dob Icon

Manual

dob Visual Perception Training

Early intervention and special education

Promotion of basic visual and visuomotor skills

Basic version for students

1. General

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dob is an educational software suited for the promotion of basic visual and visuomotor skills. It is especially designed for the needs of visually impaired persons. The high extent of individualisation further allows its use in various fields of the curative as well as the special education, in rehabilitation, and as an assisting and observatory instrument in early education.

dob offers a broad range of exercises, covering easy stimulations, generally basic tasks as well as the training of cognitive skills.

Photosensitive Warning

A very small percentage of individuals may experience epileptic seizures when ex- posed to certain light patterns or flashing lights. Exposure to certain patterns or back- grounds on a computer screen may induce an epileptic seizure in these individuals. Certain conditions may induce previously undetected epileptic symptoms even in per- sons who have no history of prior seizures or epilepsy.

i.1. Concept and Structure

dob pro offers more than 2500 exercises for the training of the most important visual skills allocated into six modules. They can be used as required in a wide variety of situations.
These exercises are also available to dob users via the export/import function.

The integrated tools enable individual support planning:

Arrange exercises in a lesson
Save and organize frequently used exercises to favorites
Develop your own, individually adapted exercises with the integrated editor
Exchange exercises with other professionals, using the export/import function

In general, those learning with dob should be accompanied by a professional who can explain the exercises and give support where needed.

2. Using dob

2.1. Requirements

2.1.1. General

Through the use of different entry options (touchscreen, switching device, mouse or keypad) the programm takes into account the special conditions of multiply retarded people. In most of dob's exercises, the user's options are limited to a number of two: confirm and continue, commanded by the keys/gestures SPACE geste_next and ENTER geste_delete . Those two commands can also be defined on a switching device, allowing a most individual approach within each exercise.
 Keyboard shortcuts and touchscreen gestures

In general, those learning with dob should be accompanied by a professional who can explain the exercises and give support where needed.

2.1.2. dob online

dob online can be used on desktop-computers as well as on laptops and tablets.

Desktop computers and laptops: Control by mouse, computer keyboard and switching devices. Connected with a Touchscreen, dob can be controlled by gestures additionally.

Tablets: Control by gestures.
External bluetooth keyboards are supported.

2.1.3. dob iOS App

dob App works on iOS tablets.

Control with gestures. Connected with an external bluetooth-keyboard, the App supports all dob shortcut keys.

3. Home screen

dob is the basic version of dob pro for students. The training contains a set of 10 fixed ex- ercises, covering the most important visual skills. Additionally, an import area is available, providing the import of specifically selected exercises from dob pro – the full version for therapists and teachers.

Startbildschirm

3.1. Navigation

Fixed exercises of the basic version

Import area

	Close program
	Show all \| import only
	Evaluation settings
	Reveal shortcut keys
	Select language
	Customize import area
	Import exercises from dob pro
	Import exercises from dob pro Click to start the execise

3.2. Program control

On a tablet, the program is controlled by gestures. Using a computer or laptop, program functions are controlled by shortcut keys and/or gestures, if a touchscreen is connected.
 Keyboard shortcuts and touchscreen gestures

Effect	Shortcut key	Gesture
Start exercise	Click the exercise	Tap the exercise
Start task Confirm task
exercise	Click the object	Tap the object
Quit exercise
List of shortcut keys and gestures

Within exercises, commands are available to adapt the visual environment in order to individualize to your personal needs. They will be explained in the next chapter.
 Keyboard shortcuts and touchscreen gestures

3.3. The 10 exercices of the basic version

The main task is to either find requested objects and colors, to click/tap them or to move objects with your finger/mouse across the screen.

Fixation random


Skill
	Motility \| Fixation
	Shifting Attention
	Shape Recognition \| Figure

Taks
12

Difficulty
Constant

Individualization
Change size
Change opacity

Color recognition


Skill
	Color Recognition \| Color
	Visual Memory \| Short-term Memory

Taks
8

Difficulty
Increasing

Individualization
Change size
Change opacity
Display the requested color

Separation outline


Skill
	Ability to Separate \| Figure-Ground Perception
	Shape Recognition \| Figure

Taks
6

Difficulty
Constant

Individualization
Change size
Change opacity
Display the requested object

Search and find: Shape


Skill
	Search Strategies
	Shape Recognition \| Figure
	Visual Memory \| Short-term Memory

Taks
10

Difficulty
Increasing

Individualization
Change size
Change opacity
Display the requested object

Where is …?


Skill
	Search Strategies
	Shape Recognition \| Figure
	Visual Memory \| Short-term Memory

Taks
6

Difficulty
Increasing

Individualization
Change size
Change opacity
Display the requested object

Face interpretation


Skill
	Face Perception \| Interpretation
	Contrast Sensitivity
	Sustaining Attention

Taks
10

Difficulty
Constant

Individualization
Zoom fast/slow End of task: Change size
End of task: Change opacity

Collecting goals: Trail stair


Skill
	Hand and Eye Coordination
	Shape Recognition \| Figure

Taks
6

Difficulty
Increasing

Individualization
Change track width
Change track opacity
Change type line

Follow an object: Loop


Skill
	Hand and Eye Coordination
	Sustaining Attention

Taks
8

Difficulty
Increasing

Individualization
Change line width
Change line opacity

Catch an object: Curve


Skill
	Hand and Eye Coordination
	Sustaining Attention

Taks
10

Difficulty
Increasing

Individualization
Change line width
Change line opacity

Stimulation Interactive


Skill
	Hand and Eye Coordination
	Sustaining Attention

Taks
1

Difficulty
Constant

Individualization
Surprise
Change opacity

3.4. Import exercises from dob pro

To the 10 exercises of the basic version, a maximum of 10 exercises can be added. These exercises are provided and exported by dob pro users as a QR-Code.
If more than 10 exercices are imported, the oldest will be deleted.

3.4.1. Import exercises: dob online

Click Import

Import Dialog

Click Select file

Choose the QR-code and confirm the selection

Exercises will be extracted and displayed in the import area.

Note: An image of the QR-Code can actually not be taken and imported by tablet camera.

3.4.2. Import exercises: dob iOS App

Click Import gives access to the code scanner.

Import QR-Code

Move the green frame over the code image.
It will automatically be scanned and the exercices will be loaded to in the import area.

3.5. Manage imported files

homescreen

	Display only imported exercises
	Display all exercises
	Open editing options Drag the thumbnail with your finger (touchscreen) or mouse to place it wherever you want.
	Remove exercise
	Exit editing mode

4. Evaluation exercise

While you are working, dob captures any typing and clicks on your computer screen, whether these are right or wrong and measures the time span between any action on the computer screen.

A simple click on the Icon Evaluation button in the main menu will open evaluation settings.

Note
Exercises are not evaluated in module stimula.

4.1. Evaluation settings

Exercise data are stored.

Data are not stored.

Access to the stored evaluations

Note

dob can only store a limited number of exercices. The number depends on the complexity of the data. Take screenshots of important evaluations to store them permanently.

4.2. General options

Evaluation General options

Notes, objects and values

Activities on the screen

	Navigate through evaluations
	Delete evaluation
	Module
	Exercise name
	Thumbnail
	Back to the main menu

Personal notes

Date and time
Total Duration:: Time per complete exercise
Sum Tasks: Duration minus the time for confirmations and rewards = pure exercise time
Task list

Average time per task

4.3. Evaluation examples

Depending on module or exercise category, evaluation shows different values and pre- sents the activities on a single or on several screens.

4.3.1. Evaluation 1:
Modul spot – Gaze Switching horizontal

Evaluation Example 1

Task / Opacity / Time between beginning task and click / Thumbnail object

Click outside any object error time
Task 2:
2 Clicks on the left side underneath the object

Task 12:
2 Clicks on the left side above the object

Observations and interpretations
• Needs much more time for objects at the right edge of the screen.
• At the right side many clicks outside the objects.
• Restrictions of the visual field?

The activities on the screen are displayed on one screen for following exercise categories:
– Fixation spot
– Gaze Switching spot
– Visual Field spot, spotPlus

4.3.2. Evaluation 2:
Modul spotPlus – Search and find shape

Evaluation Example 2

Task / Time until click on the correct object / Objekt

Wrong Time until click on the wrong object / Object
Task 3, 5, 8:
Click on the wrong object

Outside Time until click outside the object / Object
Task 7:
Klickt 2x clicks beside object

Skipped task (SPACE)
Task 9 and 10:
breaking off

Observations and interpretations
• Confuses shapes (filled square with frame)
• Nos ystematic search
• Overwhelmed with increasing number of objects
• Practice search strategies

Activities are displayed on 6 screens.
Exercises with more than 6 tasks share clicks of several tasks (e.g. task 1 and 2) on one screen.

4.3.3. Evaluation 3:
Modul zoom – Contrast

Evaluation Example 3

Task / Opacity: Change from 0 to 100% / Opacity when clicking /
Time until click / Object

e.g. Task 3:
Object detected at 70% opacity after 7 seconds

Clicks outside object
Task 2 and 9:
One click outside object

Observations and interpretations
• Enjoys working with emoticons
• Can interpret facial expressions
• Faster detection of objects on the left side
• Restrictions of the visual field?

Activities are displayed on 6 screens.
Exercises with more than 6 tasks share clicks of several tasks (e.g. task 5 and 6) on one screen.

4.3.4. Evaluation 4:
Modul track – Collecting goals

Evaluation Example 1

Task / Time until reaching the target Task 1:
No collision

Time until collision
Task 2:
Collided after 5.8 and 9.4 seconds on vertically mounted track.
Reached target at 15.3 seconds.

Observations and interpretations
• Knows the collected objects
• Increasing muscle spasms
• Difficulties with movements away from and towards the body

The 6 tasks can be displayed on six different screens.

5. Versions

dob and dob pro are available as iOs application or as an online version.

	App version	Online version
License	Perpetual license	Annual license
	Device-bound	Device-independent
Program control	By gestures Supports shortcut keys with external bluetooth keyboard	With shortcut keys If a touchscreen is available: with shortcut keys and gestures
Individualization within the exercises	Limited possibilities Control by gestures	Extended possibilities With shortcut keys (and gestures)

The upgrade to dob+ version via in-app purchase will enable the use of the entire set of exercises. It covers about 2500 exercices sorted by visual skill or module.

dob pro
Full version for therapists, coaches and teachers, containing more than 2500 exercises for the training and observation of 11 basic visual skills and tools to assist individual support planning. Available as an App/application for iOS devices and also as an online version.

Learn more about dob and dob pro: www.dob.li

6. Thanks

The developement of dob was made possible thanks to the generosity of the following institutions:

	Blinden-Leuchtturm Zürich
	Ella Gattiker-Liechti-Stiftung
	Ernst Göhner Stiftung
	Hans Konrad Rahn Stiftung
	Rahn + Bodmer Co.
	Roches-Utiger Stiftung
	Schweizerischer Blinden- und Sehbehindertenverband SBV
	SZB, Schweizerischer Zentralverein für das Blindenwesen
	Staub Kaiser Stiftung
	Stiftung Berty Maikler
	Stiftung Denk an mich
	Stiftung für blinde und sehbehinderte Kinder und Jugendliche Zollikofen
	Stiftung für das behinderte Kind
	Stiftung Solidago
	visoparents schweiz

7. Note