|
|
Intellitools - Our History
1979 - Today
Technology Access Starts with a Keyboard
|
| In
1979, to help a friend with Cerebral Palsy, Steve Gensler creates
the Unicorn Keyboard. This remarkable tool, accessed with a
head wand, launches the firm Unicorn Engineering. |
 |
|
| In the
mid-eighties, Arjan Khalsa, current CEO, joins Unicorn Engineering.
His creativity helps forge IntelliTools, Inc. in 1991, and shapes
a new vision for assistive technology. |
|
|
IntelliTools
launches IntelliKeys®,
the sleek, sophisticated membrane keyboard that dramatically increases
computer access for people with disabilities. |
|
| To
increase the functionality of IntelliKeys, IntelliTools introduces
a line of Creativity Tools - Overlay
Maker®, IntelliTalk®,
IntelliPics®
and ClickIt!®
- that allow teachers to create accessible multimedia
activities. |
|
|
IntelliTools
Math R&D
In 1992, IntelliTools pioneers research in computer-based math education
for students with diverse learning needs. With support from both
NSF and NIH, we embark on efforts to develop the most comprehensive,
universally designed math software available. Out of this research
comes:
|
|
|
Number
Concepts 1
for grades K-2
Number Concepts 2
for grades 3-5
IntelliMathics®
for grades K-6, created with Ann-Patrice Hickey, Ph.D., formerly
of CAST. |
| | |
|
|
|
|
Early
Literacy R&D
 Our
literacy research starts in the mid-1990s, working with Mary Male,
Ph.D., San Jose State University, leading to the development of:
Hands-On Concepts:
Animal Habitats, for grades preK-1. Our next effort, the
Hands-on Early Literacy Project (HELP), involves a national research
effort directed by Richard D. Howell, Ph.D., and associates at Ohio
State University, and Karen Erickson, Ph.D., Coordinator of the
Center for Literacy and Disability Studies, University of North
Carolina, Chapel Hill, leading to the development of two award-winning
programs: IntelliTools®Reading:
Balanced Literacy for grades K-2 and IntelliTalk
II®, for grades K-8.
|
Curriculum-Based
Software
 In 2001, we expand our efforts into curriculum-based classroom products. Our ReadyMade Curriculum
Activities line, developed to correlate with national and representative state
standards, complements classroom content and support all learning styles: incorporating
text, graphics, animation, on-screen manipulation, speech output, and recorded
sounds.
Titles include:
|
Our
Next Generation of Software
 In
late 2003 we released the much-anticipated IntelliTools
Classroom Suite, bringing together into a cross-platform,
network-ready integrated suite our three award-winning classroom
tools:
- IntelliPics® Studio 3
- IntelliMathics® 3
- IntelliTalk® 3
IntelliTools Classroom Suite is a skill-building tool for
K-8 students, designed to boost their achievement on standards-based
tests and help meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) goals under the
No Child Left Behind Act.
It provides teachers with a systematic approach to critical skills
practice. And it provides students with engaging practice activities
to help them improve in reading, writing, and math.
-
Teachers use IntelliTools Classroom to
target critical learning areas and address the skills students
need to master with curriculum-based practice activities.
-
Students use IntelliTools Classroom to
practice skills: it is engaging, interactive, motivational,
systematic, and intentional in skill building, addressing the
diverse needs of all students.
-
IntelliTools Classroom tracks and reports
students’ work on practice activities and tests, providing
teachers with immediate feedback on student performance.
Since its launch, IntelliTools Classroom Suite has been
adopted by several districts who in turn have become formal Reference
Sites. Their implementation models and success stories can be found
on our Case Studies pages.
Recent
Technology Upgrades and Launches
During 2004 and 2005, we devoted much of our product development
efforts on enhancing IntelliTools Classroom Suite and upgrading
Overlay Maker and IntelliKeys USB for greater ease of use
and compatibility with a number of hardware and software providers.
With Overlay Maker
3 you can create custom overlays for any IntelliTools
Classroom Suite activity. IntelliTools Classroom will create
the keys for your overlays, which you can edit and print with Overlay
Maker 3.
It is also now easier to make several versions of the overlay to
meet the needs of different children:
- You can add or delete keys, or view as pictures, pictures and
text, or text alone.
- Overlays can be as simple as a single key or as complex as 120
keys.
- Keys can perform basic actions such as inserting text or graphics
into a document.
- They can also perform complex actions such as launching a series
of multimedia images complete with animation and recorded sound.
In a major free upgrade to IntelliKeys
USB owners, new features now provide easy, seamless compatibility
with popular hardware and software programs. And a new Applications
tab found in the IntelliKeys Control Panel is a new feature that
allows you to use IntelliKeys with a wide range of software, especially
those programs that may not have overlay access built in. This means
you can now easily attach overlays created with Overlay Maker
3 to your favorite computer applications.
Popular
Software Overlays for IntelliKeys, released in the fall
of 2005, is a readymade set of overlays providing you seamless alternative
access to popular software programs, including:
- America Online, Inc.
- Apple Computer, Inc.
- Don Johnston, Inc.
- Freedom Scientific, Inc.
- Inspiration Software, Inc.
- Kurzweil Educational Systems, Inc.
- Microsoft Assistive Technology Vendor Program
|
|
|
|
|