Exams/Special Needs

[Deb_R]

Version: 2004
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger)
Processor: Power PC

To use a mac in the GCSEs/ALevels, special needs students need a programme free of spellcheck, dictionary and autocorrect. It seems it is not enough just to switch these off in preferences etc, you have to totally remove them so that however determined they are, it is impossible to cheat. I have found out how to remove spellcheck and dictionaries* in Word but I can't do the same for AutoCorrect, which seems to be too far embedded in the programme. Is there a way to do this? They could use Notepad, Wordpad or TextEdit but on the Mac spellcheck seems to be too far embedded to remove. If we solve this, lots of mac-based special needs students will be grateful, my daughter included. Any advice welcome.

* by going to the Microsoft Office 2004 application folder and replacing the 'Proofing Tools' folder in 'Shared Applications' with an empty folder and removing the original; removing the dictionary files from the 'Office' folder, and removing the mac's own Dictionary programme from Applications - all reversible

 

[John McGhie]

What is the issue with AutoCorrect?

Once you have removed the Main Dictionary, AutoCorrect will not be able to
intervene with spelling suggestions.

However, disabling it altogether is going to have knock-on effects
throughout the Office Suite that may disable commands that special needs
people would rely on.

If you absolutely MUST disable AutoCorrect, I will have to raise a support
incident to find out how (and allow the program to run without crashing...)

Cheers

Version: 2004
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger)
Processor: Power PC

To use a mac in the GCSEs/ALevels, special needs students need a programme
free of spellcheck, dictionary and autocorrect. It seems it is not enough just
to switch these off in preferences etc, you have to totally remove them so
that however determined they are, it is impossible to cheat. I have found out
how to remove spellcheck and dictionaries* in Word but I can't do the same for
AutoCorrect, which seems to be too far embedded in the programme. Is there a
way to do this? They could use Notepad, Wordpad or TextEdit but on the Mac
spellcheck seems to be too far embedded to remove. If we solve this, lots of
mac-based special needs students will be grateful, my daughter included. Any
advice welcome.

* by going to the Microsoft Office 2004 application folder and replacing the
'Proofing Tools' folder in 'Shared Applications' with an empty folder and
removing the original; removing the dictionary files from the 'Office' folder,
and removing the mac's own Dictionary programme from Applications - all
reversible

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP, Word and Word:Mac
Sydney, Australia. mailto:[email protected]

 

[Clive Huggan]

Hello Deb,

All you need to do is remove all entries from AutoCorrect. A few years back
it took me less than 30 minutes to check every word that was in there and
remove the ones I didn't want, so I expect removing all would take about 15
minutes.

Once you have done this, make a backup copy of the settings file ³MS Office
ACL [English]².

Then use the copy to replace that file on each Mac in which you don't want
AutoCorrect to operate.

Cheers,

Clive Huggan
Canberra, Australia
(My time zone is 5-11 hours different from the Americas and Europe, so my
follow-on responses to those regions can be delayed)
====================================================
I don't work for Microsoft; nor do any of the other regulars here. We're
simply users of Word who help other users in a voluntary capacity. If you
want to give feedback to Microsoft about their products, you should send it
to them via the Help menu => Send feedback.
====================================================

 

[Deb R]

Hi Clive

Thanks so much for responding. I have found the Default ACL [English] file in the Office folder of Microsoft Office 2004 but when I try to open it, I get the message 'Word can only convert Word 5.0 and 5.1 settings files'. What would happen if I just removed the file altogether and put it back after the exams?

Deb



Hello Deb,





All you need to do is remove all entries from AutoCorrect. A few years
back it took me less than 30 minutes to check every word that was in there
and remove the ones I didn't want, so I expect removing all would take
about 15 minutes.





Once you have done this, make a backup copy of the settings file �MS
Office ACL [English]�.





Then use the copy to replace that file on each Mac in which you don't
want AutoCorrect to operate.





Cheers,





Clive Huggan Canberra, Australia (My time zone is 5-11 hours different
from the Americas and Europe, so my follow-on responses to those regions
can be delayed) ==================================================== I
don't work for Microsoft; nor do any of the other regulars here. We're
simply users of Word who help other users in a voluntary capacity. If
you want to give feedback to Microsoft about their products, you should
send it to them via the Help menu => Send feedback. ====================================================

What is the issue with AutoCorrect? > > Once you have removed the Main

Dictionary, AutoCorrect will not be able to > intervene with spelling
suggestions. > > However, disabling it altogether is going to have knock-on
effects > throughout the Office Suite that may disable commands that special
needs > people would rely on. > > If you absolutely MUST disable AutoCorrect,
I will have to raise a support > incident to find out how (and allow the
program to run without crashing...) > > Cheers > > > On 13/11/08 1:37
AM, in article (e-mail address removed)9absDaxw, > "(e-mail address removed)"
wrote: > >> Version: 2004 >> Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger) >>
Processor: Power PC >> >> To use a mac in the GCSEs/ALevels, special needs
students need a programme >> free of spellcheck, dictionary and autocorrect.
It seems it is not enough >> just >> to switch these off in preferences
etc, you have to totally remove them so >> that however determined they
are, it is impossible to cheat. I have found out >> how to remove spellcheck
and dictionaries* in Word but I can't do the same >> for >> AutoCorrect,
which seems to be too far embedded in the programme. Is there a >> way
to do this? They could use Notepad, Wordpad or TextEdit but on the Maclots of >> mac-based special needs students will be grateful, my daughter
included. Any >> advice welcome. >> >> * by going to the Microsoft Office
2004 application folder and replacing the >> 'Proofing Tools' folder in
'Shared Applications' with an empty folder and >> removing the original;
removing the dictionary files from the 'Office' >> folder, >> and removing
the mac's own Dictionary programme from Applications - all >> reversible

 

[Deb R]

If Clive's idea doesn't work (below) and you wouldn't mind following this up, that would be great.

AutoCorrect is a bit of a grey area as it can correct the misuse of capital letters and our school insists on interpreting the rules of the exam boards "to the letter". The rules state that the word processor: "must be used as a type-writer, not as a database, although standard formatting software is acceptable/ must not have any predictive text software or automatic spell checking . . ."

In fact, the school IT dept is resisting the use of a Mac laptop and Word altogether, insisting the student uses a PC and WordPad that are unfamiliar, which causes problems.

I have also explored WordPad and TextEdit on the Mac but here too it doesn't seem possible to remove the spellcheck, only to switch it off in Preferences.

Anything that makes the Mac/Word 100 % clean would add weight.
Thanks so much for your efforts.
Deb

What is the issue with AutoCorrect?





Once you have removed the Main Dictionary, AutoCorrect will not be able
to intervene with spelling suggestions.





However, disabling it altogether is going to have knock-on effects throughout
the Office Suite that may disable commands that special needs people would
rely on.





If you absolutely MUST disable AutoCorrect, I will have to raise a support
incident to find out how (and allow the program to run without crashing...)





Cheers

Version: 2004 > Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger) > Processor:

Power PC > > To use a mac in the GCSEs/ALevels, special needs students
need a programme > free of spellcheck, dictionary and autocorrect. It
seems it is not enough just > to switch these off in preferences etc,
you have to totally remove them so > that however determined they are,
it is impossible to cheat. I have found out > how to remove spellcheck
and dictionaries* in Word but I can't do the same for > AutoCorrect, which
seems to be too far embedded in the programme. Is there a > way to do
this? They could use Notepad, Wordpad or TextEdit but on the Mac > spellcheck
seems to be too far embedded to remove. If we solve this, lots of > mac-based
special needs students will be grateful, my daughter included. Any > advice
welcome. > > * by going to the Microsoft Office 2004 application folder
and replacing the > 'Proofing Tools' folder in 'Shared Applications' with
an empty folder and > removing the original; removing the dictionary files
from the 'Office' folder, > and removing the mac's own Dictionary programme
from Applications - all > reversible





-- Don't wait for your answer, click here: <http://www.word.mvps.org/>





Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.





John McGhie, Microsoft MVP, Word and Word:Mac Sydney, Australia. mailto:[email protected]

 

[CyberTaz]

I believe Clive was intending for you to remove the AutoCorrect entries by
using Tools> AutoCorrect from within the program, not attempt to directly
open & modify the ACL. Once you've removed the entries, copy the ACL itself
for distribution to the other systems. [I'd further suggest that you back up
the original ACL before deleting the entries.

As another consideration, don't forget that you can completely restructure
the Menus & Toolbars in Word to control what features are even available in
the first place. Once you change the feature settings just rip the commands
out of the menus, remove the buttons from the toolbars & let the users have
at the remaining capabilities. It's unlikely they'll be able to restore
anything - especially during the course of an exam - unless they happen to
be savants or some such.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

Hi Clive

Thanks so much for responding. I have found the Default ACL [English] file in
the Office folder of Microsoft Office 2004 but when I try to open it, I get
the message 'Word can only convert Word 5.0 and 5.1 settings files'. What
would happen if I just removed the file altogether and put it back after the
exams?

Deb



Hello Deb,





All you need to do is remove all entries from AutoCorrect. A few years
back it took me less than 30 minutes to check every word that was in
there
and remove the ones I didn't want, so I expect removing all would take
about 15 minutes.





Once you have done this, make a backup copy of the settings file
�MS
Office ACL [English]�.





Then use the copy to replace that file on each Mac in which you don't
want AutoCorrect to operate.





Cheers,





Clive Huggan Canberra, Australia (My time zone is 5-11 hours different
from the Americas and Europe, so my follow-on responses to those regions
can be delayed) ==================================================== I
don't work for Microsoft; nor do any of the other regulars here. We're
simply users of Word who help other users in a voluntary capacity. If
you want to give feedback to Microsoft about their products, you should
send it to them via the Help menu => Send feedback.
====================================================

What is the issue with AutoCorrect? > > Once you have removed the Main

Dictionary, AutoCorrect will not be able to > intervene with spelling
suggestions. > > However, disabling it altogether is going to have
knock-on
effects > throughout the Office Suite that may disable commands that
special
needs > people would rely on. > > If you absolutely MUST disable
AutoCorrect,
I will have to raise a support > incident to find out how (and allow the
program to run without crashing...) > > Cheers > > > On 13/11/08 1:37
AM, in article (e-mail address removed)9absDaxw, >
"(e-mail address removed)"
wrote: > >> Version: 2004 >> Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger) >>
Processor: Power PC >> >> To use a mac in the GCSEs/ALevels, special
needs
students need a programme >> free of spellcheck, dictionary and
autocorrect.
It seems it is not enough >> just >> to switch these off in preferences
etc, you have to totally remove them so >> that however determined they
are, it is impossible to cheat. I have found out >> how to remove
spellcheck
and dictionaries* in Word but I can't do the same >> for >> AutoCorrect,
which seems to be too far embedded in the programme. Is there a >> way
to do this? They could use Notepad, Wordpad or TextEdit but on the Maclots of >> mac-based special needs students will be grateful, my
daughter
included. Any >> advice welcome. >> >> * by going to the Microsoft
Office
2004 application folder and replacing the >> 'Proofing Tools' folder in
'Shared Applications' with an empty folder and >> removing the original;
removing the dictionary files from the 'Office' >> folder, >> and
removing
the mac's own Dictionary programme from Applications - all >> reversible

 

[Clive Huggan]

Below.

Clive Huggan
============

I believe Clive was intending for you to remove the AutoCorrect entries by
using Tools> AutoCorrect from within the program, not attempt to directly
open & modify the ACL. Once you've removed the entries, copy the ACL itself
for distribution to the other systems. [I'd further suggest that you back up
the original ACL before deleting the entries.

Precisely.

Deb, it's tedious to empty AutoCorrect of all its entries but it will only
take 15 minutes of mindless clicking on the Delete button (because you can't
select more than one at a time. You end up developing a rhythm... ;-)

As another consideration, don't forget that you can completely restructure
the Menus & Toolbars in Word to control what features are even available in
the first place. Once you change the feature settings just rip the commands
out of the menus, remove the buttons from the toolbars & let the users have
at the remaining capabilities. It's unlikely they'll be able to restore
anything - especially during the course of an exam - unless they happen to
be savants or some such.

But (as Bob knows but I'll mention it in case Deb doesn't) AutoCorrect would
still work. That said, as a separate precaution I'm sure this idea is a good
one.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

Hi Clive

Thanks so much for responding. I have found the Default ACL [English] file in
the Office folder of Microsoft Office 2004 but when I try to open it, I get
the message 'Word can only convert Word 5.0 and 5.1 settings files'. What
would happen if I just removed the file altogether and put it back after the
exams?

Deb



Hello Deb,





All you need to do is remove all entries from AutoCorrect. A few years
back it took me less than 30 minutes to check every word that was in
there
and remove the ones I didn't want, so I expect removing all would take
about 15 minutes.





Once you have done this, make a backup copy of the settings file
�MS
Office ACL [English]�.





Then use the copy to replace that file on each Mac in which you don't
want AutoCorrect to operate.





Cheers,





Clive Huggan Canberra, Australia (My time zone is 5-11 hours different
from the Americas and Europe, so my follow-on responses to those
regions
can be delayed) ==================================================== I
don't work for Microsoft; nor do any of the other regulars here. We're
simply users of Word who help other users in a voluntary capacity. If
you want to give feedback to Microsoft about their products, you should
send it to them via the Help menu => Send feedback.
====================================================

What is the issue with AutoCorrect? > > Once you have removed the Main

Dictionary, AutoCorrect will not be able to > intervene with spelling
suggestions. > > However, disabling it altogether is going to have
knock-on
effects > throughout the Office Suite that may disable commands that
special
needs > people would rely on. > > If you absolutely MUST disable
AutoCorrect,
I will have to raise a support > incident to find out how (and allow
the
program to run without crashing...) > > Cheers > > > On 13/11/08 1:37
AM, in article (e-mail address removed)9absDaxw, >
"(e-mail address removed)"
wrote: > >> Version: 2004 >> Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger) >>
Processor: Power PC >> >> To use a mac in the GCSEs/ALevels, special
needs
students need a programme >> free of spellcheck, dictionary and
autocorrect.
It seems it is not enough >> just >> to switch these off in preferences
etc, you have to totally remove them so >> that however determined they
are, it is impossible to cheat. I have found out >> how to remove
spellcheck
and dictionaries* in Word but I can't do the same >> for >>
AutoCorrect,
which seems to be too far embedded in the programme. Is there a >> way
to do this? They could use Notepad, Wordpad or TextEdit but on the Mac

spellcheck seems to be too far embedded to remove. If we solve this,

lots of >> mac-based special needs students will be grateful, my
daughter
included. Any >> advice welcome. >> >> * by going to the Microsoft
Office
2004 application folder and replacing the >> 'Proofing Tools' folder in
'Shared Applications' with an empty folder and >> removing the
original;
removing the dictionary files from the 'Office' >> folder, >> and
removing
the mac's own Dictionary programme from Applications - all >>
reversible

 

[John McGhie]

Hi Deb:

Email me direct if you need further action on this.

However, I am afraid I think I know what the answer will be: for one school
"Not worth our while".

It would involve taking a developer away from 'real' work for a week to
investigate, code, and test a solution. That would cost a couple of
thousand dollars.

On the PC, they can turn this stuff off and lock the registry so that the
user can't turn it back on. That facility is not present on the Mac.

But if you get stuck, get back to me and we will try.

Cheers

If Clive's idea doesn't work (below) and you wouldn't mind following this up,
that would be great.

AutoCorrect is a bit of a grey area as it can correct the misuse of capital
letters and our school insists on interpreting the rules of the exam boards
"to the letter". The rules state that the word processor: "must be used as a
type-writer, not as a database, although standard formatting software is
acceptable/ must not have any predictive text software or automatic spell
checking . . ."

In fact, the school IT dept is resisting the use of a Mac laptop and Word
altogether, insisting the student uses a PC and WordPad that are unfamiliar,
which causes problems.

I have also explored WordPad and TextEdit on the Mac but here too it doesn't
seem possible to remove the spellcheck, only to switch it off in Preferences.

Anything that makes the Mac/Word 100 % clean would add weight.
Thanks so much for your efforts.
Deb

What is the issue with AutoCorrect?





Once you have removed the Main Dictionary, AutoCorrect will not be able
to intervene with spelling suggestions.





However, disabling it altogether is going to have knock-on effects
throughout
the Office Suite that may disable commands that special needs people
would
rely on.





If you absolutely MUST disable AutoCorrect, I will have to raise a
support
incident to find out how (and allow the program to run without
crashing...)





Cheers







Power PC > > To use a mac in the GCSEs/ALevels, special needs students
need a programme > free of spellcheck, dictionary and autocorrect. It
seems it is not enough just > to switch these off in preferences etc,
you have to totally remove them so > that however determined they are,
it is impossible to cheat. I have found out > how to remove spellcheck
and dictionaries* in Word but I can't do the same for > AutoCorrect,
which
seems to be too far embedded in the programme. Is there a > way to do
this? They could use Notepad, Wordpad or TextEdit but on the Mac >
spellcheck
seems to be too far embedded to remove. If we solve this, lots of >
mac-based
special needs students will be grateful, my daughter included. Any >
advice
welcome. > > * by going to the Microsoft Office 2004 application folder
and replacing the > 'Proofing Tools' folder in 'Shared Applications'
with
an empty folder and > removing the original; removing the dictionary
files
from the 'Office' folder, > and removing the mac's own Dictionary
programme
from Applications - all > reversible





-- Don't wait for your answer, click here: <http://www.word.mvps.org/>





Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.





John McGhie, Microsoft MVP, Word and Word:Mac Sydney, Australia.
mailto:[email protected]

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP, Word and Word:Mac
Sydney, Australia. mailto:[email protected]

 

[Deb R]

Bob, Clive, John
' - it's certainly not worth thousands for one kid. That said, while researching this I have come across a number of frustrated teachers and students in the UK and US all trying to satisfy exam board requirements (Law students in the US seem to have such difficulties too). It would be great if Mac and/or Word developed some kind of easy and secure switch off system for exams - or possibly focused on adding a function to TextEdit - as laptops in schools are on the increase generally and awareness of special needs requirements are more sophisticated. Presumably it would be a good USP for both Mac and Word. Of course, it does beg the question why a dyslexic student should have spellcheck disabled in the first place - all it proves is that they can't spel!

Cheers to you all
Deb

Thanks so much for all your feedback. I guess I will make do with 'nearly there

Hi Deb:





Email me direct if you need further action on this.





However, I am afraid I think I know what the answer will be: for one school
"Not worth our while".





It would involve taking a developer away from 'real' work for a week to
investigate, code, and test a solution. That would cost a couple of thousand
dollars.





On the PC, they can turn this stuff off and lock the registry so that
the user can't turn it back on. That facility is not present on the Mac.





But if you get stuck, get back to me and we will try.





Cheers

If Clive's idea doesn't work (below) and you wouldn't mind following

this up, > that would be great. > > AutoCorrect is a bit of a grey area
as it can correct the misuse of capital > letters and our school insists
on interpreting the rules of the exam boards > "to the letter". The rules
state that the word processor: "must be used as a > type-writer, not as
a database, although standard formatting software is > acceptable/ must
not have any predictive text software or automatic spell > checking .
. ." > > In fact, the school IT dept is resisting the use of a Mac laptop
and Word > altogether, insisting the student uses a PC and WordPad that
are unfamiliar, > which causes problems. > > I have also explored WordPad
and TextEdit on the Mac but here too it doesn't > seem possible to remove
the spellcheck, only to switch it off in Preferences. > > Anything that
makes the Mac/Word 100 % clean would add weight. > Thanks so much for
your efforts. > Deb > > What is the issue with AutoCorrect? > > > > >

Once you have removed the Main Dictionary, AutoCorrect will not be able
to intervene with spelling suggestions. > > > > > > However, disabling

it altogether is going to have knock-on effects > throughout > the Office
Suite that may disable commands that special needs people > would > rely
on. > > > > > > If you absolutely MUST disable AutoCorrect, I will have
to raise a > support > incident to find out how (and allow the program
to run without > crashing...) > > > > > > Cheers > > > > > > > On 13/11/08
1:37 AM, in article (e-mail address removed)9absDaxw, > "(e-mail address removed)"

wrote: > > > > > >> Version: 2004 > Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4

(Tiger) > Processor: > Power PC > > To use a mac in the GCSEs/ALevels,
special needs students > need a programme > free of spellcheck, dictionary
and autocorrect. It > seems it is not enough just > to switch these off
in preferences etc, > you have to totally remove them so > that however
determined they are, > it is impossible to cheat. I have found out > how
to remove spellcheck > and dictionaries* in Word but I can't do the same
for > AutoCorrect, > which > seems to be too far embedded in the programme.
Is there a > way to do > this? They could use Notepad, Wordpad or TextEdit
but on the Mac > > spellcheck > seems to be too far embedded to remove.
If we solve this, lots of > > mac-based > special needs students will
be grateful, my daughter included. Any > > advice > welcome. > > * by
going to the Microsoft Office 2004 application folder > and replacing
the > 'Proofing Tools' folder in 'Shared Applications' > with > an empty
folder and > removing the original; removing the dictionary > files >
from the 'Office' folder, > and removing the mac's own Dictionary > programme

from Applications - all > reversible > > > > > > -- Don't wait for your

answer, click here: > > > > > > Please reply in the group. Please do NOT
email me unless I ask you to. > > > > > > John McGhie, Microsoft MVP,
Word and Word:Mac Sydney, Australia. > mailto:[email protected] >





-- Don't wait for your answer, click here: <http://www.word.mvps.org/>





Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.





John McGhie, Microsoft MVP, Word and Word:Mac Sydney, Australia. mailto:[email protected]