New Features in StudyMate 1.5

StudyMate is an authoring tool that lets instructors create Flash-based activities and games that can be published directly to a course management system or virtual learning environment. Up to 10 learning activities and games can be created using three simple templates. Alternatively, questions or glossaries can be imported from MS Word, IMS QTI, and other formats, making it possible to create interactive activities from existing content. Best of all, StudyMate requires no experience with Flash programming or graphic design. If you can use a word processor, you can use StudyMate.

StudyMate 1.5 was released in June 2005 and a minor upgrade (StudyMate 1.5.1) was made available in August. The new features in these releases are overviewed below.

Blackboard 6.3 and ANGEL 6.3 Integration
StudyMate 1.5 will now publish activities directly to Blackboard 6.3 and ANGEL 6.3 servers. These new options are available from StudyMate's "Publish Wizard."

In all, StudyMate 1.5.1 offers integration with ANGEL 6.3, Blackboard 6.0-6.3, WebCT Campus Edition 4.0-4.1, and WebCT Vista 2.0-3.0. StudyMate will also export Flash (.swf) files directly so that activities can be uploaded to any web server.

Six Language Settings
If you want to see foreign language instructors get giddy with excitement, show them the new language interfaces available in StudyMate 1.5. The user interface for the Flash activities created with StudyMate can appear in six languages, including Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, and Spanish. To select a language interface for the StudyMate activities, go to the "Settings" menu in StudyMate 1.5, click the "Other Settings" tab and then choose the desired language from the pull-down list.

To see samples of the language interfaces for StudyMate activities, click the following links: Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Spanish.

Accessibility
StudyMate 1.5 offers significant "accessibility" enhancements for content created with it. First, StudyMate activities now support Tab/Enter navigation, an important accessibility requirement. Second, a "high-contrast" display can be selected for StudyMate activities. Third, an HTML page that contains alternate text can be generated with the Flash object. This allows screen reader applications to directly access the underlying content.

To use the high-contrast display for StudyMate activities, or to have the HTML page with alternative text exported with the Flash object, select the "Settings" menu in StudyMate, click the "Other Settings" tab, and then select the desired options under "Accessibility Support."

Updating to StudyMate 1.5
StudyMate 1.0 and 1.1 users can upgrade to StudyMate 1.5 for free by starting StudyMate, selecting "Help" from the menu bar, and then selecting "Check for Update."

To download a 30-day trial of StudyMate 1.5, go to http://www.respondus.com.

Both single-user licensing and campus-wide licensing is available for StudyMate. If an institution already has a campus-wide license of Respondus 3.0, it will receive a 50% discount on a StudyMate campus-wide license.

Source: Respondus, Inc. (www.respondus.com)
Originally Published: August 23, 2005

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