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How to add control of student sound/recording volume, sidetone, restart, and more to a Sanako Study 1200 environment, using the Launch Program feature and AutoIt

2014/08/22 plagwitz 1 comment

UPDATE: A Windows7 (and Vista) version – which also uses a simplified deployment mechanism – is in the works, check back for a new post here.
In refining our Sanako classroom setup, we improved the control, that the Sanako Study 1200 affords the teacher over the student clients in the computerized classroom,
by extending the built-in Launch Program feature
with custom-made executables (realized in AutoIt V3) that can control the volume (here on Windows XP SP3).
This it how it works: Launch any of the programs (what each does is in its name) to any individual/group of students or the entire class in order to do any of these things on the student computers that the Sanako out of the box does not allow you to control, and that I often wish I could do when teaching language classes in a Sanako (or other computerized classroom management system) environment, like
1. controlling the volume of what the students
  1. hears
  2. records
2. turning the student sidetone (= echoing back the student microphone into the student headset) on and off
3. starting/pausing Windows Media Player
4. launching/closing quiz files in MS-Word
5. restarting an entire (misbehaving) student applications
Here is what we have:
Here is how using what we have looks like:
You can now request the download of these language lab enhancing programs, including source code, here.

Categories: audience-is-IT-staff, audience-is-language-learning-center-manager, audience-is-teachers, e-languages, service-is-programming, software-old Tags: autoit, ms-windows, programming, sanako-study-1200, sanakoaudioconfigonthefly, xp

A list of Windows XP accessibility features and related keyboard shortcuts

2014/08/22 plagwitz Leave a comment

FILTERKEYS	Contains information about the FilterKeys accessibility feature, which enables a user with disabilities to set the keyboard repeat rate (RepeatKeys), acceptance delay (SlowKeys), and bounce rate (BounceKeys).
HIGHCONTRAST	Contains information about the high contrast accessibility feature.
MOUSEKEYS	Contains information about the MouseKeys accessibility feature. When the MouseKeys feature is active, the user can use the numeric keypad to control the mouse pointer, and to click, double-click, drag, and drop. By pressing NUMLOCK, the user can toggle the numeric keypad between mouse control mode and normal operation.
SERIALKEYS	Contains information about the SerialKeys accessibility feature, which interprets data from a communication aid attached to a serial port as commands causing the system to simulate keyboard and mouse input.
SOUNDSENTRY	Contains information about the SoundSentry accessibility feature. When the SoundSentry feature is on, the computer displays a visual indication only when a sound is generated.
STICKYKEYS	Contains information about the StickyKeys accessibility feature. When the StickyKeys feature is on, the user can press a modifier key (SHIFT, CTRL, or ALT) and then another key in sequence rather than at the same time, to enter shifted (modified) characters and other key combinations.
TOGGLEKEYS	Contains information about the ToggleKeys accessibility feature. When the ToggleKeys feature is on, the computer emits a high-pitched tone whenever the user turns on the CAPS LOCK, NUM LOCK, or SCROLL LOCK key, and a low-pitched tone whenever the user turns off one of those keys.

Pasted from <http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dd317974(v=vs.85).aspx>

Watch these keys:

Right Shift for eight seconds (Switch FilterKeys on or off)
Left Alt+left Shift+Print Screen (Switch High Contrast on or off)
Left Alt+left Shift+Num Lock (Switch the MouseKeys on or off)
Shift five times (Switch the StickyKeys on or off)
Num Lock for five seconds (Switch the ToggleKeys on or off)
Windows Logo +U (Open Utility Manager)

Pasted from <http://support.microsoft.com/kb/301583#method4>

In addition, this article shows and explains all the settings dialogues for accessibility options in Windows XP.

Categories: e-infrastructure, Operating-system Tags: accessibility, ms-windows, xp

Request to download the digital audio lab classroom audio configuration on the fly, program and source for Windows XP

2014/08/22 plagwitz Leave a comment

UPDATE: A Windows7 (and Vista) version is in the works, check back for a new post here.

Name(required)

Email(required)

Institution(required)

How do you plan to use this software?(required)

Questions or comments?

sanakoaudioconfigonthefly(=THE SOFTWARE) - even though it has been extensively both tested (strongly suggested you do the same first) and run in production by THE AUTHOR - is provided "AS IS" and "WITH ALL FAULTS," without warranty of any kind, including without limitation the warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement. Although THE AUTHOR has attempted to find and correct any bugs in THE SOFTWARE programs, THE AUTHOR makes no warranty that THE SOFTWARE is free of defects or is suitable for any particular purpose. In no event shall THE AUTHOR be responsible for loss or damages arising from the installation or use of THE SOFTWARE, including but not limited to any indirect, punitive, special, incidental or consequential damages of any character including, without limitation, damages for loss of goodwill, work stoppage, computer failure or malfunction, or any and all other commercial damages or losses. The entire risk as to the quality and performance of THE SOFTWARE is borne by you. Should THE SOFTWARE prove defective, you and not THE AUTHOR assume the entire cost of any service and repair. THE AUTHOR is under no obligation to provide support, service, corrections, or upgrades to THE SOFTWARE programs. For more information, please send an email to THE AUTHOR (trpsoft@outlook.com). (required)

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Back to description of reset of classroom audio configuration on the fly program

Categories: audience-is-language-learning-center-manager, compiledcode, digital-audio-lab, e-infrastructure, forms, service-is-programming, sourcecode Tags: audio, autoit, ms-windows, sanako-study-1200, sanakoaudioconfigonthefly, xp

How to use Remote Desktop Connection Manager for computer lab access instead of having to manage faculty computers

2014/08/22 plagwitz Leave a comment

We have conflicting needs for a language technology software environment: diversity, simplicity, quality, manageability. We use of software configuration management tools like TEM. However, we are sitting between an extremely diverse user base (supporting 17 languages) in our unit and a central IT support with a diverse base of units to support.
Enter MSTSC, facilitated by Remote Desktop Connection Manager: . If your LRC allows for MSTSC access, consider providing faculty access to a LRC computers via Remote Desktop.
this is for us a great time saver, compared with maintaining subsets of software on subsets of faculty computers that are as similar to the configuration of the subset software on LRC computers as possible,
while for faculty at the same time a realistic test bed what it will be like to operate LRC computers during class.
We provide access to a subset (which is easily set and edited in the RDG file loaded into Remote Desktop Connection Manager, which is stored on a shared network drive so that we can update the connection files without disruption of faculty access should there be network changes) since we teach faculty not to log out currently logged in users when they try to connect, but rather choose another computer from the subset that is free to not. We exclude computers used in classes where we frequently have high-stakes exams. We also have high-stakes assignments (using Respondus Lockdown browser)
we put a shortcut to the Remote Desktop Connection Manager on the start menu or desktop.
Our computer numbering scheme is simple enough for faculty to navigate – besides, since we connect only to the uniform LRC PC environment, it does not matter.

Categories: e-infrastructure, os, service-is-it-managing, Translation Tags: ms-windows, mstsc, remote-desktop-connection-manager, sdl-multiterm, sdl-passolo, xp

How to find your computer’s name

2014/04/07 plagwitz Leave a comment

Right click on “my computer” on desktop,
or on “[My] computer” on start menu,
and clicik “Properties”
or hold the windows key and press “pause /break” on upper right,
in the window that comes up (tab computer name on XP), you can see the name:

Categories: e-infrastructure, Operating-system Tags: 7, windows, xp

Finding a balance between speed of log-in and readiness on help desk computers

2013/11/11 plagwitz Leave a comment

Problem:
1. The LRC reception desk has 3 computers, each with 2 screens, one client-facing, that, when not shared during collaboration for clerical tasks, display (LRC assistants have been instructed which screen has to show which information) LRC-related information (LRC calendar, home page with news and FAQs, slide show with signs).
2. However, when a teacher was bringing student to Spanish tutor after tutoring hours, I noticed, that no LRC calendar was visible at reception desk (SAFARI on rightmost computer), nor could be loaded easily.
3. Upon my asking, LRC assistant reported, Firefox never comes up correctly on her computer.
4. What I could observe: Firefox came up with 2 windows w/o preconfigured tabs.
5. Safari came up with 2 windows , also empty.
Root cause:
1. It turned out that other students did not have this issue when logging in on the computers.
2. It also turned out that the offending student’s profile had been frozen prematurely (in an obsolete state not incorporating changes we had to do during the term to maintain functionality of the reception desk computers in a changing campus IT environment).
Workaround: Unfreeze the computer, delete the prematurely frozen profiles, have the student log in to recreate it using current default user settings, freeze the computer, to make the computer, 3 weeks before classes end…
Solution: not sure I have one.
1. Trying to have everything set up stably at term start is not the solution, but the problem.
2. How can agility be increased?
  1. LRC assistants need to report problems. They may need better training to be aware of problems, and need an incentive to report problems, and a culture where reporting problems is not considered a problem in itself, but an achievement.
  2. The LRC lost its Symantec-Ghost imaging infrastructure which it could not only use for the lab PCs, but also to maintain 3 identical computers at its reception desk. This requirement for imaging was not considered during the recent upgrade of the labs imaging infrastructure, and we do not know how to get this capability back.

Categories: e-infrastructure, Reception-desk Tags: ms-windows, profiles, symantec-ghos, t, xp

How to use your office computer in the classroom

2009/09/29 plagwitz Leave a comment

How-to:

Click , click , type “mstsc”, click .
In the field of the upcoming window, enter your office computer’s IP number (you have to do this only once, the teacher computer will remember the number).
This will connect you to your office PC, and if you run mstsc (Microsoft Terminal Services Client) in full-screen, it appears pretty much like working on your office computer.
To find out your office IP number, on your office pc, Click , click , type “cmd”, click . cmd. On the command line, type “ipconfig”, your “IP address” appears .
Problems? Tell OTS with a link to this post.

Benefits:

use your local configuration with which you are most familiar also in class (e.g. US-international keyboard);
prepare windows for classes in your office at leisure (windows will show in the state you left them in the office), saving class time;
use the computer in class more, saving class time.

Risks:

does not work well with multimedia. Workaround: switch mstsc to window mode and play multimedia from the local desktop of the classroom PC:
make sure you do not have any windows open in the office which you do not want to display in the classroom
set your online status to “busy” in Office Communicator and other instant messaging applications, or else others might send disrupting text message pop-ups while you teach
possible screen size incompatibilities (mstsc can automatically accommodate for differences, within limits)
always test before going live.

Categories: classroom-teacher-computer, e-infrastructure, e-learning, Face-to-Face, Institution-is-Loyola-University-Maryland, step-by-step-guides Tags: ms-windows, mstsc, remote-desktop, xp

Swift Subtitling with Input Language Japanese in Windows XP

2009/03/20 plagwitz Leave a comment

Go to control panel / regional and language options / tab: languages.
Check whether (1) Japanese / Keyboard / MS IME Standard 2003 is installed. Otherwise (2) button:add it
With (1) Japanese / Keyboard / MS IME Standard 2003 is installed selected, click on (3) button: properties and ensure these settings are right, then click button: “ok”
Now Open Swift.
Menu file / preferences / tab: open:/ section:available fonts, button:add, add ms pgothic, section: default font, button:change, select ms pgothic, like here:
Menu file / preferences / tab: spelling and languages, select primary language: Japanese, like here, then close with button: ok,
Close the existing and open a new swift file.
With swift still being the active application, ensure that in the windows language bar (if you do not see all the language bar icons, right click on input language icon , choose additional icons in the taskbar ; you may also have to right-click left of the input language icon, uncheck lock language bar, then resize the bar for the additional icons to show) the right input language is chosen, like here:
Troubleshooting: It has been observed that the IME popup editor does not appear like here: . This may be related to the IME option “Input type” getting reset from “Hiragana”to “Direct Input”. Double-check this. Also, if all else fails, close existing and open a new file within Swift and/or close and reopen Swift, making sure that the IME settings remain.
Still won’t work? Contact me.