supporting STUDENTS building CAPACITY implementing TECHNOLOGY developing PARTNERSHIPS

supporting STUDENTS building CAPACITY implementing TECHNOLOGY developing PARTNERSHIPS

Introduction to Boardmaker Seven

Screen shots created using Boardmaker Editor 7 by Tobii Dynavox

supporting STUDENTS building CAPACITY implementing TECHNOLOGY developing PARTNERSHIPS

Goals for this Resource…Introduction to Boardmaker Seven

• Overview of Boardmaker Seven Program Windows• Creating buttons• Adding symbols to buttons• Advanced editing of symbols

Participants will gain a basic understanding of how to use Boardmaker Seven to create visual supports for students.

Boardmaker Seven Main Window

This Section provides an overview of the Boardmaker Seven Main Window.

You will learn:

1. How to start a new Printable Activity, Setup the page, and Save

2. The names of the various Program Panels and Toolbars

3. The Names, Locations and Functions of the Tools available

*It is recommended that you have Boardmaker Editor open to enable you to follow along as

you progress through this resource.

Create a New Printable Activity

1. Click New

2. Click Blank

3. Choose Print (Portrait)

4. Click Create

Page Setup and Save

1. Click to open the File Menu

2. Click Page Setup

3. Click the Dropdown Menu

4. Choose Letter

5. Choose Portrait

6. Click OK

7. Save

*Remember to go back and save your

activity periodically while working on it.

Boardmaker Seven Main Window

Boardmaker Seven Main Window

Name

1 File Menu Save, Open, Import, User Settings, Activity Settings and Properties, Help, and more

2 Main Toolbar Contains the editing and drawing tools as well as Print and Play.

3 Language Set software language.

4 Undo and Redo Undo and redo the last change made to the activity.

5 Return to Dashboard Close the current activity and go to the Dashboard.

6 Properties Panel View and edit properties of the selected object(s).

7 Symbols Panel Search for symbols, web images, or images uploaded to your My Media folder on myBoardmaker.com to add to your activity.

8 Pages Panel Displays thumbnails of all of the pages in the current activity.

9 Workspace Area in which you create and edit your page(s).

10 Zoom Controls Adjust the view or zoom level of the workspace.

Pages Panel

Name

1 Pages Select a page to view it in the workspace.

2 Page Options Select to make a copy of the page, delete it, or edit the shared variables.

3 New Page Add a new page to your activity. You can create a blank page, copy a page from another Activity, or copy a page from a template.

4 Close Pages Panel Select to collapse the Pages Panel. This gives you a larger view of the page currently in the workspace.

5 Expand Pages Panel Select to expand the Pages Panel. This displays thumbnails of all the pages in the current activity.

Main Toolbar

Name

1 Select / Quick Select Select objects on the page,or select the page itself.

2 Button Create a button. Available types: Standard, Group, Word Predictor, Target, Symbolate, Hotspot, Freeform, Freeform Hotspot

3 Shapes Create buttons in a variety of shapes.

4 Spray Spray out copies of a selected object into a grid.

5 Line Draw a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line.

6 Label Create a new text label.

7 Advanced Create one of the following objects: Message Window, Video, Group Box, Checkbox, Radio Button, Textbox, Tab Control, Scan.

8 Create PDF Create a PDF of your activity. The PDF can then be printed.

9 Play Enter Play mode to play your activity from the beginning or Preview Page to play just the current page.

Creating and Customizing Buttons

This Section provides an overview of Creating and Customizing buttons in Boardmaker Seven.

You will learn how to:

1. Create a Button

2. Resize a Button

3. Change the shape and colour of a Button

4. Change the Border of a Button

5. Use the Spray Tool to create Copies of a Button

*It is recommended that you create, resize and customize your exemplar button before using the

Spray Tool.

Create a Button

1. Click the Button Tool

2. Click and Drag Cursor to Size Button

3. Release Mouse Click

Resize a Button

1. Click the Select Tool

2. Click on Button to Select

3. Hover Cursor over Button Corner

4. Click and Drag Cursor to Resize Button

5. Release Mouse Click6. Select Multiple Buttons and complete

the above steps to Resize them all at the same time.

Change Button Shape

1. Click the Select Tool

2. Click on Button to Select

3. Go to “Style” in the Properties Panel

4. Click

5. Click to Select Button Shape from Menu

Change Button Background Colour

1. Click the Select Tool

2. Click on Button to Select

3. Go to “Background” in Properties Panel

4. Click

5. Click on colour to Select from Pallett

6. Click “OK”

Change Button Border Style

1. Click the Select Tool

2. Click on Button to Select

3. Go to “Style” in the Properties Panel

4. Click

5. Click to Select Border Style from Menu

Change Button Border Colour

1. Click the Select Tool

2. Click on Button to Select

3. Go to “Style” in the Properties Panel

4. Click

5. Click to Select Colour from Pallett

6. Click OK

Change Button Border Thickness

1. Click the Select Tool

2. Click on Button to Select

3. Go to “Style” in the Properties Panel

4. Click

5. Change Size with Keyboard

6. Hit “Enter” on Keyboard

Button Sprayer Tool

1. Click the Spray Tool

2. Hover Cursor over Button to be Copied

3. Click and Drag Cursor to Spray Buttons

4. Release Mouse Click

The Boardmaker Symbols Panel

This Section provides an overview of the Symbols Panel in Boardmaker Editor.

You will learn:

1. The Names, Locations and Functions of the Tools available in the Symbols Panel

2. How to Search for Symbols/Images

3. How to add a Symbol to a Button

4. How to add a Web Image to a Button

5. How to Add and/or Format Text on a Button or the Background

6. How to Swap and Shuffle Buttons

Symbols Panel

Name

1 Symbol Search Type in text field to search for symbol. You can also browse for symbols by category by clicking on the folders.

2 My Media Access the images stored in the My Media section of your myBoardmaker.com account.

3 Web Search the web for images matching the keyword(s) entered in the search text field.

4 Search Field Type your query into the text field. Use the buttons below the search field to specify what parts of the word to search.

5 Search Filter Select to filter color or black and white and to change the search language.

6 Begins With Search only within the first portion of the typed word. (E.g., search “do” for dog, doing, donut, etc.)

7 Anywhere Search within any part of the typed word. (E.g., search “do” for doing, adopt, all done, etc.)

8 Whole Word Search only for the entire typed word, exactly as you typed it. (E.g., search “do” for do.)

9 Ends With Search only within the last portion of the label. (E.g., search “do” for avocado, judo, undo, etc.)

10 Search Results The results of your search appear here. You may also use the folders in this area to browse for symbols by category.

Add a Symbol to a Button

1. Go to “Symbols” Panel

2. Type in text field to Search for Symbol

3. Click Symbol to Select

4. Click and Drag Symbol to Button5. Release Mouse Click to place Symbol

into Button.

Add an Image from the Web to a Button

1. Go to “Symbols” Panel

2. Type in text field to Search for Image

3. Click “Web”

4. Click Image to Select

5. Click and Drag Image to Button6. Release Mouse Click to place Image

into Button.

Format Button Text

1. Click the Select Tool2. Click on Button to Select3. Go to “Font” in Properties Panel4. Use the options to Format text font,

size, appearance, alignment, justification, colour, and highlight colour

5. View the resulting changes on the Button

Swap Button Content

1. Click the Select Tool

2. Click on First Button to Select

3. Ctrl Click Second Button to Select

4. Right Click one of the Selected Buttons

5. Click “Swap”

Shuffle Button Content

1. Click the Select Tool2. Click and Drag a box around the Buttons

to Select

3. Right Click the group of Selected Buttons

4. Click “Shuffle”

The Boardmaker Seven Symbol Editor

This Section provides an overview of the Boardmaker Seven Symbol Editor.

You will learn:

1. The Names, Locations and Functions of the Tools available in the Symbol Editor

2. How to Cut, Copy, Paste and Erase a Symbol

3. How to Draw on and add Shapes to a Symbol

4. How to change Colours, Skin Tone, and apply Filters to a Symbol

5. How to change the Orientation of a Symbol

Editing Symbols with the Symbol Editor

1. To Edit Symbols use the “Symbol Editor”2. Right Click on the Button with the

Symbol to be Edited

3. Click “Edit in Symbol Editor”

Symbol Editor Main Window

Symbol Editor Main Window

Name

1 Symbol Preview Use the tools in the Symbol Editor toolbar to customize the symbol. View changes in the Symbol Preview area.

2 Select Outline and select an area of the Symbol to Cut/Copy/Paste.

3 Draw Create a freeform line on the symbol.

4 Fill Change all pixels of the same Colour (within a bounded area) to a new Colour.

5 Skin Tone Change the Skin Tone of the Symbol.

6 Shape Draw a specific shape on the Symbol.

7 Erase Erase part of the Symbol.

8 Rotate Change the orientation of the Symbol. Flip horizontal/vertical and/or Rotate left/right.

9 Filters Apply Visual Effects to the Symbol. Filters include Inverse, Gray, Sepia and Black & White.

10 Save Click “Save” to apply the changes to the symbol or “Cancel” to discard the changes.

Cut/Copy/Paste a Symbol

1. Click the “Select” Tool2. Click to select Rectangle or Freeform 3. Click and drag Cursor across symbol to

Outline part of the Symbol4. Release Mouse Click to Select5. Select Cut to remove part of the Symbol6. Select Copy to Copy part of the Symbol7. Select Paste to insert image of the

previously cut/copied part of the symbol8. Click and Drag inserted image to place on

the Symbol9. Click “Save” to apply the changes or

“Cancel” to discard the changes

Erase Part of a Symbol

1. Click the “Erase” Tool2. Click to Select the Size/Shape of Eraser3. Click and Drag across Symbol to Erase4. Click “Save” to apply the changes or

“Cancel” to discard the changes

Draw on a Symbol

1. Click the “Draw” Tool2. Click to Select the Size/Shape of the

Drawing Tool3. Click to Select the Colour of the

Drawing Tool4. Click and Drag Cursor across Symbol

area to Draw on the Symbol5. Release Mouse Click to Stop Drawing6. Repeat as Necessary7. Click “Save” to apply the changes or

“Cancel” to discard the changes

Add Shapes to a Symbol

1. Click the “Shape” Tool2. Click to Select the shape to be added3. Click to Select the Colour of the shape 4. Click and Drag Cursor across Symbol

area to create shape5. Release Mouse Click to place shape

onto Symbol 6. Click “Save” to apply the changes or

“Cancel” to discard the changes

Change Colours Within a Symbol

1. Click the “Fill” Tool2. Click to Select the new Colour3. Hover the Bucket Tool over the areas of

the Symbol to be changed 4. Click to change the existing Colour to

the new Colour5. Repeat as Necessary6. Click “Save” to apply the changes or

“Cancel” to discard the changes

Change Skin Tone of a Symbol

1. Click the “Skin Tone” Tool2. Click to Select the new Skin Tone3. Hover the Bucket Tool over the areas of

the Symbol to be changed 4. Click to change the existing Skin Tone to

the new Skin Tone5. Click “Save” to apply the changes or

“Cancel” to discard the changes

Apply Visual Filters to a Symbol

1. Click the “Filters” Tool.2. Click the Filter to be applied3. Click “Save” to apply the changes or

“Cancel” to discard the changes

Change the Orientation of a Symbol

1. Click the “Rotate” Tool2. Click “Horizontal/Vertical” to flip Symbol3. Click “Left/Right” to Rotate Symbol4. Click “Save” to apply the changes or

“Cancel” to discard the changes

Boardmaker Seven Resources

• Boardmaker Training Videoshttps://us.tobiidynavox.com/pages/boardmaker7-product-support

• Boardmaker Resourceshttps://us.tobiidynavox.com/pages/boardmaker7-product-support?tab=1