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 Training and Technical Assistance Center
Old Dominion University
T-TAC/ODU

Assistive Technology Network E-News
Volume 2, Issue II
November/December 2005
>Publication information: Copyright "ATN E-News" 2005.  All Rights reserved. Copies may be distributed without alteration electronically free of charge. This newsletter may be reproduced without alteration, for non-commercial purposes without prior permission. "ATN E-News" does not assume responsibility for advice given. All advice should be weighed against your own abilities and circumstances and applied accordingly. It is up to the reader to determine if advice is safe and suitable for their own situation.

Welcome to the Assistive Technology Electronic Newsletter designed to provide educators with tips and tricks when integrating technology in the classroom.

Contents: 
  • Inserting a Mouse-Over in PowerPoint
  • Adding a 3-D Effect to an Object in PowerPoint

Inserting a "Mouse Over" in PowerPoint

Many children have problems using the buttons on a mouse.  They are able to move the mouse, but cannot isolate the index finger to click on the right button.  One option to help make the computer more accessible is to design learning activities with PowerPoint using  a mouse over as a hyperlink. The child would only need to move the mouse over a target object for the computer to respond. You can insert wave files (sounds) to be activated with a mouse over and you can also hyperlink to another slide with a mouse over.  Here are the directions...

Directions for putting an audio clip on a rollover:
1.   Click on an object to make it active
2.  On the toolbar, select SlideShow and Action Settings
3.  Click on the tab, Mouse Over
4.  At the bottom, check the box, Play Sound
5.  Click on the down arrow for a drop down
6.  Scroll to the bottom of the list and select Other Sound
7.  Open the folder in which the sound is located
8.  Double click on the wave file/sound that you want
9.  Click the box, Highlight when Mouse Over
10.Select OK  

To Test: On the tool bar select “Slide Show” and “View Show”

Directions for putting a hyperlink on a graphic or to go to another slide
1.  Click on an object to make it active
2.  On the toolbar, select SlideShow and Action Settings
3.  Click on the tab, Mouse Click
4.  At the top, check the box, Hyperlink To:
5.  Click on the down arrow for a drop down
6.  Scroll down the list select Slide
7.  Double click on the slide number where you have inserted the object to which you want to link 
8.  Select OK and don't forget to TEST
Adding a 3-D Effect to an Object in PowerPoint

PowerPoint Activities are great teaching tools and the extra effects that can be added are sure to get the attention of almost any student.  For an example of a SOL PowerPoint Activity, go to http://www.ttac.odu.edu  click on Info Topics and select Assistive Technology

WordArt, Autoshapes, Lines, and FreeForm Objects

  1. Activate the WordArt that you would like to change by clicking on it to make it active.

  2. On the Drawing Toolbar, select Shadow Settings.  You can also select 3-D settings.  You can change the color, rotation, depth, lighting, or surface texture by clicking on the button of choice.

  3. Click on the button of choice (you can change the color and position of the shadow)

  4. The more you click on a shadow, rotation, or depth button, the more it will change.

You can also insert Clipart graphics however, PowerPoint will only allow Shadow Settings to graphics.