Parrot Functional Skills

Supplier: http://www.parrotsoftware.com

Type of exercises:

  • Time problems
  • Money handling
  • Calculator maths
  • Timed mental maths
  • Traffic sign recognition

Developed with SLT: Yes

Theory based: No, based on clinician experience

Record own speaking attempts: N/A

Correction of own speaking attempts: N/A

Easy to use? No. The user must click on an answer, then click again to input their answer and then click again to move onto the next question.

The internet subscription exercises are very slow to accept the answer making multiple activations possible and therefore confusing.

Customisation/personalisation: No

Error handling: None

Prompts/cues given: None

Tutorials: Yes, online

Free trial: Yes but not the complete program

Support: Via Live chat or the suppliers can take over the user’s PC. However all support takes place 9am-5pm New York time

Comments:

  • The online subscription allows access to all the modules available so as the user progresses they don’t need to purchase new modules. It feels like an app when downloaded on an ipad
  • The CD version has more functions than the internet version
  • A download version exists for $19.95 per program but works only on Windows, not mac
  • The calculator maths exercises provide real life calculations
  • The time management exercises provide real life time concepts and problems
  • Remote access to results is possible as long as the SLT has the user’s login & password.

N.B:
    Money exercises all use US $
    Voice is American and computer generated
    Need sentence level reading or sentence level auditory comprehension to complete the tasks
    No visual rewards for correct answers
 

Easy to use independently: No
Number of exercises: Very Large
Version: Other Languages Available, American English
Access: Mouse, Touchscreen
Record Results: Yes
Evaluation: Developed with SLT, Free trial, Remote results access, Theory based, Tutorials