PointScribe for the iPad: Market Research

As I've mentioned, we are developing PointScribe as an app for the iPad.  Would you be willing to help me with some market research?

Based on how you use iPads with your students or children at home, what is a reasonable price for PointScribe "the app"???

Please visit our company FaceBook page to answer (see post 10.20.11):
http://www.facebook.com/pages/PointScribe/192441061671

or eMail me directly: gmrichards@pointscribe.com


Many thanks for your thoughtful consideration.

Closing the Gap Wrap Up

I'm back now in Colorado Springs following a productive trip to exhibit PointScribe at Closing the Gap in Minneapolis. I learned a lot from both educator attendees and vendors:

• General Ed classroom teachers are scrambling---desperate for easy, cost effective ways to keep handwriting in the classroom now that states adopting the Common Core Standards no longer require them to teach it. Many Special Ed professionals were grabbing our info for their General Ed counterparts.
• The iPad is a continued source of contention. Educators like many aspects of it---ease of use, portability, captivation... but don't like fighting a prevailing mood from parents that it is a magic bullet that can "fix what's wrong" with their child.
• Vendors waffle on the iPad App issue---many have robust software already built using Flash---which the iPad does not support.  Reworking their software from the ground up is a daunting prospect.
• Transitioning existing software to an App is also especially when many express trepidation that the kinks for overall deployment within a school system using iPad have not been fully worked out. Many are waiting for those who "were the first to stampede through that door" to make the mistakes and thus define best practices. 

I also want to give a shout out to  to two vendors who have been around for while---familiar faces at Closing the Gap---for a reason:  their products and services work: 

• Laureate Learning:  Laureate offers more than 50 computer programs for individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), language impairments, developmental disabilities, Down syndrome, aphasia, and traumatic brain injury.
• AAC Tech Connect:  A valuate source for toolkits, online resources, and workshops that simplify the augmentative communication evaluation process.  

 Next stop for PointScribe:  NAEYC in Orlando! (National Association for the Education of Young Children.

PointScribe Field Dispatch from Closing the Gap

I'm writing this post from Minneapolis where I am exhibiting PointScribe at Closing the Gap. The first night of the conference brought almost all new faces to our booth so that was great to spend the evening introducing PointScribe to people for the very first time. 

During set up earlier in the day, it was great to see old friends in the the form of many vendors who were also getting their booths ready:  Proxtalker, Vizzle, and Tap-It to name a few. All fantastic people with fantastic products. The folks at Tap-It were also generous enough to put PointScribe on one their demo machines and it looks sensational. 

The buzz from the first night of the show was varied---lots of people asked about our drive to point PointScribe on the iPad, others were lamenting that their districts had taken handwriting instruction out of the official curriculum. Many people were surprised to learn that PointScribe does run on a whiteboard/smartboard. (And that always surprises me!)

Tomorrow the show runs throughout the day an I expect more time for more in depth conversations. Tonight, people were getting the lay of the land, enjoying appetizers and thinking about dinner. It was productive, but tomorrow, we'll all get down to business.

PointScribe Fundamentals

It's ten days into our KickStarter campaign and things are heating up. Thanks to everyone who has pledged in these early days and to those who are considering participation. We see the momentum in terms of traffic and contact: we are grateful for your enthusiasm and interest.

In our KickStarter profile we have the opportunity to talk about our mission and meeting the demand for development of PointScribe for iPad/Apple operating systems. We talk about PointScribe's appeal across all student populations and how WELL it works. We want to take this opportunity to show you HOW it works so well.

PointScribe is based on Four Fundamentals:

1.  PointScribe never allows a student to write a shape incorrectly.

2.  PointScribe always responds with positive reinforcement when students:

• Begin writing a shape from the correct start position.
• Continue to write each stroke in the correct direction.
• Write a shape following the correct sequence of strokes for that shape.
• Complete the shape at the correct end point of the final stroke in that shape.

3.  PointScribe consistently responds by requiring the student to re-write a stroke when it detects that a student:

• Attempts to write the stroke in the wrong direction.
• Inappropriately lifts the stylus (or finger) from the screen while completing a stroke.
• Writes outside of the shape outline.

4.  PointScribe continually analyzes handwriting data to provide detailed
reports for more effective teaching, assessment, and intervention.