Have you ever observed children playing computer games? Or seen someone type with the grace of a virtuoso pianist, their fingers moving effortlessly across the keyboard?

Have you ever contemplated the multitude of movements and electrical impulses traversing a person’s nervous system with each button press?  After reading this, you might find yourself pondering how many of your cells are engaged in this complex process every time you press a button.

Although we may not often think about it, we actually learn these things over time. However, some individuals have a nervous system that requires months of training, similar to a sport. This condition might be present at birth, such as cerebral palsy, or it can develop later in life as a result of accidents, illnesses, or strokes. For such individuals, assistive technologies (AT) offer tremendous assistance. Through specialized tools and learning techniques, they can gradually practice and improve their independent use of machines, beginning with the fundamental step of pressing and releasing buttons in a sequence of operations.

When  using a computer equipped with two switches, the traditional keyboard and mouse are replaced with one or more large push buttons connected to the machine. One of these buttons, knowns as the "Tab" key, facilitates navigation between interactive elements, essentially replacing the pointing device. The other button activates the currently selected object by acting as the "Enter" keyt. To enable this functionality, the program's interface must be designed to respond to the Tab key and visually highlight objects with a colored frame (the anchor).

Now, we will explore digital tools for learning that can be used with two switches.  Teachers can create instructional materials specifically tailored for children with physical disabilities, ensuring their ability to learn independently using these tools.

Comparison criteria

When presenting the tools, we consider the user experience they provide, their price accessibility, the adaptability of the interface, and how well they are integrated into school practice. Additionally, we take into account the benefits of the given application to the teacher. 

The following applications are explained below:

• Quizizz 
• Redmenta
• LiveWorkSheet
• Clicker 
• Learning Apps

Types of exercises for switch access

Quizizz

https://quizizz.com/

• Price: Basics are free, Premium is 8$ / months

• Format: Webpage for every browser or Phone App for Android and iOS

Quizizz is a gamified application designed for lessons and formative questionnaires. Its uniqueness lies in the various game features, such as extra lives or all-or-nothing jeopardy options. The interface recalls the visuals of video games.

Advantages from the teacher’s point of view:

• There are many lessons and tests already made by others in every language, based on the curriculum.
• There are video and audio recording options for the pupils to answer the questions. For verbal students, this can replace typing.

Comparison with the other listed tools:

• There are 4 types of exercises for switch access.
• Black background can be helpful.
• Quizizz, as a synchronous learning activity, is a competitive group game as well.
• Various gamified elements are built in.

For whom do we recommend in one sentence?

It can be useful for verbal learning activities like answering via video or audio recording.

The classroom quiz tools which need no introduction (Kahoot and Quizlet) are not the most ideal choice for students with special needs who require switch access, instead we recommend Redmenta. In Redmenta there are 9 types of exercises for switch users. Due to this option, all students in the same  group can grow together, making the classroom more inclusive.

Redmenta

https://redmenta.com/ 

• Price: Free with limitations or 4-10$ / mounts per educator

• Possible language of the app: English, French, German, Hungarian, Ukrainian, Romanian, Russian

• Format: Webpage for every browser, also on tablet and mobile

Redmenta is an AI-powered tool to provide an active learning experience for students. Teachers can create quizzes, interactive learning materials, and project worksheets from scratch or they can use the AI worksheet generator that can provide materials from any source material and in any language. Sharing any learning material becomes really simple through the utilization of Jumper links, which is like a unique password.

Advantages from the teacher’s point of view:

• You can provide interactive learning materials and assign tasks to students on one interface.
• Teachers can use each other's tasks, so the adapted topics can be reused
• Instant feedback is a great option (for this the correct answer must be given when creating the task)

Comparison with the other listed tools:

• There are 9 exercises working with switch access in Redmenta
• The interface is clear and the anchor frame is well separated from the other elements.
• The navigation buttons, like Start and Submit and others can also be activated with a switch, which means that Redmenta requires very little personal assistance.
• Redmenta is not just a quiz tool, it also provides a long text tool, PDF, and presentation (like Canva) viewer, you may deliver longer learning materials with a clearly visible appearance (all fit into the screen, no need to scroll), and even adapt complete books for people in need.

For whom do we recommend in one sentence?

For those who aim to build an inclusive classroom, where children with different needs learn using the same digital tools by differentiated exercises. Also, for those individuals looking for a tool that fosters independent and self-paced learning opportunities.

Clicker 

Link : Clicker - Literacy Software | Crick Software

• Price: 350 $ / 1 user at home for 3 years

• Preset language of the app: English, Arabic and Italian

• Format: Desktop App for Windows and iOS

Clicker is an assistive tool designed to support elementary school students who require assistance in learning how to read and write. When switch access mode is enabled, the program can be used with one or two switches. This offers great help for those who are learning or practicing reading, how to write on computers, or for those who need more practice in writing to be able to maintain the pace of their learning group. With realistic speech potion students receive feedback on their writing and can write complete sentences assisted by the word banks with fewer keystrokes compared to traditional ten-finger typing methods. 

Advantages from the teacher’s point of view:

• Clicker provides their solution for every device, both for Windows and Mac (called Clicker Writing)
• Teachers can use word banks based on the UK curriculum or create their own
• The whole classroom can use the same app, everyone with the specified aids they need (Clicker has read-out-loud option, one switch, two switches solutions, eye gaze mode etc.)
• Pictures can be used to help the understanding of the words and texts, so this tool provides help for reading comprehension and continuity in communication for non-verbal users.

Comparison with the other listed tools:

• There is a built-in on-screen keyboard usable in the program, with switches without further pricing.
• Learning grids supports teachers to have sets on curriculum-based topics, where it’s easy to generate writing assessments for exercising.
• In-built read-out-loud options
• 6 types of exercises (called Sets)
• Since this is an assistive technology tool developed for switch access, the highlight of the activated area is well differentiated from the background (red)

For whom do we recommend in one sentence?

For those who teach in SEN schools or having segregated classes that require different types of assistive technology (AT).

Learning Apps

Link: https://learningapps.org/

• Price: for free

• Possible language of the app: 22 languages (Belarus, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Czech, Georgian, German, Greek, Estonian, English, French, Italian, Latvian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Romansh, Russian, Spanish, Turkish, Ukrainian)

• Format: Webpage for every browser

LearningApps is a user-friendly tool for creating customized learning exercises, offering a wide range of templates to develop your own content, adopt existing materials, or modify content shared by others. Since it is available in manylanguages, there are some countries where teachers have made almost all curricular topics on LearningApps. 

Advantages from the teacher’s point of view:

• There are many ready-to-use tools already on LearningApps covering national curriculums not just for English-speaking countries. And searching for keywords and classes works well.
• There is no need for an account for the pupils, even with link sharing or QR codes you can transfer the assessments both for tablets, mobiles or PCs.
• 6 out of 20 activities work with switch access: Horse race, Audio/Film with notices, Guess, Fill Table, Freetext input and Cloze text. 

• It’s worth sharing the full-screen view for switch users. In full-screen mode the tabulator starts to circulate around all objects in the former apps templates.

Comparison with the other listed tools:

• The anchor is a light black or blue line. It is not easy to see when the cursor is on your wanted object.

• 2 of the switch access activities completely work without any other tool (Horse race, Audio/Film with notices). The others need an on-screen keyboard, which is usable with switch access for the typing.

• There is no read-aloud function, and the additional information given by the teachers just as the self-check is only available with mouse or equivalent periphery, so personal assistance should be helpful for usage.

LiveWorksheet

https://www.liveworksheets.com/

• Price: 30 worksheets are free, for 10,20$ / month you can have it Ad free

• Possible language of the app: English, Spanish, within content you can search based on language for 188 language

• Format: Webpage for every browser on PC

In this app, you can transform your paper-based worksheets into interactive digital exercise books. On a picture or PDF base, you can make checkboxes, drop-down exercises, or even audio assessments for the pupils. Other’s content is searchable, and you can get and give feedback about student’s work.

Advantages from the teacher’s point of view:

• The easiest way to adapt digitally accessible learning material from a book.
• There are great organizational tools (stringing into workbooks)
• Multiple ways to share your content.

Comparison with the other listed tools:

• Now there is only the open-ended type of question accessible with switches.
• You can use your former paper-based materials as a base.
• If you pay, you get a more clearsurface without ads.
• On-screen keyboard is needed.

For whom do we recommend in one sentence?

For those who have decades of prepared materials for elementary school pupils predominantly in paper format, and want to make it accessible with switches.

Summary

Integrating universal digital learning tools with assistive technology in an inclusive classroom, presents a valuable and cost-effective opportunity for all students, including those with special needs, to have equal access the same educational resources and materials, therefore promotes equal access, and  encourages active participation among diverse learners, and fosters a shared learning experience.