CDSpecial - combine CD audio and video or animated Gif files for rich, accessible, cause and effect fun.
CD Special Information
CDSpecial a simple adapted audio CD player that provides a cause-and-effect activity for single switch users, or a direct selection activity for mouse, touchscreen, or Intellikeys keyboard users. The "delay-to-pause" timer stops the player after the defined interval and encourages repeated user responses.
Single switch users can use delay-to-pause with a switch-adapted mouse. After the setup the facilitator positions the mouse cursor over the Play button to ready the activity for the switch user. The Pause button is hidden during delay-to-pause play.
There is also a "Play on click" box that when checked allows users to start/stop play by clicking almost anywhere in the play screen. This is especially useful for switch adapted mouse users.
Alternatively, the single switch plugged into the Switch 1 input of the Intellikeys keyboard that has the "myMediaPlayer.omc" overlay loaded activates the Play button in the delay-to-pause mode. A second switch plugged into Switch Input 2 of the Intellikeys keyboard activates the Pause button. Additionally, CDSpecial can be used with the Don Johnston Switch Interface or any similar device that can send characters '0', '1' and '2' as described below.
Finally, the Direct Play checkbox allows for media play only while the switch is held down. This method works only with a switch adapted mouse. Hover the mouse pointer over the Direct Play button during use.
CDSpecial consists of 3 screens -
1.The Info Screen.
2. The Setup screen where you can identify a CD track, specify a movie file for accompanying visual effect; and set the delay-to-pause timer.
3. The player screen. The player responds to the following keystrokes:
'p' or '1' starts the player; 'u' or '2' pauses the player; 's' opens the setup screen; 'q' ends the program. The 'p' or 'u' commands only work when the Play or Pause buttons are visible. The '0' keystroke will also do the same as '1' or 'p'.
The Intellikeys overlay named "myMediaPlayer.omc" works with myMediaPlayer. The overlay has buttons that send the control keystrokes defined above. The overlay is programmed for switch input 1 to send 'p' for play, and input 2 to send 'u' for pause. The "Use Overlay" button allows you to locate and load the overlay from within CDSpecial.
As a convenience the "Say Yes" and "Say No" buttons on the setup page offer a voice to your students who may need it for choosing their favorite media. These buttons also respond to the Intellikeys keyboard overlay and the Don Johnston Switch Interface where the Play button (switch input 1, or DJSI input '1') plays the No message, and Pause (switch 2, or DJSI input '2') plays the Yes message.
The Player Screen
The Setup Screen