Current Course:
Using Microsoft and Google’s “Breakthrough”
FREE Artificial Intelligence (AI) apps to assist students with hearing, visual, and reading problems or disabilities
A 3.5 hour online webinar course divided into 3 separate sessions
Total cost $39 to $59 per teacher (depending on numbers booked)
The course was awarded a 90% rating by teachers participating
in the December 2020 webinar sessions (see detailed feedback below)
Eight ways Microsoft and Google’s free “breakthrough” Text-to-Speech, Speech-to-Text, and other Artificial Intelligence (AI) apps can be used in learning support
Advances in Deep Learning, Neural Networked, Self-Teaching Artificial Intelligence has allowed Microsoft and Google to produce Text to-Speech, Speech to Text and other apps of quality and ease-of-use unimaginable only one year ago.
The power of these apps can help teachers boost the achievement of ALL students with learning shortfalls and/or disabilities, in ALL subject areas
The apps can help:
Improve student reading fluency
Improve understanding, structure, presentation and punctuation in student work
Improve student speaking skills and confidence
Improve student reading skills and comprehension through manipulating phonics and phonemes in speech-to-text
Automate speech-to-text typing and transcription
Help teachers create professional quality individualised audio resources, using text-to-speech, for visually disabled and dyslexic students
Help teachers create professional quality individualised reading resources, using speech-to-text, for hearing-disabled students
Automatically transcribe your lessons into text for visually disabled and dyslexic students using speech-to-text
A 3.5-hour hands-on course
Consisting of one 30-minute introductory webinar and two 90-minute workshop webinars
Based on extensive international and Australian research
Collaborative Learning
Feedback from participants in the 2020 course indicated that those who studied the course in a collaborative group reported exceptionally high achievement of their course goals.
We strongly recommend you complete the course as part of a group of 3-4 colleagues.
If you aren’t able to join with colleagues in a group we recommend you accept our offer to link you at no extra cost into a 3-person Zoom group of teachers who have similar education interests to yours.
Pricing (including GST):
Solo participant: $59
Two teachers from the same school: $109
Three teachers from the same school: $149
Four teachers from the same school: $179
Additional teachers above four: $39 each
Pricing reduces according to numbers due to lower setup, support and administration costs
Webinar dates and times
The Introductory and Workshop Webinar sessions will be held daily each weekday during the three weeks of Monday 17th May to Friday 4th June.
You can choose the session any week that best suits you for each of the three components, i.e. the Introduction, the Webinar part-1 and the Webinar-part 2. However your sessions must be completed in that order, i.e. the Introduction first, then the Webinar Workshop part-1, and then the Webinar Workshop part 2.
In the table below Type is:
I = Introduction Webinar
W1 = Workshop Webinar 1
W2 = Workshop Webinar 2
All times are your local time (i.e. your Australian state’s local time or New Zealand local time)
| Mondays | Type | Tuesdays | Type | Wednesdays | Type | Thursdays | Type | Fridays | Type |
| 8:30-9:10 | I | 8:30-10:00 | W2 | 8:30-9:10 | I | 8:30-10:00 | W1 | 8:30-10:00 | W2 |
| 9:30-11:00 | W1 | 10:15-10:55 | I | 9:30-11:00 | W1 | 10:15-11:45 | W2 | 10:15-10:55 | I |
| 11:30-12:10 | I | 11:15-12:45 | W1 | 11:15-12:45 | W2 | 12:00-1:30 | W1 | 11:15-12:45 | W1 |
| 12:30-2:00 | W2 | 1:00-1:40 | I | 1:00-1:40 | I | 1:45-2:25 | I | 1:00-1:40 | I |
| 2:15-3:45 | W1 | 2:00-3:30 | W1 | 2:00-3:30 | W2 | 3:30-3:10 | I | 2:00-3:30 | W1 |
| 4:00-5:30 | W2 | 3:40-5:10 | W2 | 3:40-5:10 | W1 | 3:45-4:25 | I | 3:40-5:10 | W2 |
Register for the course
Feedback from Participants
in the December 2020 courses
Feedback from New South Wales teachers
A highly effective course, with visuals & pictorials making it even easier to grasp concepts. Providing in-depth, science based, relevant information. An excellent resource for teacher professional learning and understanding of learning difficulties associated with Working Memory and cognitive overload. As a primary learning and support teacher the text-to speech and speech-to text tools can be adopted for our ASD, non-verbal, trauma affected, ADHD, anxiety students.
Marguerite Elkins, Cardiff Public School
Felicity Chamberlain, Panania North Public School
The segment on Cognitive overload was most helpful. It gave me new insight into cognitive overload and how to tackle it. The technology aspects were absolutely mind blowing, I never knew the power of Microsoft Azure, but I agree with the presenter that traditional “Rote learning” still has a part to play in these days of AI. I now need time to absorb it. Best done with teaching colleagues who one can analyse and discuss it with.
Satinder Sandhu, Westfields Sports High School
Feedback from Queensland teachers
The workshops and the content delivered were great. Learning about cognitive load theory was very valuable. The webinars were content heavy but the fact that they could be paused and rewound allowed time to stop and fiddle with programs at my own pace without feeling rushed.
However it needs to be completed in a group to gain most value, not alone as I did.
Rachelle Lumsden, Springwood Road State School
Elizabeth Biegel, Jamboree Heights State School
The content was relevant and interesting, with links to the research on which the workshops were based. The demonstrations of how use each website were valuable as well as the provision of real-life examples.
Claire Ceuls, Edens Landing State School
Feedback from Victoria teachers
A good introduction to AI. I was particularly interested in working and stored memory and the WM load reducing techniques, and was inspired to read more of that research. The explanations of the Azure program were easy to follow and I liked how it is possible to use different dialects and speeds to enhance text to speech. It was good to have all relevant information clips, articles etc presented on the screen so we didn’t have to jump around on our own screens. I would have liked to have been able to discuss ideas with colleagues rather than complete it on my own.
Andrea Garwood, Hillsmeade Primary School
I learnt an enormous amount about speech to text and text to speech which will be fantastic to use. I also found the information videos very interesting and enlightening. I work with vision impaired primary aged students and we have been trying to use word dictation for stories with little success. I cannot wait to use Azure and Audacity with them. I originally did this course with one particular student in mind, but I also will now use this technology with the other students.
Belinda Marshall, Maldon Primary School
I found the information in the introduction module very relevant to the workshop. The way AI learns things was very informative and seems to relate to the way students learn. Being able to pause, rewind and reconfirm things said in the webinar suited me very well as I like to go and experiment with what is being presented then return to go to the next section. A few years ago I tried to find some adequate speech to text for a disability student I had as his speech was distorted there wasn’t anything available that was adequate. I now intend to present the technology learned here to the School I relieve at.
Michele Thompson, Seaford Primary School
Feedback from Western Australia teachers
The information about how AI works through a computer was very interesting, and challenges you to think about how you can use a computer to help your students. I found being exposed to the platform interesting, and it was good to see other platforms that can be used for delivery.
Judith Williams, School Of Isolated and Distance Education
I found the introductory module really interesting and engaging as it showed aspects of life that my students could end up working in. As a Design and Technology teacher the highlight of the workshop sections for me was Google Teachable Machine which I can implement easily into my programs and let others know about.
