Stage selector - Overview
The
Stage facilities are designed specifically for educational use, however some Office based users may prefer, for example, the stage 7 toolbar. There is no programatic disadvantage for advanced users having a program with stage capabilities and it has significant advantages if sharing a PC with your offspring.You can
create or copy a document, use the stage menu to select and observe the features required and then save the document.When a document is
re-accessed, the screen will be reconfigured to display only the stage selected features, thus maintaining focus on the teaching points with no additional functions and/or complications especially with the Stage selector hidden from the less experienced user/pupil.At stage 1 four large buttons are included and by default the text is set to large to facilitate exercises using the pointing device / mouse. The 'Speak' button enables the program to highlight and 'talk' the entered words, provided the system has a sound card and speakers or headphones attached. Whilst sound files are included the voice and vocabulary may be amended so that the pupils listen to a familiar voice, their teacher for example, with the correct language / accent / emphasis.
At stage 8 the program includes object, picture, column and table functions, can Insert/Convert most popular Word processor formats (.doc) and web documents (htm and html), and Writes standard rich text, basic document and web files (rtf, doc and htm); also any text convertors installed and registered by other programs (per 'Windows' standards) are included for conversion purposes. Text font and color choices are no longer restricted and the wordbank is replaced with the Thesaurus/Dictionary. This level suits most advanced users.
The following add to Basic Controls and are listed in the introduction Stages
, for more advanced functions refer to Menu descriptions.1
:To enter text, move text and delete text; to Undo last action or Redo when you have used Undo, to use Open, Save, Speak and Picture buttons; Use Menu for New, Open, Close and Save, Print Preview and Print a document, Exit.2
:Use Menu to Re-open, Save As a new file and Printer Setup, to Insert Date, Page Break, Media and Text File, plus use the main screen Talking Wordbank3
:Special keys, Mouse actions, Color buttons and to Search for text or Replace text plus document WordCount4
:To change a font type or size or font style, to format a paragraph and use the Ruler plus toolbar additions of a drop down Wordbank and Sound button.5
:View mode, control characters and zoom factor , Insert Object, Format Text, Tabs, Object, Paragraph, Document plus toolbar Preview and Print buttons.6
:Edit menu Spell Check, Utilities menu Graph drawing and Spell Options - General, Main & Custom Dictionaries plus buttons - Spell, Font Color and Font Highlight. Sound- Record, prepare document using Speak and present with Speak Text. Use Media Play/Edit and Image Editor with linked files.7
:Go to link & Mail Merge Data; Insert Columns, Insert Link marker, Insert Table; Format Table and Format Columns;8
:MDI and Window menu and Thesaurus and Dictionary, plus Utilities menu Configure Tools and Special Characters.9
:Form mode, Insert Transparent or Label Box, Format Box
