Early Learning Tools

HelpKidzLearn (HKL), a district-wide SSD AT Tool, is a suite of tools that provide engagement and motivation through game-based learning with universal accessibility and the ability to create personalized learning activities.  Each school-age SSD and partner district building has a HKL Hub site license assigned to it which includes access to three different tools including Games and Activities, ChooseIt Maker, and ChooseIt Readymades.  These tools can be accessed through a web browser on a tablet, computer, or Interactive White Board. If you do not know your building's HKL Hub credential, please contact the IRC or your AT Specialist. 

Games and Activities offers over 300 accessible learning activities for students who are at a pre-literacy or early literacy level.  Activities have been designed with clear graphics and sound, auditory cues and attention prompts to engage the learner. The activities have been organized into learning objectives with milestone indicators to support student growth beginning at a cause effect / early interaction level building up to being able to make independent choices. 

ChooseIt Maker enables educators to create a wide variety of interactive resources, including cause-and-effect activities, comprehension tasks, assessments, quizzes, tests, communication aids, and game-based learning activities with over 30,000 ready to use symbols including Widget and SymbolStix. 

ChooseIt Readymades offer a broad range of engaging activities across key subjects such as Numeracy, Literacy, and Science. Each activity is aligned with curriculum standards and features 20-40 sequenced questions that gradually build understanding and confidence.

Ginger Tiger is a subscription-based website that has accessible games and activities that cover the essential fields of Cause & Effect, Basic Skills, Math, Speech & Language, Timing, and Language Arts.

A flexible difficulty level setting system within the games allows staff to adapt the activities to the user’s progress and abilities. Ginger Tiger is available through the AT Consultation process.

Clicker, a district-wide SSD AT tool, is a reading, vocabulary, writing, and expressive communication customizable tool. It offers features including matching activities, books with audio support, word prediction, picture support, word banks, highlighting, text to speech, cloze activities, and writing grids for literacy and speaking development. Clicker is available as software for Windows/Mac and as a suite of apps for Chromebooks/iPads.

Boardmaker is a complete system for creating print based and interactive personalized instructional materials. It allows teachers to access shared activities in the community, as well as to create, edit, and assign activities to make learning and communicating accessible, and tracks performance. Boardmaker is offered through a subscription that includes both web based component and installed software that is available to teacher-level staff after participation in either in-person or online professional learning has been completed. 

Pixwriter by Attainment helps students to write independently with illustrated word banks. The software and iOS application provide symbol support with highlighted text and speech. It includes 10,500 pictures that automatically match to words. Pixwriter is available through the AT Consultation process.