Tips and Tricks when using Proloquo2Go

Hi everyone. Hope your well. 
Today I want to keep this one short - me!!! Yes short. Want to show a useful tip for when Im working in Proloquo2Go.

Imagine a scenario: Setting up a folder for Elysha. "Go Fish" card game. We want pictures of all the cards included in a basic set of playing cards. Directions and comments are fine using symbols available on Proloquo2Go but I want the playing cards actual photos.

Firstly I need to have wireless internet available, I go to 'Image Google' and type in what I want. In this instance I found it quicker and easier to request the actual card i.e. 10 of diamonds, than just words like 'playing cards'. I click on each of the images and then tap on 'save image' (they will automatically go to my photos section in the iPad). I try to pick images that are as similar to each other as possible  to try and make the buttons look consistant.

Now I want to use those images in Proloquo2Go. Remember that images even though available on 'image google' may have copyright attached to them. I always pick images that dont have any copyright imprint but that doesnt mean I can use just cause they are there. I do think along the lines that this is for a communication program just for Elysha and hope in this instance its okay.
I dont plan to pass on or sell to anyone. If you were really worried about this issue your alternatives is to try and find images that dont have copyright attached or purchase photos thru the photo royalty free websites that will sell to you at about $1.00 an images for person use (not for resale of producing products to sell).

Now Im ready to start adding the buttons inside the folder I have made called  "Go Fish". Just incase I will want image google available as well and a photo editing program incase I need to resize and my photo app incase I want to check where the photo I want is etc.

First I am going to shut all the other programs open on the iPad. If you are not aware, even though you hit the home button to go out of a program it is still open on the iPad in the background somewhere. I often go thru and close all these especially if Elysha has been using my iPad as she just loves opening as many Apps as possible. to do this:

As you can see I have accessed the bottom part here that shows me what Apps are available. To access this section I can do one of two very simple actions:

1. I can place four finger tips on the screen and make an upward push with those fingers still resting on the screen. Basically your screen fades out all the apps on the screen and you will now be able to see a line of the Apps open. OR
2. A simple quick double tap on the HOME button. That button we push each time we want to exit an App or to turn the Device on when its gone to sleep mode.

Now to close the Apps fully. Press your fingertip onto one of the Apps in that line. A nice firm press down and you will suddenly see all the Apps in this section wiggling with a minus symbol in the upper left hand corner of each app.

When you tap on the minus symbol, the App picture disappears. No! you havent deleted the App, just closed it. This is different from when you press down on an App on your iPad/iPod and it gets an X in the corner. If you weree to tap on that X a comment box opens asking if you want to Delete. 
Being able to close all those open Apps can come in really handy after the kids have opened just about every app on your device.

Once I have finished closing the ones I want to close I can just tap on the screen above this section and it will close and screen is back to normal or I can tap home button once or I can just drag the four finger tips back down the screen.

Now I will open the Apps I am planning to use while adding and editing in Proloquo2Go.

It doesnt matter what order you open them in. Just open each one then tap the Home button to exit and open the next.

Now when I double click on the HOME button I can see the programs I have chosen and may need to flick thru : Proloquo2Go; Photos; Safari opened at iMage Google and a Photo editing program.

I'm now going to open Proloquo2Go by a single tap on the Proloquo2Go image. Once the program is open I will go into Elysha's Vocabulary  as I have called this User. I have then gone into the 'Fun' Folder & I have made a Folder Called 'Go Fish'

As you can see by the image here I am in edit mode and I can do a number of things. I'm going to open the 'Go Fish' folder and I dont want to go out of editing to do this. Easy as - I just double tap on that folder and it opens. Once in the 'Go Fish Folder' I will tap on the ADD BUTTON tab.

Here you can see a section has opened that allows me to type in what I want to say on the button, the label, choose an image' allocate a colour etc. I have written in ten of diamonds. See in the upper left hand corner that button with 'of'' on it. Well I want to change that and select from my photos. Now I can do this by picking one of the selections here. I have tapped on 'Choose a Picture'

The photos section has opened and I click on Playing cards. But I find I havent actually saved a 'ten of diamonds' so I will need to find an photo. I want to go to Safari but dont want to keep closing and opening programs so the easy way is to do one of the following three options:

1. Place four finger tips on the screen and push upwards to open that bottom window on the iPad and then tap on Safari icon
2. Double click on the HOME button of the iPad which again opens the bottom window of the iPad and againjust tap on the icon for the program I need, or
3. I can place my finger tips on the iPad screen  but this time at the right hand or left hand side of the screen  with the fingers running down the screen not across as they were for pulling screen up or down.  You will be pulling across the screen because you are looking for the program that was opened either before or after the one you are in.Each time you swipe across it takes you to the next program that was opened. so if say you have only three programs open you do the swipe and it takes you to next program then swipe back the other way to go back to the program you just left or swipe again to go to the next program. Remember all four finger tips must be touching the screen.

Now I am in image Google I have typed in ten of diamonds, found the image I want and pressed down on it with my finger tip. The 'Save Image' or 'Copy' box opens. I tap on Save Image and this will automatically send the photo to my photos folder. It will be the last image in there. Now sometimes when you press down on a photo instead of opening the 'Save Image' box it will take you a step further on google to show where the image comes from. You can then again press on it to 'Save  Image'.

Now I can go back to Proloquo2Go to add the photo which is now available on my camera roll in the Photo App.

If I want I can open the photo App and find the photo on photo roll and move to the folder I have been using for  the Playing Card images.

If I am not totally happy with the photo and want to resize, crop etc I can also swip thru my programs to open the Photo program for editing as this is still at this time not a feature available within Proloquo2Go. There are plenty of Apps to choose from and I am still experiementing myself.

As you can see here I have been adding buttons and just adding the images as I go. They will definetely need adjusting to do this properly as I have ended up with images with bits mi.

Now why dont you try it and see how you go setting up something of your own.

Also check out the 'Fun Folder' in Proloquo2Go and then tap on 'Games' - here are all those instructions, comments etc we all try to think of. No need to remake just use in this folder or link this folder to another you have set up or Copy and Paste the buttons you need.

Will finish here and share something else in a couple of days or I will never stop.

UPDATE on last article on Webinars, another great Proloquo2Go resource.

Yes all the webinars for the updates and How to do this or that are available thru YouTube. No having to log on, and you can sit and watch on your iPad. Brilliant.

Try the above tricks I mentioned and watch the video footage, pause go to Proloquo2Go and try out the steps. Easy peasy.

Talk soon