1. On CD as a series of PDF files ready to print, and including two powerpoint presentations

2. A combined pack comprising the CD and as a printed manual in a large ring binder, accompanied by the booklet Introduction to Symbols and the book Symbols Now, by Dr Chris Abbott

This pack contains a wealth of detailed information and help sheets to guide you through using symbols, using Writing with Symbols 2000 and running training events. There are some 200 pages in the pack. The materials are copyright Widgit Software, but may be copied for use within the purchasing organisation.

	Price	Code
Training Pack CD	£25.00	WRSYTR02
Training Pack Print & CD	£80.00	WRSYTR03

What the pack contains:

Section 1. How to use the Pack

Ideas on how to use the pack with different groups of users. It contains suggestions of which worksheets can be used in training sessions including some suggested timetables. It also includes a skills checklist, which can be used for recording progress as people work through the pack.

Section 2. Using Symbols

A background to using symbols and symbol software. It looks at some different symbol uses, discusses some of the different types of symbols available and some of the issues surrounding their selection for meeting different needs.

Some of the illustrations from this introduction are also included in Section 5: Supplementary Materials, as full page material which can be copied onto OHP transparency sheets to support presentations in training. It is hoped that presenters would gradually replace these and add their own examples.

Section 3. Using Writing with Symbols 2000

This section is comprised of 16 activities which takes the user, step by step, through the key aspects of the program. The first two activities give overviews of the program. The others deal with particular aspects of WWS2000. The activities should be followed in the order that they are presented. Basic skills are presented in the earlier activities which users will need to be familiar with in order to complete the later ones. The activities are designed so that anybody can work through them and stop when they have reached the level that they are working at currently. There is a skills checklist in Section 1 which lists all of the features covered, by the activities. This will help users to see where they are along the learning path and help trainers to see the anticipated learning outcomes.

Section 4. Help Sheets

A series of Help Sheets on specific topics. Some of these support the Activities in Section 3. Other Help Sheets give information on quite specific aspects of the program WWS2000. There are currently 25 Help Sheets.

Section 5. Supplementary Materials

This section contains some materials that may be of use to trainers running workshops. They are particularly aimed at trainers who may want to do presentations on the use of symbols and some of the issues that this raises. There is a list of points that may be relevant, and there are two sets of materials which can be photocopied onto Overhead Transparency Film. These comprise 20 slides with examples of symbol use and 18 slides on the nature and choice of symbols.

The CD version of the Training Pack contains a PDF file entitled Ideas, gives examples of symbol use. This can be used as a handout at a training session and also two Powerpoint presentations which support the information in Section 2. These will be useful for either group presentation or self-study.

Section 6. Topics for Discussion

This section introduces some topics, which may make useful discussions as part of a training day. They may be issues that are about to be addressed in the organisation using symbols. For example creating accessible information, the relationship between the symbol and text, mixing symbols from different sets and designing your own symbols. This section will be of interest to all those working with users and creating materials to be used by people with learning disabilities.

Section 7. Sources of Information and References

A list of publications, articles and where you might get them, and on-line sources of information on symbols, symbol sets and how to find web sites which include symbols.

Section 8. Projects - Things to Make

This has two examples of unusual environments made in Writing with Symbols 2000. They take you step by step through the process of making these. You can then adapt them for your own purposes. We welcome materials from colleagues that can be used to add to this section.

Section 9. Additional Resources included in the pack: (Printed version only)

A1. Information booklet Introduction to Symbols

This may be reproduced as an information sheet for parents, carers or for lay-people new to the field. It covers much of the same ground as Section 1 of this pack, but in a little less detail.

A2. 'Symbols Now' by Chris Abbott

Symbols Now is a collection of examples of ways in which pictorial symbols are being used with and by people with learning difficulties. The book is full of examples from practitioners who wish to share their experience more widely, to the benefit of everybody working in the field. The book highlights interesting and good practice which will help to inform newcomers and experts alike. Symbols Now is edited by Chris Abbott from Kings College, London.