Crick Software’s Clicker 6

December saw the official preview of Clicker 6 at Crick software’s headquarters inNorthampton.  Clicker is already used in 90% of UK primary schools which prompts two questions. Why do we need a new version of Clicker and if we’ve got one of the previous five versions, why would we bother getting a new one?

I think we were all surprised to realise that Clicker 5 is nearly seven years old.  In that time we have all got used to software that is easier to use. We don’t have the luxury of training or awareness days so we want software that works as easily as Facebook or the web and which does not demand a lot of time and effort to make resources.

The day was billed as the Joy of Six and was packed with primary, early years and special needs advisers. I was amazed there were so many still in post, what with the cuts and all. The main message was that Clicker 6 is easier to use and will make pupils more independent.

Ros Henshaw who supports schools in Leicestershire thought that Clicker 6 would be ideal for pupils with dyslexia because there are so many levels of support:

–       Speech – review what you’ve written

–       Predictor – build confidence with spelling

–       Grid – access instantly with favourites

–       Talking spellchecker

–       Optional picture support in document, predictor, grid, spellchecker

–       a picture library and works well with Widgit symbols too

Carol Allen, adviser forNorth Tyneside, thought that schools for pupils with more severe difficulties would appreciate the fact that it would work so well now with a touch screen or an interactive whiteboard and that teachers could have lots of grids open, each with its own tab, as in Excel.

Paul Bonsor from Oxfordshire SEN/ICT thought teachers and TAs would appreciate the fact that they could create word banks just by pasting in a chunk of text from the internet. The clever program will create a tabbed A-Z wordbank, leaving out the most common words (and, the, etc) so you can make a brand new topic dictionary in seconds flat.

Everyone agreed that Clicker 6 is bigger, better, simpler and that staff who see it would want it. The big question is whether schools and services will show it to teachers in these straightened times.

Clicker 6 will be launched at BETT 2012 and details will be on the site //www.cricksoft.com/uk/home.aspx

Standard versions cost from £150 for a single user licence up to £1800 for a school site licence. Upgrades are available costing from £100 to £1,200.

Sal McKeown is a freelance journalist for special needs. She has two books out early in 2012. Brilliant Ideas for Using ICT in the Inclusive Classroom (David Fulton / Nasen) by Sal McKeown and Angie McGlashon How to help your Dyslexic and Dyspraxic Child: A practical guide for parents (White Ladder)