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SEAS SUMMARY OF INITIAL TRAINING Computer Automation Systems, Inc. P.O. Box 590 Mountain Home, AR 72653 (877) 221-SEAS
I. Introduction-.
The SEAS (Special Education Automation Software) program was developed by Harvey Hughes in 1995 in Springdale, Arkansas while he was working on developing a transportation package for the Springdale School District. The Superintendent asked him to talk with the Special Ed Director, and Harvey spent the next six months “living” with the Special Ed teachers in Springdale and developed what is now the SEAS program…
It was developed primarily as a teacher tool, built from the ground up by and for teachers and diagnosticians. The SEAS program started out as a forms generator with a relational student data base… from there we added a powerful IEP, report writer and diagnostic summary as well as some very useful administrative tools….
II. Screen Size –
Set at 800 x 600 pixels –The correct setting provides the ability for user to see from margin to margin on any form written on a portrait layout. To change the desktop setting: · Right click on desktop · Left click on properties · Select Settings · Move toggle bar to 800 x 600 · Select Apply – and answer OK or Yes to all the questions.
III. Main Menu – Discuss in detail the following:
· Left Menu/File Drawers are designated to serve specific needs · Center Menu – describes what each file drawer contains · Lower Right hand icons (Preview/Printer/Copies/Close Door Icon) · Close SEA Icon - always close the SEAS Program using the close door icon
IV. Setup File Drawer
A. Owner Setup - Type the owner/District/Coop information in this area.
B. Titles - Enter in a new title by accessing the asterisk (*).
C. Salutation Edit – Enter a new Salutation by accessing the asterisk (*).
D. Staff Information – 1. This screen holds staff members’ personal information as an administrative database. (Remember to use the Title Drop down list) 2. Notes Section (Private – not to be printed or appear on forms, but “keep it professional”.)
E. School Information –Enter all schools into the data bank that you have dealings with.
F. Student Information – 1. Navigator Bar now includes “Search by Last Name”. Enter Last Name and press the Enter Key. 2. Important to be consistent in entering students names. 3. Birth date (two digit numbers ie. 01/01/92) 4. Student ID Number, Social Security Numbers & Medicaid Numbers 5. Drop down boxes for Sex, Race, Disability & Placement Codes) 6. Active Box, students should not be Deleted but placed as inactive 7. Date of District Placement (date first entering district vs. date placed in special education) 8. Exit dates and Codes.
G. Parent, School, Conference Tabs 1. Parent Information (Important that all information be entered and be sure to utilize the Notes Box. I.e. Grandparents as guardians, joint custody addresses, etc.) 2. School Information (Important that this section be fully completed, as it is relational to the forms.) 3. Conference a. Active Calendar will appear when the cursor is placed in the middle of the date box and double left clicked. b. Due- By Dates to help you stay on track. c. Notes section is used in documenting compliance issues, and although these notes will not print on reports, lists, etc., electronic documentation is subject to subpoena during court proceedings.
V. Forms File Drawer
A. To properly open the Forms File Drawer completely in order to gain access to all forms, grab the small scroll box on the right hand side of the forms menu and move all the way to the bottom of the scroll bar. This will completely open the file drawer to provide access to all forms.
B. Remember, all forms in the Forms File Drawer are written as single pages. (Advantage to this is the ability to access, correct, and print one page of a conference packet. Disadvantage to the single page setup, is having to go in and out of the Forms to complete a multi-page task.)
C. To select a form, double left click on the form name.
D. Remember again the importance of closing the form using the Close Form Icon.
E. Left Click on the Student Head to access the student database. Select a student by clicking first to the left of the student’s name and then clicking the Insert Student Data Icon.
F. Four ways in which the remainder of the form will be completed. 1. Check a Box (left click to check/ left click to uncheck) 2. Access a Drop Down box 3. Type new narrative 4. Cut /copy and paste information
The Cut and paste technique is as follows: a. Set cursor to the left of the sentence. b. Highlight the sentence with the mouse. c. Select Control Key and the Letter C (for Copy) simultaneously. d. Set cursor where you want the sentence to be placed. e. Select Control Key and the Letter V (for Velcro to stick) simultaneously. f. This same exercise will allow the staff members to copy information from a floppy disk or their hard drive onto the SEAS Form. Discuss situations when this exercise can save time, ie. Under the IEP Present level of Performance or on the IEP Transition Page.
VI. Conference File Drawer
A Conference File Drawer contains multiple pages of forms grouped into Task Packets in an effort to save the staff member time by not having to go in and out of the single page forms of the Forms File Drawer.
B. It is necessary to open every page of the conference in order to print the entire conference. Pages can be opened by clicking on the next record (>) VCR buttons of the navigator bar.
C. When needing to print a single page in the middle of a conference packet, the staff member should go to the Forms File Drawer to print just that page.
D. Remember that information placed on single page forms, from the Forms File Drawer continues to be relational to the forms placed in a conference packet.
VII. Edit Conference DrawerTo Create a Conference: A. Access the Edit Conference File Drawer. B. Select Conference Type to name your conference. C. Select Add New and type the new name of the conference you wish to create. D. Select OK and Close. E. Select Conference Setup to add the forms to your newly named conference. F. Using the Drop down list select the conference you just named. G. Select the forms you wish to be included in your new conference packet by highlighting the forms and selecting the top VCR button (>) to move the forms to the right hand column. H. Once all the forms are placed in the right hand column, select Save and OK. I. It is important to create a new conference versus altering an existing conference. Altering and/or deleting conferences affect everyone on a networked system.
VIII. IEP File Drawer
A. Forms in the IEP File Drawer are conference packets. Again in the IEP File Drawer one must open all forms if they want all forms to print.
B. When the Draft Box (if shown) is checked, the words “Draft Copy” will print on all pages of the IEP, including the Goals & Objectives sheets.
C. The computer will not automatically number the pages of the IEP since the computer will never know the total number of pages contained after all insertion have been included. You must number the pages manually either with the computer or by hand after printing.
D. Goals & Objective Forms are located in a separate conference since they are a conference within themselves.
E. IEP Goals & Objectives Form-
1. Each tab is a different instructional area.
2. There are twenty tabs/twenty different instructional areas with room for 16 more tabs to be added as needed.
3. The form allows for one annual goal and room for four (04) short-term objectives. Staff may type the goal and objectives from scratch or they may access the Insert Standard Goals and Objectives Icon which displays a data bank of standard goals and objectives which have been included for their convenience.
4. You can insert a goal from the Insert Goals and Objectives Data Bank, by selecting insert to the right of the goal, and can select four objectives by clicking first to the left of the objective and then by selecting insert to the right of the selected objective. Note that all objectives may be selected before closing the Insert Standard Goals and Objectives data bank.
5. Once the goal and/or objectives have been selected, the SEAS program will take the selected objectives through an editing process. Hi-lite your selection from the options line of the edit box. When you reach an area where “flagged text” indicates brackets “[]”, this is were in the “Change To” box you will type student specific information then select “Change”. Do not type in the Standard Comment Box.
6. Staff may add their own objectives to the Insert Goals and Objectives Data Banks. Remember that it’s important to not alter or delete existing Goals and Objectives. It is always better to add a new objective to the bank.
7. Remember that when adding objectives to the data bank to write the objectives in generic terms vs. student specific. Note: What is placed in the data bank is program specific and can be used by any person on the network for any student. Note also that what is placed on a form becomes student specific and that objectives may be edited, expanded upon etc. only after it has been placed on the students form.
8. To add an objective to the data bank: a. Left click on the Insert Standard Goals & Objectives Icon. b. Access the Asterisk located in the lower left-hand corner of the data bank. c. Set cursor in the new blank line provided, and begin writing the objective. d. Select Close located in the bottom right hand corner of the Data Bank. e. Note that staff may add several new objectives before closing the data bank down.
9. New Page a. One the first page of the goal sheet has been completed with the four objectives; you can additional objectives and/or goals to a second sheet under the same instructional area by clicking on the icon “New Page”. You can now scroll from page to page by clicking on the icons “Next and Previous”.
10. Adding Tabs a. Additional Tabs can be added when staff need additional instructional. 1. Select Add Tab Icon 2. Scroll down to first blank line 3. Insert two-letter identifier. (Something different than what is already up there) 4. Insert the Instructional Area information. Note again, this must be something different from what is already listed. 5. Once the tabs have been named select Ok. You will display a message stating that for the changes to take effect, you must close the Goals and Objectives Form down. Select OK then select close form. 6. Re-access the Goals & Objectives Progress Report, select student, and note that the new tabs are now available.
Note that there are no objectives in the Insert Standard Goals and Objectives Data Bank. Therefore, objectives must be either written into the data bank or copied over from other instructional areas.
11. Printing Goals & Objectives A. When printing the Goals & Objectives sheets it’s important to know when you access the print icon, the printer will print every page, which was accessed, regardless of whether you wrote or changed anything or not. Therefore, when you want to print only one page, access the instructional area and select the Print This Page Only icon. If you want to print several instructional areas, close the form down; re-access the Goals & Objectives Progress Report, select student name, and select only those instructional areas you want printed and then select the printer icon.
IX. Print Forms, Print Conferences, and Reports –
The print Forms and Print Conferences Files are used only when the program is to be used as a print shop. Only when the Print Forms, Print Conferences, and Reports File Drawers are used will the Preview, Print, & Copies Icons on the main menu become active.
A To preview a form, conference, or report, depress the Preview Icon on the Main Menu and then double left click on the form or conference to be previewed.
B. To print a from, conference or report, depress the Print Icon, indicate the number of copies to be printed on the print icon and then double left click on the form, conference or report to be printed.
X. Student Transfer - The Student Transfer File Drawer provides the user with the ability to copy student data onto a floppy disk to be transferred to a different building, school district or to take home and work on the staff member’s home computer.
A. Student Export – To copy the information from the class computer, one must start with a new formatted disk. Place the disk in the computer driver and select Student Export. A log of the student database will indicate all students currently active in your system. You can select all the students by clicking on Select All. To select individual students click on one student, or multiple students by holding the Control Key down, and clicking on the student names you wish to export. Once you have selected your students, click on Export. The program will indicated “Initializing Export “ along the bottom of the Export Screen. Messages will appear at the bottom of the Export Screen indicating the progress of the export process. When complete, a message will appear indicating the completion of the export.
B. Student Import - The student import section operates much like the Student Export section. When selected, the student database will appear indicating only those students who have been exported onto the floppy disk. Here again, the staff member has the ability to select only those students they want to import onto their system. Staff may select either all or some of the students listed in the disk.
C. Remember that information can be over-written should one staff work on a student while the same student is exported out of that computer. Therefore, staff should establish a control process to help prevent over-write situations.
XI. Backup/Archive and RestoreA. Backup/Archive Information - Backup data is different from Student Transfers. Recommend systems be backed up at least once a week, preferably on Fridays.
B. Restore Information - Information should only be restored on two occasions unless otherwise directed from the Computer Automation Technology Dept. Only restore when there has been an equipment failure or when searching out archived information. Stress the importance of when searching archived information to restore on an independent machine, as not to overwrite your existing data.
XII. Trouble Shoot –A. Printing Problems - Page/Blank Page etc. Change default printer settings to HP DeskJet No Numbers.
B. Toll Free Number 1-877-221-7327 (SEAS) |
