Disclaimer: All materials contained in the Herbi.org web site are provided on an “as is” basis only and without any warranty or representation, whether express or implied, as to its accuracy or reliability. Guy Barker assumes no responsibility or liability for any injury, loss or damage incurred as a result of any use or reliance upon the information and material contained within or downloaded from the website.

Quick tips for getting started with Herbi Writer

Herbi Writer now runs on Smart Boards!

Smart Board users click here to learn more

Welcome to the "Accessibility and the Tablet PC" web site. The goal of this site is to show how the Tablet PC may be able to help in the field of Accessibility, in ways that may not be so well suited to other computers. The site relies on visitors to the site sending feedback and suggestions as to how the site can be made more useful.

This web site has been created by Guy Barker; a software design engineer with the Microsoft Corporation. Guy spent many years working in the Tablet PC group at Microsoft, and is always interested in ideas for simple programs which could help demonstrate the potential for the Tablet PC in the field of Accessibility. Please send feedback to Barker@Herbi.org.

Recent feedback from a parent trying out Herbi Writer with his son:

"After your demo/introduction I was eager to introduce Herbi and the devices to my son to help with his handwriting exercises. I was so excited that instead following the more planned path that we usually do to introduce therapy or exercises I tried a more direct approach hoping that my son was going to get interested basically because the coolness of the devices." Read more...

Recent update to Herbi Writer

• Changing the color of the sample letter and the color of the student's letter. Read more...

• Request help if there are problems when the program starts. Read more...

• Get a report of how the student session went. Read more about reports...

• Create your own letters. Read about customizing the sample letters shown...

• The steps for evaluating a student's letter have been improved, to reduce the likelihood of an incorrect letter being evaluated as correct. To learn more about the evaluation steps taken, and how advanced users can tune the steps to get the best results for their students, click Herbi Writer's letter evaluation process.

• You can now have text spoken or a sound file played when the student's letter is evaluated. For example, Herbi Writer might say "Great job!" or "Try again". Read more about speech...

• You can now have the background lines and sample ink shown at the bottom of the Herbi Writer program rather than the top. This makes it easier for smaller students to use Herbi Writer at a Smart Board. To control where the background lines appear, click the "Settings" button and then click the "Layout" tab. You'll then see a check box which you can use to move the background lines up or down.

Recent update to Tablet PC Speech Assistant

The following changes have been made to make it easier to correct text:

• A single tap on a word in the sentence being built up will select the word, so that it can be replaced by the next text added.

• The top-of-pen eraser now removes only the ink it touches, (rather than all the ink.)

• A new Undo button will remove the text most recently added to the sentence being built up.