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Education manager Jean Holder, first obtained authorisation from the manager at Lincolnshire House to use the telephone line in a small office in an adjoining room to the classroom. I then discovered the office only had enough room for one resident in a wheelchair and that the telephone wall connection was the old type without a plug-in. The manager at LH agreed to update the connection and I purchased a 20 meter extension lead so that the laptop could be used in the classroom. The lead was trailed along a wall, above a door and taped to the floor so that any major health and safety problems were overcome.

On Friday 12 November I set up the laptop and telephone connection to demonstrate and practice using the internet and Email to the literacy class of 9 student. All the students were able to group around the laptop set up on a small table. Their disabilities meant mouse handling skills were not possible and reading text from the screen, because of literacy levels and size of type, was also virtually impossible.

Discussion established that they all Knew the words ‘internet’ and ‘Email’ but had little understanding of what they were and how they were used and there was much confusion between the two. Careful explanation, lot’s of examples and further discussion solved this.

They now understood that the internet was for finding out information and I asked them for subjects to search for a noted these on the whiteboard. Three subjects were chosen –Boyzone, the Lincolnshire Life Museum and hotels in Cyprus. These examples also showed, through demonstration, that being precise and refining the search is important.

We then connected to the net and the students listened with great interest to the laptop dialling the number. All the sites were found, briefly examined and explained and all had pictures which surprised most of them.

I then explained the difference between a search and looking for a website when you know the address. I asked then if they knew any addresses (not really expecting an answer) and they nearly all replied in unison "bbc dot co dot uk", and two added "forward slash…er", (the power of television!). A student keyed in the address and we looked at the BBC main website and selected some sites to view.

It was then break and I told them we would be looking at Email afterwards- they were back in record time! They did not know what the E stood for and after some questioning about how the computer actually worked, we arrived at the answer. The question of security was discussed and how this is overcome and also how Email applies to industry and it’s benefits over conventional means of mass communication.

We then Emailed my home address with a practice message: another tutor with a message from a student that he would not be able to attend her class next week: and a final letter to a tutor in London, Also taking part in the ALCI, introducing themselves and asking if any of her students would like to communicate with them.

Apart from the last message, individual students keyed in the addresses from the whiteboard notes and others keyed in the text from their dictation to the whiteboard or paper. All students that were able to key in from the laptop, did so.

There was a final brief discussion on how the internet and Email might apply to their work and to helping their English skills. Ideas that came from the students were:

This was a brief and fast paced introduction, which clearly stimulated and motivated the group and promised some effective future work to further their development in communication skills generally and achieve aims and objectives.

Care must now be taken to avoid any potential problems:

As well as hoping for further communication with other students and groups through ACLKI, I would like to investigate setting up a Lincolnshire website.
Brian Nugent.

Here I am using the laptop computer.

My name is David Bryant and I live at Lincolnshire House in Scunthorpe. I come to English classes every Monday night and have used the laptop computer quite a lot. I really enjoy working with the laptop.

I talked to my tutor, Brian, about all the thing we have done with the laptop and he took these photo’s of me working.

I am very keen on cricket. Last year I used Encarta to find out about the History of cricket. I also found out about the laws of cricket and printed this out to read. It was very interesting.

We used inhouse reading disc and I worked on identifying lots of signs. They were good because most of them were health and safety signs. I had never heard the computer talking before.

I have used the word processor to help with my spelling and write sentences. I like writing about where I have been and about my hobbies. I do other work to help with my English and especially my punctuation. I miss out commas, full stops and capital letters sometimes. I am getting better though.

In December we used inhealth reading disc and had a debate. Other people in the group joined in. We talked about Christmas and looking after old people. Brian Typed what we said and we read it when it was printed. We then changed some of the words and sentences to make them sound better.

I can use one hand and one finger but I am quite fast.

My name is David Bryant and I live at Lincolnshire House, a residential home for people with cerebral palsy. I like cricket and snooker but not football. We go bowling on Saturday morning and we have two games. I’ve won the trophy three times and we have to take the trophy back each week.

I am going to watch the test match in Leeds in August. My Dad and myself joined the Northern Cricket Club in a hotel. They have speakers to talk about cricket and I would have liked to have met John Arlott and all the Yorkshire players who were giving talks on the game.

I would love to get Emails from you.

This is a copy of a letter I wrote. I wrote it in the class and then Brian sent it home to lots of tutors. It is an Email and I would like to get some Email pen pals.

We haven’t got a telephone plug in our classroom. So we cannot use the internet yet or send Emails from here.

But now the good news. We are moving after half term to a brand new building. We will have a telephone plug in our new room. So we can go on the internet which I have never seen. I want to find out about the Yorkshire cricket team and write a project about cricket.

I also want to write more letters or Emails to people and get some back.

I have enjoyed using the laptop computer. I have used the BBC computer before but this is much better.

I bought my own desktop computer last year but I haven’t used it very much. But now I have worked on the laptop, I am going to use my own computer much more.

I don’t use the laptop every week. I still have to read from paper and do exercises to find the right word and the right spelling. I cannot use a pen to write but I can use a computer. The laptop means I can work on my own and write which I enjoy doing.
David Bryant

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