropriate for BRITE as we operate an equipment loan back for FE colleges in Scotland. We send our items out by post or courier. Mimio products are intended to be portable and fold up into a neat protective carry case. Fixed or freestanding interactive boards with their own screens are great in the classroom, but not for posting back and forth around Scotland!

The portability also meant that the student could control the equipment independently, taking it to the classroom where it is needed.

We purchased three Mimio Xi devices. Two are available for loan and the other is retained in our training centre for staff development activities. Often, people would ask to borrow the Mimio Xi after seeing it demonstrated.

The Mimio Xi is comprised of:

•    a capture bar which attaches to any standard whiteboard using little suction pads or fitted brackets
•    a set of 4 pen holders which take most standard dry wipe marker pens and transmit the pen-strokes to the capture bar
•    a USB cable to connect the side bar to a computer either during or after a class (we purchased an additional wireless infrared connection)
•    Mimio software to enable a computer to recognise the information from the capture bar
•    other peripherals including an eraser and a virtual mouse
•    all of the active components are battery operated and all batteries are included

Like other interactive whiteboards, the Mimio Xi can be used with a data projector to create a dynamic presentation. We decided to start with the more basic features of capturing the whiteboard content for display on a computer screen, saving for review later and printing out. An introductory guide to using interactive whiteboards was produced for FE staff. Click here to see the BRITE introductory guide to interactive whiteboards.

 

The BRITE Equipment Loan Bank

During the pilot phase of the equipment loan bank (which lasted up until summer 2005) college staff who had undertaken training with BRITE could request to borrow assistive technology for a period of 1 month, 3 months, 6 months or an academic year.

We never wanted to find ourselves in a situation where we had a cupboard full of unused equipment, so we purchased the loan equipment in response to requests.  Items were loaned on a first-come basis and if a requested item was on loan, we would consider purchasing an additional item.

Due to licensing difficulties and the fact that trial versions are usually available from suppliers anyway, we don’t usually lend software unless it is essential to run an item of equipment (e.g. Braille translation software for use with a Braille embosser). The loan bank contains a vast range of assistive devices, including:

•    Braille embossers
•    Radio Aids for hearing aid users
•    Alternative keyboards and mice
•    Communication Aids
•    Digital magnifiers
•    Handheld spell checkers

The purpose of the loan bank is to allow staff and students to evaluate equipment before buying it, so that they can ensure it is right for the student and not find themselves confronted with that dreaded cupboard full of unused expensive items! We also offer accessible user guides, training and on-going support to ensure the equipment is used effectively.

Now that the pilot phase is over, the terms of equipment loan have changed slightly. Where membership was free previously, a subscription fee now applies and the loan period is limited to 3 months to ensure that the equipment is being used to evaluate for future purchase and not just replace the need to purchase specialist equipment for students, particularly those who do not qualify for Disabled Students Allowance.

Loan Bank members can now book items via our website and access a frequently updated list of available items. This facility can only be access by BRITE staff links in FE colleges of whom there are over 100 in Scotland.

Following an evaluation loan from BRITE, I know of at least 3 colleges that have purchased one or two Mimio Xi units for use with students who have additional support needs. Some examples of the way the Mimios are being used are detailed below.

The Mimio Xi has been predominantly used to provide access to the whiteboard for students with low vision (partial sight) or other visual difficulties such as colour sensitiviy. Typically, the student is issued with a college laptop with the Mimio software installed. The software is freely downloadable from the internet and also comes on a CD with the Mimio Xi kit. When we started lending the equipment, the required software was Mimio 2.71, now it is Mimio Studio. 

Case study 1

A student with low vision was issued with a college laptop installed with the Mimio 2.71 software and SuperNova speech and magnification output software. The student took responsibility for the laptop and used it for his studies generally.

In the classes where a whiteboard was used, a member of staff from that department who was confident in using the Mimio Xi would set it up by attaching the device to the whiteboard and adding the wireless transmitter. The wireless transmitter is not essential and needs to be purchased separately, but is preferable to using the long lead provided.

When the student arrived in class, he could plug in his USB infrared receiver and immediately start to see a live feed of what happening on the whiteboard on his laptop screen. The colours of the background and handwritten text could be adjusted to suit the student’s preferences. This provided a much clearer and efficient way of seeing the board than using a magnifier or just sitting close to the front.

The student could also save the whiteboard content onto his laptop to refer back to later, meaning that he didn’t have to worry so much about taking notes. Sometimes the tutor printed the board content off in class for the student. When the other students saw that this was possible, they also requested copies, which cut down on note-taking and allowed them to focus on participating in the class. This was particularly appreciated by students with Dyslexia.

Case study 2

A biology student who has a visual sensitivity to specific colours on the whiteboard has found Mimio technology useful.  In particular, the student cannot see red on the whiteboard, or cannot view it for a prolonged time without getting headaches.  Therefore, being able to use the Mimio Xi to print out blood circulation diagrams etc from the whiteboard in black and white, which other students do not want, is useful.

Case study 3

A shorthand student with a visual impairment works with 18 font for printed notes, and has a laptop through Disabled Student’s Allowance for writing, but cannot see the board.  He uses the Mimio Xi with a laptop and zoom magnification, so he can follow his lecturer's demonstration of drawing the shorthand symbols on the board, as that is what he needs to see properly to form the letters efficiently himself. He (and other students) can independently access the presentation later on computer.  The tutor found it beneficial to spend time acquiring a reliable printing style, so it captures all her script creation accurately and completely.

Case study 4

Another college has just purchased a Mimio Xi, as staff there plan to use it with a student who has dyslexia and is studying chemistry. The student is having difficulty copying notes (especially equations) from the whiteboard. So teaching staff hope that using the Mimio Xi will give her the opportunity and time to see how the equations worked and to look at the different steps that were taken to get to the result.

Colleges in Scotland are gaining awareness of the potential for Mimio Xi and interactive whiteboards to be used as assistive technology. Whenever I demonstrate or talk about the Mimio Xi, I always make sure that people realise that many of the inclusive features, e.g. simultaneous display on a laptop and instant printouts of content, are also available when using other brands of interactive whiteboard that they may have in their institution.  More and more, I am hearing about interesting new ways in which teaching staff are using interactive whiteboards creatively to provide a diverse and inclusive classroom experience which benefits all learners.

Links

Link to the Mimio website