The following are in no particular order

Inform ESF staff about the following:

Distribute information about the new versions of Textease .... a multimedia Desk Top Publiusher that now offers an integral 'spreadsheet' function, audio inputing from students and multilingual features.

I met with Liz Hankin and a new facilitator, Trevor Pedley and we compiled the provisional programme for the ESF ICT Support Assessors INSET in May. See the website for the result.

I met with both SEMERC and Inclusive Technology staff to discuss the possibility of modifying the ESF ICT INSET programme to improve the support to SEN. (the ICAA scheme is not particularly strong in the area of SEN)

SEMERC staff met where Elaine Hampson who has provided INSET in HK for the ESF previously. and
Inclusive Technology Martin Littler (Managing Director) and Trish Hornsey (Development Director)

Inclusive Technology seem to be focussing on support for SLD whereas SEMERC is more general.

Follow up includes meeting with staff from the JCSRC to discuss possible ways of modifying the ESF ICT training and funding issues and also to meet with Liz Muscroft to discuss funding further.

The NAACE Annual Conference marked the launch of the Inspection Web site. Margaret Danby and Ruth Bourne have led this initiative, which is a BECTa/NAACE collaboration. It is part of an on-going programme of ICT Inspection support, in consultation with Ofsted. It builds on and effectively replaces the joint publications 'Inspecting IT' and 'Reviewing IT'.

The site caters for a broad range of inspectors, whether you are an experienced inspector of ICT or a subject inspector contributing to judgements about ICT. The first phase focuses on the inspection of standards and teaching in ICT. A range of guidance and resources will be added as the site is developed further during 2000. The launch at Conference and was very well received by members.
It is in the Support Providers area on the BECTa web server at

Let INSET co-ordinators know of the opportunities for professional development support at this website.

"MirandaNet strives to enrich the lifelong learning of professionals involved in education. Using advanced technologies the Fellowship spans social, vocational, cultural and political divides to create lifelong learning solutions for the education marketplace. MirandaNet provides an innovative and inclusive forum for the agents of change that recognises individual learning patterns through peer mentoring and action research strategies."

At the BECTA (http://www.becta.org.uk)stand at the NAACE exhibition there were two booklets on "Making the most of the NGfL" .. one for primary teachers and one for secondary.

Muliple copies have been ordered for distribution to ESF ICT co-ordinators and ESF ICT Suport Assessors.

I met John Crick at the Exhibition, we first met at BETT about eight years ago ... he has produced some award winning software called "Clicker" .... but has now expanded to produce other packages, many being multiplatform and of particular interest to SEN and primary education (especially literacy).

I brought back a copy of "Wordbar" for the PC, plan to evaluate it and let the relevant staff know about it.

I brought back two copies of Windows 2000 ... donated by Microsoft ... one is now with Steve Hallam, Peak

Follow up meeting with Chris Warren who works for ACTIS which is part of the Capita Group offering NOF INSET training.

Chris is particularly interesting in forming a link between Actis and EAL staff to provide materials for their 'englishonline' website. I shall contact staff i/c EAL and EAL trainers to see if they wish to take up this opportunity after negotiating detailed needs with Chris Warren.

The Actis websites are worth visiting ... but they are subscription services about £150 per year per school:... for evaluation purposes ESF staff might like to try using the username: becta2000 and password: becta2000

Inform colleagues of the resource for Key Stage 2 ... an interactive teaching resourceproviding an insight into life in victorian Britain.

Investigate this project in more detail ...... it offers primary and secondary schools with an easy tool to build and house collaborative learning communities.... it uses Oracle 8i. The service is provided free to educators and contains no advertising.

Follow up discussions with David Edmunds, this is a UK company who are offering schools a complete website and management solution for free.... they have a very good reputation and an excellent product... this is available to ESF schools and they are keen to help us. I am looking for one or two ESF schools to trial this and report back.

Contact Patricia Love (Pro.Dev.Officer) to arrange a day at Anglia Multimedia in July, in Norwich to discuss access to their teacher ICT professional development resources. This is with investigating and planning for after the 2002 ESF ICAA programme has been completed.

I also met Gareth Davies (Head of Professional Development), Mike Taylor (Sales and Marketing Director) and Steve Lepper (Education Services Manager)

Order catalogues for all ESF Support Assessors.

Inform ESF schoolsof this opportunity.... (but eventually a subscription service) .... schools can try this online education service Free for one month; T&L materials, over 2000 schools already online.

To register a school for the free trial email to support@angliaed.co.uk

Distribute information to schools about the "Bears Ahoy" project "Accessing Literacy Hour using dual language texts through ICT" (English / Dhaka Bangla / French / Cantonese).

A multimedia CD-ROM developed and trialled by the Bilingual Learners Support Services (BLSS) in conjunction with Portsmouth schools as part of a NGfL project. The story explores a range of common dual-language intercultural themes such as transport, homes,food, clothes, leisure, places of worship (but often around Portsmouth). The package incorporates activities designed to meet word/sentence/text level objectives in the NLS. It allows students to work in an independent and self-directed way, and is particularly supportive of children with EAL needs.

Contact: Chris Pim at BLSS, Craneswater Junior School Site, St.Ronan's Road, Southsea PO4 0PX.

Obtain and distribute the URL of this site when online.

Becta is developing a website to specifically focus on supporting teachers of pupils with special educational needs and will be of immediate interest to SENCos, parents, learning support assistants, school advisors and inspectors.

This will be a gatefway site to information. Resources will be submitted on-line by publishers, practitioners, LEAs, researchers and schools. When fully developed the site should provide information on

• ways to support inclusion
• materials, access strategies and examples of good practice
• contacts for products and services
• access to self-study materials and professional networks.

The site will be officially launched on 23rd March at the UK Education Show, the project is being co-ordinated by Chris Stevens, Head of SEN and Inclusion at Becta.

Follow-up contact made with Dave Catlin (Managing Director) &order catalogues for all primary ICT Support Assessors.

This company not only produces the well known "Roamer" and "Valiant Turtle" but also "Maths-U" and control technology hard/software (Inventa). Checkout the Valiant website for free Roamer Support materials and worksheets.