Super Tracker (1984)

©1984, 2013 By Dallas Denny & Joe Driscoll

 SUPER TRACKER is a computer program that trains eye movements in young optometry patients/

 

 

 

 

SUPER TRACKER

Version 2.3

Owner’s And Operator’s Manual

 

Copyright 1984

By Dallas Denny, M.A.

And Joe Driscoll, O.D.

Human Development Software

 

Thank you for purchasing SUPER TRACKER for the Commodore 64 computer. We at Human Development Software are proud of SUPER TRACKER, and we hope it provides you with many hours of trouble-free use.

Be sure to fill out and return the warranty card enclosed with your SUPER TRACKER program. This will let us know that you are the legitimate owner of the program and will enable you to purchase revisions of the program and additional copies of the SUPER TRACKER OWNER’S AND OPERATOR’S MANUAL at a reduced price.

 

A Word About the Authors of Super Tracker

 

DALLAS DENNY is the programmer of SUPER TRACKER. She is a student at Peabody College of Vanderbilt University, where she is enrolled in a doctoral program in Special Education. She is a Licensed Psychological Examiner with more than 15 years of experience with adults with developmental disabilities. Dallas became interested in microcomputers in 1981, when she purchased a Commodore VIC-20 computer.

 

JOE DRISCOLL is an optometrist who practices in Jackson and Selmer, Tennessee. He uses SUPER TRACKER daily in his offices.

 

Watch for the Following Programs From Human Development Software

 

SUPER TACH

SUPER READER

 

”Small Print Section”

 

Copyright Notice

SUPER TRACKER and this manual are registered with the U.S. Copyright Office and are protected under copyright law. It is illegal to distribute copies of the program or manual to others, unless you have the express written consent of HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SOFTWARE.

 

Disclaimer of Liability

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SOFTWARE and the authors of SUPER TRACKER make no warranty, either expressed or implied, with respect to this booklet or the included software, its quality, performance, or fitness for any application. It is solely the responsibility of the purchaser to determine the suitability of SUPER TRACKER for any particular purpose.

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SOFTWARE and the authors of SUPER TRACKER will in no event be held liable for direct, indirect, or incidental damages arising from the use of SUPER TRACKER. This includes but is not limited to interruption of service, loss of business or anticipatory profit, legal action, or other consequential damages.

The user assumes all responsibility arising from the use of the SUPER TRACKER manual and software.

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SOFTWARE and the authors of SUPER TRACKER reserve the right to make improvements, corrections, or other changes to SUPER TRACKER and related materials at their discretion and without notice.

 

Guarantee

The SUPER TRACKER master disk is guaranteed for as long as it is owned by its original purchaser subject to the following limitations:

1. This guarantee is limited to the successful loading of the SUPER TRACKER master disk. If the disk fails to load successfully, it will be repaired or replaced at the option of HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SOFTWARE. It will be the responsibility of the owner of Super Tracker to return the defective disk to HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SOFTWARE for replacement. The owner must include a letter stating that a replacement is being requested, a receipt showing proof of purchase, and the defective disk.

2. This guarantee does not cover any loss of data or any other consequential loss or liability that may be incurred through the use of SUPER TRACKER.

Any and all correspondence and/or replacement requests should be directed to:

 

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SOFTWARE

BOX 33724

DECATUR, GA 30033

(404) 939-2128

 

Part I

Owning SUPER TRACKER

 

SUPER TRACKER consists of this booklet and the SUPER TRACKER MASTER DISKETTE. If both parts of SUPER TRACKER were not included in your package, please return it to your dealer for adjustment.

 

If you have problems with SUPER TRACKER

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SOFTWARE and the authors of SUPER TRACKER have strived to make their software and this documentation easy to use and understand. SUPER TRACKER has been extensively field-tested and should perform faultlessly, but it is possible that you may discover a “bug.” If you have suggestions for improvements in the software or this manual, or if you just want to give us your opinion about SUPER TRACKER, feel free to call or write us at the following address:

 

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SOFTWARE

BOX 33724

DECATUR, GA 30033

(404) 939-2128

 

Computer diskettes are fragile, and it is inevitable that some of our customers will, end up with a copy of the SUPER TRACKER master disk which does not operate properly. If you are one of the unfortunate few, we’re sorry. Return your diskette to us at the above address, along with a letter or note explaining your problem, and your proof of purchase, and we’ll replace it.

SUPER TRACKER will be periodically revised. You can tell which version of SUPER TRACKER you have by looking at the front page of this manual or by reading it at the HDS BRIDGE. If you wish to obtain a later version of SUPER TRACKER, mail us your SUPER TRACKER master disk and $20.00, and we will send you the latest revision.

 

Make Working Copies of SUPER TRACKER Immediately

The SUPER TRACKER master disk is used for making working disks. We suggest that you immediately make at least two working copies of SUPER TRACKER, and that you file the master disk in a safe place. Use the copies as work disks. We have included on the SUPER TRACKER master disk a special program (with instructions) for making working copies of SUPER TRACKER. Be safe— put a write protect tab on your SUPER TRACKER master disk and leave it there. See Section X this manual, UTILITIES, for step-by-step instructions for making working copies of SUPER TRACKER.

 

The Official SUPER TRACKER Manual

This is the official SUPER TRACKER owner’s and operator’s manual. We suggest you read it thoroughly before using SUPER TRACKER as an assessment instrument, but feel free (after you have made working copies) to load the program and play around to your heart’s content (we do suggest you read the next few sections first).

Every attempt was made to organize the manual in a logical manner and to write it using plain English. Headings appear centered on the page in capital letters; sub-headings appear in bold at the left margin, and sub-sub headings are at the left margin and underlined. Jargon, where it is used, is explained briefly in context, and more thoroughly in a glossary section (you’ll find it just in front of Appendix A).

SUPER TRACKER will be used with the patients of optometrists and opticians, the clients of other professionals, and with students in private and public schools. Since SUPER TRACKER can be used to train as well as evaluate saccadic eye movements, and since it is awkward to say “student or client or patient,” for the sake of clarity the word STUDENT will be used throughout this booklet.

 

You May Wish to Use a Write-Protect Tab

On your SUPER TRACKER Work Disks!

 

In the DISK OPERATIONS section of the various portions of SUPER TRACKER it is possible (if you ignore several warnings) to reformat your SUPER TRACKER work disk. So, you may wish to place a write-protect tab (the shiny adhesive rectangles you have found in boxes of diskettes) over the square hole in the right side of the diskette while you are using SUPER TRACKER. This will prevent you from accidentally erasing information on the diskette. If you wish, you can leave the tab on the diskette. You will need to remove the tab only when using the SYSTEM SETUP portion of SUPER TRACKER, and SUPER TRACKER will remind you to remove the tab when you enter SYSTEM SETUP and to replace it when you leave SYSTEM SETUP. If you choose not to use a write protect tab, just ignore the reminders.

 

Why SUPER TRACKER Is (And Is Not) Copy-Protected

Many software companies protect their software so it cannot be duplicated. This usually prevents users of their programs from making backup copies, and always inconveniences the consumer in some way. After careful consideration, we at HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SOFTARE have decided to allow the owners of our programs to make a limited number of backup copies. Our reasoning for this decision follows.

Most software for the C-64 is protected, and the most common scheme involves the introduction of irregularities of some type on the diskette. Most protected programs have a number of these irregularities. This is hard on the 1541 disk drive and can cause problems with loading software and with compatibility with third-party drives. Other protection schemes exist, but a basic fact is that any such scheme will inconvenience the consumer by decreasing the reliability of the program.

Nevertheless, most software manufacturers feel the need to prevent unlimited illegal distribution of their programs. As is usual in life, compromises must be made. We at HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SOFTWARE do not like the idea of protecting our software from copying, but have reluctantly decided to do so. Although the SUPER TRACKER master disk and work disks are copy-protected, they will not “knock” your 1541 drive and should load on all third-party drives.

Copy protection is more appropriate for some types of programs than for others. You will not be aversely affected (although you may think you are) if your only copy of TRANS-GALACTIC SPACE WARS doesn’t load, but you very well may be if your only copy of a program you use in your business or profession every day fails. Since SUPER TRACKER will be used primarily with students in schools and professional offices around the county, the ability to maintain backup copies will be important.

Americans are energetic and ingenious, and any protection scheme can be broken. We at HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SOFTWARE don’t wish to force our fellow citizens to become software pirates in order to ensure that they can maintain backup copies of SUPER TRACKER.

If you are an individual who purchased SUPER TRACKER, or if you are the representative of a business or institution which has purchased SUPER TRACKER, you may make five (5) copies of the SUPER TRACKER master diskette for your own use. These are called “work disks.” You must use the BACKUP program on your SUPER TRACKER master disk to make these copies. SUPER TRACKER work disks cannot be easily copied. The SUPER TRACKER master disk will count the number of work disks made from it; a maximum of five (5) work disks may be made.

The SUPER TRACKER master disk cannot be easily copied, and will not run SUPER TRACKER. You must run the program from your work disks. We suggest that you maintain sufficient working copies of SUPER TRACKER so you won’t be inconvenienced during the time it would take to get the master disk replaced.

You may use your SUPER TRACKER work disks at up to two different work stations. Additional copies of this manual are available from HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SOFTWARE for $20.00. Please purchase a copy of the manual for each additional work station at which you will be using SUPER TRACKER.

Your name and a copyright notice will be periodically displayed on the screen of your work disks. If we come across an illegal SUPER TRACKER diskette with your name on it, we will know where it came from. And yes, we will prosecute you. It is your responsibility to maintain control of any and all of your copies of SUPER TRACKER, and to see our program doesn’t get into the hands of unauthorized persons.

 

Part II

 Loading SUPER TRACKER

 

To Load SUPER TRACKER

The SUPER TRACKER master disk is used only for making work disks. It will not run the SUPER TRACKER program (consult Appendix A for instructions for making work disks). The following instructions refer to your work disks, and not the SUPER TRACKER master disk.

1) Place the diskette containing SUPER TRACKER in your disk drive and close the door of the drive.

2) Type LOAD “BOOT”,8, 1 and hit the RETURN key. The busy light on your disk drive should come on, and in about 12 seconds you should see the letters HDS on your monitor or TV screen. After several seconds the busy light will come on and the words SUPER TRACKER NOW LOADING will appear on the screen.

 

The HDS Bridge

The next thing you see will be the HDS BRIDGE. The BRIDGE is a junction. It allows you to choose different parts of the SUPER TRACKER program. Your choices are shown in a box on the lower part of the screen. Such a list of choices is called a MENU. The computer will wait patiently for you to make a choice. Occasionally the border of the screen will change color, just to let you know everything is fine and that SUPER TRACKER is awaiting your choice.

From the BRIDGE, you can go to the different parts of SUPER TRACKER:

 

Hit F1 to go to the EXAMINATION program.

Hit F3 to go to the PRACTICE program.

Hit F5 to go to the EDITOR program.

Hit F7 to go to the SYSTEM SETUP program.

Hit U to go to the UTILITY programs menu.

Hit the left arrow key if you want to exit SUPER TRACKER.

 

After you make your selection, a message will appear on the bottom of the screens telling you that your choice is loading.

 

The Parts of SUPER TRACKER

SUPER TRACKER is comprised of five programs and a selection of utility programs:

The EDITOR program allows you to make lists of words, phrases, or numbers and store them on disk.

The EXAMINATION program allows you to test the ability of your students to perform saccadic fixation movements and generate printed summaries of their performance.

The PRACTICE program allows you to provide your students, patients, or clients with on-screen practice making saccadic movements. You can also generate printed sheets for take-home practice.

The SYSTEM SETUP program allows you to configure SUPER TRACKER to your disk drives and printer.

The UTILITY programs allow you to make working copies of SUPER TRACKER, make SUPER TRACKER data disks, move files from disk to disk, and make backup copies of data disks.

 

How the Parts of SUPER TRACKER Are Alike

The parts of SUPER TRACKER have many things in common. All have the same look and feel. Here are some of the more important ways in which they are alike:

All parts of SUPER TRACKER are reached from the HDS BRIDGE, and all will return you to the BRIDGE when you are through.

Most of the screens of SUPER TRACKER are titled. The title will appear inside a box at the top of the screen. Sometimes important instructions appear in the box also. Additional instructions may appear below the box.

SUPER TRACKER is menu driven. That means that at choice points you will be given on the screen a list of alternatives, and the program will branch (“go” places) according to your input. All menu screens will have the word MENU somewhere in the box on the top of the screen. Menu screens will require but a single key press; it is not necessary to press (hit) the RETURN key. As soon as you hit a key (if it is a key indicated on the menu), something will happen. Other screens may or may not require you to hit the RETURN key. If, when you are asked for input, you hit a key or keys and the numbers or letters you type appear on the screen but nothing else happens, hit the RETURN key. (The computer sometimes doesn’t take action until the RETURN key is pressed). When you are unsure, hit the RETURN key. It can’t hurt.

When you are asked to HIT ANY KEY, that really means “Press any key but the SHIFT, SHIFT/LOCK, STOP, RESTORE, CONTROL, or COMMODORE keys.”

SUPER TRACKER uses the left arrow key (the key at the top left of the keyboard) as an ESCAPE key. It will generally return you to the part of the program you were in last. When you leave a SUPER TRACKER screen with the left arrow key, you will see a box which says “EXIT ROUTINE.” This is simply to let you know that you are escaping from a portion of SUPER TRACKER.

SUPER TRACKER allows you to set the screen colors. Screen, border, and two character colors are allowed. Colors are selected at the MAIN MENU screen of any of the six parts of SUPER TRACKER, and may be saved to disk in the EXAMINATION program. The various portions of SUPER TRACKER will automatically start with the currently defined colors.

 

F2 Border Color

F4 Screen Color

F6 Character Color 1

F8 Character Color 2 (Highlight Color)

 

SUPER TRACKER frequently looks on the disk for information. Therefore, it is important to leave your work disk or data disk in the drive. You will be prompted whenever you wish to change disks.

When SUPER TRACKER is reading disk files or is otherwise busy, you will see a message on the monitor screen, informing you of what is happening. You need not take action when this happens; the message is there to let you know what SUPER TRACKER is doing.

With the exception of BOOT, which loads SUPER TRACKER, the names of all files used by SUPER TRACKER (except data files) begin with a space. In this manual, the American pound sign (#) will be used to signify the space character. Ordinarily, you need not worry about this, but if you wish to modify or repair a file, you should be aware that the leading space is necessary for SUPER TRACKER to find the appropriate files. Data files do not have this space.

 

Part III

THE SUPER TRACKER System Setup Program

 

One of the first things you will need to do is to tailor SUPER TRACKER to your system hardware. The SUPER TRACKER SYSTEM SETUP program allows you to do this. To select the SYSTEM SETUP program, hit F7 at the HDS BRIDGE. The monitor screen will display the message “GOING TO SYSTEM SETUP” while the program loads. The SUPER TRACKER diskette must remain in your drive while running the SYSTEM SETUP program (if you have a dual drive, leave the SUPER TRACKER disk in drive 0). The SYSTEM SETUP program will remind you to remove the write-protect tab on your disk. When you exit SYSTEM SETUP, you will be reminded to replace the write-protect tab. Hit any key and you will see the SYSTEM SETUP MAIN MENU (the left arrow key will return you to the HDSBRIDGE).

The SYSTEM SETUP MAIN MENU will look like this:

From the SYSTEM SETUP MAIN MENU, you may choose to configure your drives, configure your printer, or to return to the HDS BRIDGE. Simply hit the key which corresponds to your choice.

You may also modify the colors of the border, screen, and characters with the F2, F4, F6, and F8 keys. You will see the effect immediately. If you pass the color you want, it will come up again 16 key presses later. If you “lose” some of the characters on the screen, that is because those characters and the screen are the same color. Press the F2 key to change border color, the F4 key to change screen color, or the F6 or F8 keys to change character color.

 

Configuring SUPER TRACKER For Your Drives

If you choose to configure your drives, you will see the following menu:

 

When purchased, SUPER TRACKER is configured for a single 1541 drive (this is called the default condition).

 

Single Drive:

If you have a single 1541 drive or a second-party single drive such as the MSD SD1, Indus GT, Blue Sky, or Cardco CSD-1 drives, you need not choose the CONFIGURE DRIVES option (because SUPER TRACKER is already set up for a single drive). Or, you may choose option 1, SINGLE DRIVE. The single drive must be device 8.

 

Twin Single Drives:

If you have two single drives, choose option 2, TWO SINGLE DRIVES. The device number of the first drive must be 8; the device number of the second drive can be 9, 10, or 11.

 

Dual Drive:

 If you have a dual drive such as the MOD SD-2 or Commodore 4040 drives, choose option 3, DUAL DRIVE. Your device number must be 8.

After you have entered the information about your drive, you will be asked to hit the RETURN key to save the data to disk. Remember that your SUPER TRACKER disk must be in the drive (with write-protect tab removed). After the information is saved, you will be returned to the SYSTEM SETUP MAIN MENU. If you wish to quit without saving the information, you may escape to the SYSTEM SETUP MAIN MENU by using the left arrow key.

 

Configuring SUPER TRACKER For Your Printer

When purchased, SUPER TRACKER is configured for many popular printers, including the Commodore MPS-801 and MPS-802 (Model 1525 and 1526) printers and Epson-compatible printers. You should try this setup first. If you wish to accept the setup (it is already on disk), you need not choose the CONFIGURE PRINTER option. If you wish to escape the CONFIGURE PRINTER option without saving your changes to disk, you may escape via the left arrow key.

Sample SUPER TRACKER reports may be found in Appendices A, B, C, and D. Your reports should look like the samples, and after printing, the paper should advance to the top of the next form. If something looks different, or if your printer does not work when you try to generate a report, you will need to configure your printer.

It will be necessary to consult your printer’s manual in order to determine the correct codes. The required codes are often buried in tables, and some experimentation may be required in order for SUPER TRACKER to generate reports properly.

To accept a default code (the default code will appear under the cursor), you need type nothing in; just hit the RETURN key and the default will be entered. If you don’t want to accept the defaults, hit the delete key until the default is obliterated and then type in the desired code.

You will be asked to enter the following information (consult your printer manual).

 

DEVICE NUMBER: (DEFAULT = 4). First, you must choose the printer device number. If your printer is interfaced through the serial port (plugged into the disk drive), it will probably be device 4. If it is a second or backup printer, or a printer/plotter, then it may be device 5. A very few printers are device 6 or 7. If your printer is interfaced through the user port, it will be device 2.

SECONDARY ADDRESS: (DEFAULT = 6). The correct secondary address will depend upon your interface. The default (6) works well with the Cardco 8+ and 9+ interfaces. Consult your interface manual to determine the correct secondary address. If your printer does not advance paper after each line or double spaces each line, you may need to change the secondary address.

PAGE ADVANCE (FORM FEED): (DEFAULT = 12). On most printers, the code for form feed (advancing the paper to the top of the next form) is 12.

EXPANDED PRINT: (DEFAULT = 14). On many printers, the code for expanded print is 14. If you have a daisy-wheel printer, you cannot use expanded print. You may choose ENHANCED PRINT or HEAVY PRINT instead.

RETURN TO NORMAL PRINT (from expanded print): DEFAULT = ).

UNDERLINING ON: (DEFAULT = ).

UNDERLINING OFF: (DEFAULT = ).

ENHANCED PRINT ON: (DEFAULT = ).

ENHANCED PRINT OFF: (DEFAULT = ).

 

After you have entered the information about your printer, you’ll be asked to hit the RETURN key to save the data to disk. Remember that your SUPER TRACKER disk must be in the drive (with write protect tab removed). After the information is saved, you’ll be returned to the SYSTEM SETUP MAIN MENU. If you wish to quit without saving the information, you may escape to the SYSTEM SETUP MAIN MENU by using the left arrow key.

 

Leaving System Setup

When you wish to return to the HDS BRIDGE, select RETURN TO BRIDGE at the SYSTEM SETUP MAIN MENU (you may also hit the left arrow key). You will be prompted to replace the write protect tab on the diskette. Hit any key to return to the HDS BRIDGE (the left arrow key will return you to the SYSTEM SETUP MAIN MENU).

 

Part IV. The SUPER TRACKER Examination Program

 

The SUPER TRACKER EXAMINATION program allows you to test the ability of your students to perform saccadic eye movements. The EXAMINATION program will generate summaries of their performance on your line printer.

 

Getting to the Examination Program

To select the SUPER TRACKER EXAMINATION program, hit F1 at the HDS BRIDGE. The monitor screen will briefly display the words GOING TO EXAMINATION. The title screen will be displayed while the EXAMINATION program loads (this will take about a minute— the program is a long one). If you are using twin single drives or a dual drive, you should insert a data disk in your second drive before hitting F1.

 

A Note About the Title Screen

The authors of SUPER TRACKER are Dallas Denny and Joe Driscoll. On printed material, it is necessary to list one or the other name first. The computer, however, allows equal billing. As the EXAMINATION program loads, notice the title screen. Sometimes Joe’s name is first, and sometimes Dallas’ name is first. The computer “flips a coin” each time the EXAMINATION program is selected to see who gets “top billing.” The same thing is done when the EDITOR and PRACTICE programs are selected.

 

Data Disks

The next thing you will see is a message on the screen, “READING PRINTER INFORMATION.” In a few seconds it will be replaced with “READING DRIVE DATA.” The EXAMINATION program is checking your system configuration.

If you are using a single drive, the next thing you see will be a welcome (if you are using twin single drives, the EXAMINATION program will expect a data disk to be in the second drive and will not pause. Those with dual drives should have data disks in drive 1).

Those with single drives) will be asked to insert a data disk and then hit the RETURN key. Your SUPER TRACKER work disk has data files on it, and you may add many more, but you can have as many additional data disks as you wish. This will allow you to tailor the EXAMINATION program for individual students. Data disks are discussed more thoroughly in PART X of this manual, THE UTILITY PROGRAM. If you are using a data disk, you should insert it at this time.

If you aren’t using a data disk, just keep your SUPER TRACKER work disk in the drive.

After you hit the RETURN key, the disk drive will whir. The screen will briefly display the words, READING PRESET INFORMATION. After several seconds you will see READING DATE, and then NOW READING PRESET X (where X is a number between 1 and 30). Finally, you will see the EXAMINATION PROGRAM MAIN MENU.

 

Examination Program Main Menu

The SUPER TRACKER EXAMINATION PROGRAM MAIN MENU looks like this:

If a “window” entitled STUDENT DATA appears at the right bottom of the screen, hit F1 and it will disappear.

 

Setting Colors

From the EXAMINATION PROGRAM MAIN MENU, you may modify the colors of the border, screen, and characters with the F2, F4, F6, and F8 keys. You will see the effect immediately. If you pass the color you want, it will come up again 16 key presses later. If you “lose” some of the characters on the screen, that is because those characters and the screen are the same color. Hit the F2 key to change border color, the F4 key to change screen color, or the F6 or F8 keys to change character color. You can only do this if the STUDENT DATA window is off.

 

The STUDENT DATA Window

From the EXAMINATION PROGRAM MAIN MENU, hitting F1 will toggle the STUDENT/CLIENT DATA Window. This window allows you to see currently defined data about your student and at the same time, see the menu options. The window will obscure the last part of the names of some of the options, but don’t worry—enough of the names remain to tell you want they do, and you can still use all of the options. The box at the top of the screen will tell you if the window is off or on (as if you didn’t know).

To enter data about your student, hit F3. The window will be activated and the box at the top of the screen will say WINDOW ACTIVATED. When the window is activated, hitting 1-4 will allow you to enter the following information about your student: (1) NAME; (2) AGE; (3) GRADE; and(4) TEACHER/THERAPIST (your name). While the window is activated, you cannot use the options from the EXAMINATION PROGRAM MAIN MENU, and you cannot set the screen colors. Hit F3 to deactivate the window, or hit F1 to deactivate the window and turn it off.

 

Instructions

Pressing 1 at the EXAMINATION PROGRAM MAIN MENU will cause the following instructions for your students to be

displayed to the screen:

 

Welcome to the SUPER TRACKER EXAMINATION program. We are going to have some fun. When you are told to do so by the person who is working with you, watch this screen carefully. Words or numbers will appear briefly. They may appear anywhere on the screen. You must pay attention, for they will remain on the screen for only a short time. When you see the word or number, say it clearly so your responses can be recorded. When you see “THANK YOU” on the screen, you will know you have finished. Be sure to ask about SUPER TRACKER GAMES!

Press any key for each screen of instructions after the first. Press the left arrow key at any time to return to the EXAMINATION PROGRAM MAIN MENU.

 

Modifying #GEN.DOC

The instruction file which is read to the screen is called #GEN DOC (Note: The first character of the file is not “#”, but a space; the pound sign is used to remind you there is a space there). #GEN.DOC is a sequential file. If your word processing program operates with sequential files, you can load #GEN.DOC, modify it in any way you like, and re-save it to disk (be sure the first character of the file name is a space). Don’t include any formatting commands, for they will be displayed to the screen. You need not worry about your words breaking at the end of lines; they Will automatically wrap around.

A public domain text editing program called TEXT EDITOR is included on your SUPER TRACKER work disk. It can be reached by selecting U for “UTILITIES” at the HDS BRIDGE. Instructions for #TEXT EDITOR can be found in PART X of this manual, UTILITIES.

 

Set Date

Pressing 2 at the EXAMINATION PROGRAM MAIN MENU will allow you to set the date. Just type in the date and hit RETURN. This need be done but once daily; the date is saved to disk and will remain as it was last set, even if the computer has been turned off.

 

Read Data From Disk

Pressing 3 at the EXAMINATION PROGRAM MAIN MENU will allow you to read data files into memory (data files are lists of words or numbers that are included on your work disk or which you make with the EDITOR program and save to the work disk or to a data disk).

To read a data file, type in its name at the prompt (a prompt is a message asking you to enter information. It will tell you what information is expected). After you type in the file name and press RETURN, you will see the message NOW READING (YOUR FILE) on the screen. You can watch as each word of number in the file is read into memory. The number of words read will depend upon the length of the file and upon how the LENGTH OF DATA switch is set. After the file is read, you will be returned to the EXAMINATION PROGRAM MAIN MENU. You can tell when data is in memory— an asterisk (*) will appear on the right-hand side of the READ DATA FROM DISK selection at the EXAMINATION PROGRAM MAIN MENU screen.

If you are unsure of a name, or wish to look at a list of data files, type a dollar sign ($) and press the RETURN key. All files on the disk will appear on the right-hand side of the screen. A line of five dashes (—–) appears when a SUPER TRACKER file rather than a data file is found. When you see the name of the data file you want, press the left arrow key and you’ll be returned to the prompt. You will be returned to the prompt automatically after all files are found.

If you enter the name of a nonexistent file, you will get an error message, ERROR STATUS: FILE NOT FOUND. You must press a key to continue. You will be returned to the EXAMINATION PROGRAM MAIN MENU.

 

Switches

Hitting 4 at the EXAMINATION PROGRAM MAIN MENU will enable you to set over 20 electronic switches. You can think of these as being analogous to mechanical switches. Setting the switches will enable you to tailor the EXAMINATION program to your exact needs. The SWITCH page looks like this:

 

Bell

Some of the switches in the EXAMINATION program, including the BELL switch, are toggle switches. If a toggle switch is on, hitting the switch’s key turns it off; if a toggle switch is off, hitting its key turns it on. To toggle the BELL switch, simply hit the B key. You can see on the monitor whether the switch is on or off.

Turning the BELL switch on causes the computer to sound a bell-like tone at stopping points, when key presses are expected (except at MENU screens). If the BELL switch is off, you won’t hear the tone.

You can see the effect Of the BELL switch by turning it on, hitting the left arrow key to escape from the SWITCHES page to the EXAMINATION PROGRAM MAIN MENU, and hitting 1”to get the first INSTRUCTION screen. When the prompt HIT ANY KEY appears, the bell tone will sound. Several seconds later it will sound again.

 

Advance

In a SUPER TRACKER EXAMINATION, words are flashed briefly on the screen. The switches in the EXAMINATION program allow you to control the vertical and horizontal areas in which the words will appear. The ADVANCE switch is the first of these position switches. It determines the increment of the display down the screen. If ADVANCE is set to 0, the display will remain on the same line at which it starts; if ADVANCE is set to 1, the display will advance a single line at a time (single space); if ADVANCE is set to 2, the display will advance 2 lines at a time (double space).

The range of ADVANCE is 0-5. To set the ADVANCE switch, simply hold down the A key and watch the setting of ADVANCE on the monitor screen. The setting will continue to increase as long as you hold down the key (it will start again at 0 after it reached the maximum setting of 5).

Another way of setting ADVANCE (and most of the other switches) is to use the SHIFT key. Hold down the SHIFT key and hit “A” (SHIFT A). They you can enter the setting you desire. Be sure to hit the RETURN key when you have finished.

 

Vertical Tab

The VERTICAL TAB is also a position switch. It selects the starting line number of the display. If VERTICAL TAB is set to 1, the first word will flash on Line 1; if VERTICAL TAB is set to 10, the first word will flash on Line 10 (see Figure 1).

By using the VERTICAL TAB and ADVANCE switches together, SUPER TRACKER can be used as a tachistoscope.

To set the VERTICAL TAB switch, hit the T key (or SHIFT T). The setting of the switch can be read from the monitor screen.

 

Number of Horizontal Tabs

The NUMBER OF HORIZONTAL TABS switch determines in how many columns the display will appear on the screen. The range of this switch is 1-5. To set the NUMBER OF HORIZONTAL TABS, just hold down the 6 key (or hit SHIFT 6).

 

Horizontal Tabs

There are five HORIZONTAL TAB switches. They are also position switches. They determine the horizontal positions at which the display will be printed. The HORIZONTAL TABS switches are used in conjunction with the NUMBER OF HORIZONTAL TABS switch. The settings denote the horizontal positions (number of spaces from the left side of the monitor screen) at which the display will be tabbed. The range of the HORIZONTAL TAB switches is 1-40. They are set by hitting keys 1-5 (or SHIFT 1-5). The setting of the switch can be determined from the monitor screen.

The HORIZONTAL TAB switches are activated by the NUMBER OF HORIZONTAL TABS switch. If HORIZONTAL TAB switches are not currently activated by the NUMBER OF HORIZONTAL TAB switch, they will not appear on the monitor screen or on printed reports.

 

Length of Data

The LENGTH OF DATA switch selects the number of letters, numbers, or words which are read into memory and which will subsequently be seen on the monitor screen. The range of the LENGTH OF DATA is 1-300. It is set by hitting 7 (or SHIFT 7).

If a data file shorter than the setting of the LENGTH OF DATA switch is read into memory, LENGTH OF DATA will be reset to the number of elements in the data file. If the data file is longer than the setting of the LENGTH OF DATA switch, only the number of elements specified by the LENGTH OF DATA switch will be read into memory. In either case, a short message indicating what has happened will be printed on the monitor screen.

 

Random Delay (Sec)

The RANDOM DELAY switch causes the EXAMINATION program to wait for a few seconds at certain times during the examination process. It is used to deter your student from anticipating the program and to allow the them some time to prepare themselves after hitting a key when the program requires them to do so.

For example, if RANDOM DELAY is set at 0 seconds, and the subject is asked to HIT ANV KEY to begin the Examination, words will start flashing on the screen immediately after the key is pressed. If RANDOM DELAY is set at 5 seconds, then the subject will have time to get comfortable before the words begin to appear on the screen. There will be a pause of 1-5 seconds before the word is begin to appear.

The range of RANDOM DELAY is 0-9 seconds. It is set by hitting the 8 key (or SHIFT 8)

 

Pause Between Words

The PAUSE BETWEEN WORDS switch specifies the delay between words in seconds as they are flashed on the screen during the Examination process. If the PAUSE BETWEEN WORDS switch is set at 0 seconds, a word will appear on the screen as soon as the preceding word is erased. If the PAUSE BETWEEN WORDS switch is set at .3 seconds, there will be a three-second pause between words.

It is possible to use the interval between words for purposes of data collection. During the examination, the student or patient will call a word as soon as it is flashed on the screen. The therapist or teacher, referring to a master list of words, will know if the correct word was named. By pressing the fire button of a joystick which is plugged into either game port of the C-64 during the pause between words, the therapist can indicate that the preceding word was missed. The EXAMINATION program uses this data in preparing printed reports.

The range of the PAUSE BETWEEN WORDS switch is 0-9 seconds. This switch can be set by hitting 9 (or SHIFT 9).

 

Pause During Presentation

The PAUSE DURING PRESENTATION switch is a toggle. When it is on, the Examination can be frozen at any time by hitting the F1 key (hit F1 again to resume). When PAUSE DURING PRESENTATION is off, the F1 key is disabled; the examination cannot be paused.

PAUSE DURING PRESENTATION can be turned on for purposes of instructing the patient or student. Turning the switch off will prevent the inventive student from cheating by pausing the display.

PAUSE DURING PRESENTATION it set by hitting the 0 key.

 

Justification

JUSTIFICATION is a position switch. It determines whether words will be printed to the left or right, or centered about horizontal tab positions (see Figure 2).

The setting called RANDOMIZE does more than determine the justification of the presentation; it results in the total random placement of data elements on the screen. VERTICAL and HORIZONTAL TAB settings are ignored.

The JUSTIFICATION switch is set by hitting the F1 key.

 

Pause After Each Screen

The PAUSE AFTER EACH SCREEN switch is a toggle which determines whether the EXAMINATION program will stop after the display has reached the bottom of the screen. If PAUSE AFTER EACH SCREEN is on, then the EXAMINATION PROGRAM will pause until a key must be pressed. If PAUSE AFTER EACH SCREEN is off, then after the delay specified by the RANDOM DELAY switch, words will begin appearing at the positions specified by the VERTICAL and HORIZONTAL TAB switches.

PAUSE AFTER EACH SCREEN is set by hitting the F3 key.

 

Stop/Restore

The STOP/RESTORE switch is a toggle; when it is enabled, holding the RUN/STOP key down and smartly tapping the RESTORE key will return you to BASIC. If STOP/RESTORE is disabled, hitting these keys will have no effect.

The STOP/RESTORE switch is set by hitting the F5 key.

 

Presentation

The PRESENTATION switch determines the order in which the data elements are presented. The switch may be set in any of three positions: SEQUENTIAL, RANDOM WITH REPLACE, and RANDOM WITHOUT REPLACE.

The SEQUENTIAL setting will result in the data elements appearing in the order in which they are read in from the data file. That is, if the data file is in alphabetical order, the words in the data file will appear in alphabetical order.

The RANDOM WITH REPLACE setting is a true random setting. Each of the elements in the data file has an equal chance of appearing at any time. There is a chance that any element may appear more than once, and some elements may not appear at all.

The RANDOM WITHOUT REPLACE setting is like a BINGO game. An element from the data file is selected randomly; once selected, that element will not be selected again.

The PRESENTATION switch is set by hitting the F7 key.

 

Set Data Name

The SET DATA NAME switch allows you to tag a data file for autoreading; that is, if there is the name of a data file in the SET DATA NAME setting, that data file will be automatically read the next time (and every time) the EXAMINATION program is run (provided that the switch settings are saved to disk— see READ/SAVE PRESETS and PRESET TO AUTOREAD, below)

The SET DATA NAME switch is operated by hitting the F2 (SHIFT F1) key.

 

Printer

The PRINTER switch is a toggle. ENABLE the switch if you have a printer on line. If you don’t have a printer, or if you don’t want SUPER TRACKER to print reports, be sure to DISABLE the PRINTER switch.

The PRINTER switch is selected by hitting the F4 (SHIFT F3) key.

 

Read/Save Presets

The READ/SAVE PRESETS switch allows you to configure the EXAMINATION program for individual students or patients. It is used to read any of 30 preset switch settings from disk or to save your current switch settings to any of 30 slots on disk. SAVING a preset causes all switch settings to be saved. Current screen, border, and both character colors are saved also, as is the STUDENT/CLIENT information which appears in the window on the EXAMINATION PROGRAM MAIN MENU screen. If the STUDENT/CLIENT DATA window is on or activated when a preset is saved, it will be on or activated when the preset is read. READING a preset causes the same EXAMINATION program to be “reset” to the same state it was in when the preset was saved.

To read or save a preset, hit F6 (SHIFT F5), and then L to read a preset or S to save the preset. You will be asked to pick a preset (1-30) to read or save. If you are saving the preset, you will be given the opportunity to give the preset a name of up to 11 characters. After you have entered the required information and hit the RETURN key, the disk drive will whir and the preset will be read or saved. You will be returned to the EXAMINATION PROGRAM MAIN MENU. If you have read a preset, the colors of the screen, border, and characters will change to those of the preset you have read.

 

Preset to Autoread (1-30)

When the various portions of SUPER TRACKER are selected, they read one of the 30 PRESET files. The PRESET TO AUTOREAD switch tells them which PRESET file to act upon.

To select the PRESET TO AUTOREAD switch, hit F8 (SHIFT F7) and type in a number between 1 and 30. After you hit RETURN, the disk drive will whir and the information will be saved to disk.

 

The switches of the EXAMINATION program will enable you to customize SUPER TRACKER to meet your specific needs. Play with the various settings of the switches and you’ll get an idea of what they can do. Don’t worry about words wrapping across the screen, as the EXAMINATION program compensates for that. Remember that simply setting the switches doesn’t cause the setting to be remembered. You must save them to disk in one of the 30 PRESET slots.

 

Examination

To choose the Examination option, hit the 5 key at the EXAMINATION PROGRAM MAIN MENU. If data have not been read into memory, you will be reminded of this and asked to hit a key, after which you will be returned to the EXAMINATION PROGRAM MAIN MENU. If data have been read into memory, you will be asked whether the examination is: (1) right monocular; (2) left monocular; (3) biocular, or (4) binocular. At this point, hitting the left arrow key will cause you to be returned to the EXAMINATION PROGRAM MAIN MENU. Hitting the P key instead will cause a hard copy (printout) of the target words to be generated on the line printer. These words will be in the order in which they will appear during the examination. This is for the therapist to refer to. If the PRESENTATION switch is set to RANDOM WITH REPLACE or RANDOM WITHOUT REPLACE, the order of presentation will be different each time the examination occurs, and it will be necessary to generate a new list every time Examination is selected at the EXAMINATION PROGRAM MAIN MENU.

After you have printed a list of words (if you desire one), hit 1-4 to indicate which type of examination you are conducting.

You will next be asked to select (in seconds) the amount of time each word is to be left on the screen. Enter the time in seconds and hit RETURN. Hitting the left arrow key (and RETURN) will cause you to be returned to the EXAMINATION PROGRAM MAIN MENU.

Hitting any key will now start the examination. After the delay specified by the RANDOM DELAY switch, words will begin flashing on the screen. You should be sure your student has been briefed, and, if you plan to collect data with the joystick, that your joystick is plugged into one of the game ports.

The first word will appear at the setting specified by the VERTICAL TAB switch and the first HORIZONTAL TAB switch. If the NUMBER OF HORIZONTAL TABS switch is set at more than 1, additional words will be flashed an the same line at the horizontal tab positions specified by HORIZONTAL TAB 2-5. The words will be left or right justified, or centered at these tab positions, according to the setting of the JUSTIFICATION switch. There will be a pause between words equal to the setting of the PAUSE BETWEEN WORDS switch. The words will move down the screen at the increment specified by the XXX switch. When the words reach the bottom of the screen, one of two things will happen: if the PAUSE BETWEEN SCREENS switch is set to ENABLED, then a key must be hit for the examination to continue. If the PAUSE BETWEEN SCREENS switch is set to DISABLED, then words will reappear at the setting specified by the VERTICAL TAB switch after the delay specified by the RANDOM DELAY switch.

Of course, if you have selected the RANDOMIZE for the JUSTIFICATION switch setting, then words will appear anywhere and everywhere on the screen, and the program will not pause until the examination has ended.

If the PAUSE switch is enabled, pressing the F1 key will cause the display to freeze. This is handy when training students. Hitting the left arrow key at any time will halt the examination and return you to the EXAMINATION PROGRAM MAIN MENU.

If you are collecting data, you will record mistakes by pressing the fire button of the joystick. You should press the button firmly during the period in which a word has disappeared from the screen and before the next word has reappeared. The button must be pressed during this period. You should set the PAUSE BETWEEN WORDS switch for a long enough pause so you and the student can respond to the flashed word, and you can decide whether the response is correct or incorrect and press the button.

After the last word has been flashed, a THANK YOU message will be flashed on the screen and you will be taken to the GENERATE REPORT option of the EXAMINATION PROGRAM MAIN MENU. You can then title the report, manually correct the number of errors, and print reports at various levels of analysis. Hitting the left arrow key will return you to the EXAMINATION PROGRAM MAIN MENU. You may then wish to reward your student by selecting SUPER TRACKER GAMES. You can do this by hitting SHIFT 9 at the EXAMINATION PROGRAM MAIN MENU.

 

Generate Report

The GENERATE REPORT option is selected by hitting 6 at the EXAMINATION PROGRAM MAIN MENU. Hitting the left arrow key exits GENERATE REPORT and returns you to the main menu.

If the PRINTER switch is set to ENABLE, you can generate reports at two levels of analysis on the printer. If the PRINTER switch is set to DISABLED, the printer options will not show on the screen.

Hitting F1 causes a one-page report to be printed. This report will contain the title, the date, identifying information about the student, the settings of important switches, the name of the data file, and the number and percentage of words identified correctly.

Hitting F3 causes a longer report to be printed. The first page of the longer report is identical to the short report. The next pages list the elements of the data file in the order in which they were presented. An asterisk (*) beside a word indicates that word was missed (these data were collected from the joystick). Finally, words which were missed are listed by where they appeared on the screen (by horizontal tabs).

Examination of this report can provide diagnostic information (i.e., the student is missing many more words at the center of the screen than at either the left or right of the screen).

Hitting F5 enables you to manually set the number of words missed. Simply enter the number of words missed and hit RETURN. The Examination program will recalculate the percentage of words correct.

Hitting F1 enables you to title the report. The title shows on the screen, and will also appear on the printed report. Simply type in the name of the report (up to 20 characters), and hit the RETURN key.

More than one report can be generated. You can select the GENERATE REPORT option at any time. It will remain undisturbed unless switches are reset, data are read into memory, or the examination option is selected at the EXAMINATION PROGRAM MAIN MENU.

 

Disk Operations

The DISK OPERATIONS MENU selected by hitting 7 at the EXAMINATION PROGRAM MAIN MENU or by hitting the left arrow key at the EXAMINATION PROGRAM MAIN MENU. Disk Operations can be exited by hitting the left arrow key, or by choosing option 7, RETURN TO MAIN MENU.

The DISK OPERATIONS MENU enables you to format new disks, see a directory of all files on the disk, kill and rename files, read the error channel of the drive, and initialize the drive (that is, restore the drive to power-up condition). The DISK OPERATIONS MENU looks like this:

 

Format (Initialize) Disk

Before a new disk can be used, it must be formatted. That is, the drive must go through. a process of giving the disk a name and identifying number and setting up 35 tracks on the surface of the disk. This takes about 90 seconds on the 1541 drive. After formatting, the disk can be used for storing information.

To format a disk, hit the 1 key at the DISK OPERATIONS MENU. You will see a garbage can with a diskette suspended over it and the words FORMATTING WILL COMPLETELY ERASE DISK. ALL DATA ON THE DISK WILL GO TO NEVERNEVERLAND. ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO FORMAT? Heed this warning! You must remove your SUPER TRACKER work disk or your data disk and place an unformatted blank disk in the drive (the second drive, if you are using twin singles drives or drive l if you are using a dual drive). If you are just sightseeing, hit the left arrow key to return to the DISK OPERATIONS MENU.

If you are actually formatting a disk, hit Y. Next, type in a name for the disk (16 characters or less), and hit RETURN. Next, enter a two-letter (or two digit) identifying number for the disk (for example, 1W, 25, or DD). Entering the left arrow key and hitting RETURN at either the DISK NAME or DISK ID prompts will return you to the DISK OPERATIONS MENU.

You must hit a key to format the disk. Again, hitting the left arrow key will cause you to return to the DISK OPERATIONS MENU without formatting your disk.

 

Directory

Hit the 2 key at the DISK OPERATIONS MENU to choose the DIRECTORY option. A list of all files on the disk will appear on the screen. SUPER TRACKER files as well as your data files will appear. Hit the left arrow key at any time to stop the directory, and hit the left arrow key again to return to the DISK OPERATIONS MENU.

 

Kill (Erase) Files

Hit the 3 key at the DISK OPERATIONS MENU to choose the KILL (ERASE) FILES option. You will see the warning, KILLING FILES WILL DESTROY THEM FOREVER. Killing a file will cause it be erased from the disk.

To kill a file, type the name of the file and hit RETURN. Entering the left arrow. and hitting RETURN will cause you to be returned to the DISK OPERATIONS MENU without killing the file.

You must next hit a key to kill the file. Again, hitting the left arrow key will cause you to return to the DISK OPERATIONS MENU without scratching the file.

 

Rename Files

Hit the 4 key at the DISK OPERATIONS MENU to choose the RENAME FILES option. You will be asked to enter the old file name and the new file name. Entering the left arrow key and hitting RETURN at either prompt will cause you to be returned to the DISK OPERATIONS MENU.

 

Read Error Channel

When the red light of your drive is blinking, an error has occurred. You can determine what has gone wrong by reading the error channel. Hit the 5 key at the DISK OPERATIONS MENU to read the error channel The number and name of the error will be displayed on the screen and the red light will stop blinking. Hit any key to return to the DISK OPERATIONS MENU.

 

Reset Drive

If your drive seems to have become confused, or if you just want to stop the red light from blinking, choose the RESET DRIVE option by hitting 6 at the DISK OPERATIONS MENU (be sure a disk is in the drive). The drive will be reset, and you will be returned automatically to the DISK OERATIONS MENU.

 

Return to Main Menu

From the DISK OPERATIONS MENU, hit the 1 key or the left arrow key and you will be returned to the EXAMINATION PROGRAM MAIN MENU.

 

Quit Program

If you want to exit the SUPER TRACKER EXAMINATION PROGRAM, hit 5 at the EXAMINATION PROGRAM MAIN MENU. You will be asked if you really want to quit. If you do not want to quit, hit N and you will be returned to the main menu. Data which has been read into memory will be retained. If you press Y, you will be asked if you want to return to the HDS BRIDGE. If you hit N, then SUPER TRACKER will terminate. You will be back in BASIC, and can use your computer for other purposes. If you hit Y and you are using a single drive, you will be prompted to reinsert your SUPER TRACKER work disk and hit any key. Those with twin single or dual drives will not see this prompt. After a key is pressed, you will see the message GOING TO BRIDGE, and you will be returned to the HDS BRIDGE.

 

Super Tracker Games

 

SUPER TRACKER has a section for reinforcing and entertaining its users. This section is called SUPER TRACKER GAMES. There are three games, YOUR NAME IN LIGHTS, DIPLOMA, and REACTION TIME. The games can be reached from the EXAMINATION PROGRAM MAIN MENU, but don’t appear on the menu itself.

You can reach SUPER TRACKER games by holding down either SHIFT key and hitting the 9 key. The computer will make a warbling sound and the message WELCOME TO THE SECRET INNER WORLD OF THE COMPUTER will appear briefly on the screen. Then the SUPER TRACKER GAMES MENU will appear. The GAMES menu looks like this:

Your Name in Lights

Hit 1 at the SUPER TRACKER GAMES MENU to reach YOUR NAME IN LIGHTS. The name of the student will appear on the screen. A Congratulations message will be printed, with sound effects and flashing lights, and then you will be returned to the SUPER TRACKER GAMES MENU.

 

Diploma

To reach DIPLOMA, hit 2 at the SUPER TRACKER GAMES MENU.

If the PRINTER switch is set to DISABLED, then the message PRINTER DISABLED will appear, and you will be required to hit a key. You will then be returned to the SUPER TRACKER GAMES MENU.

If you have a printer and if the PRINTER switch is set to ENABLED, then SUPER TRACKER will print a Diploma. The message NOW PRINTING will appear on the screen as the diploma is printed. If you are using a dot matrix printer which prints double-wide characters, the diploma will be printed in double-wide characters. (See Appendix C). The paper will advance to top-of-form. You will be automatically returned to the SUPER TRACKER GAMES MENU.

 

Reaction Time

To test the reaction time of your student, hit 3 at the SUPER TRACKER GAMES MENU.

Whether the BELL switch is off or on, the BELL will not sound in the reaction time test. This is because the reaction time test uses the bell as an auditory cue, and hearing the bell at other times might be confusing.

Throughout the reaction time test, the student may respond by hitting any key on the keyboard (except COMMODORE, SHIFT, STOP, and RESTORE keys) or by pressing the fire button of a joystick plugged into either game port.

You will see messages that read REACTION TIME (LEFT ARROW) TO EXIT, YOU WILL HAVE 8 TRIES, and HIT ANY KEY TO BEGIN. When the student hits a key (or presses the fire button on the joystick) one of two messages will appear in a box: HIT ANY KEY WHEN YOU SEE YOUR NAME (visual cue) or HIT ANY KEY WHEN YOU HEAR THE TONE (auditory cue). Half of the time the response time to the auditory cue will be tested first, and half of the time the response time to the visual cue will be tested first.

The response time to the cue will be tested four consecutive times, and then the response time to the other cue will be tested four consecutive times.

After a delay determined by the setting of the RANDOM DELAY switch, the student’s name will appear somewhere on the screen, or the bell tone will sound. The student must then hit a key (or press the joystick button) as quickly as possible. The response time will be briefly displayed on the screen, and then the same message will reappear. After four presentations of the stimulus (auditory or visual), the other stimulus will be presented four times.

The reaction time test is fun, but can also provide useful information. After the test, the response times for each stimulus and the mean of the responses to each stimulus are presented on the screen. This will allow you to compare the student’s response time for visually and auditorially presented stimuli.

If you desire a hard copy of the results of the reaction time test, press the F1 key (see Appendix D for a copy of the REACTION TIME REPORT). Otherwise, press the left arrow key to return to the SUPER TRACKER GAMES MENU.

It might be a good idea to let students practice once or twice to get used to the reaction time test. Some students may anticipate the computer and prematurely hit a key (or press the fire button). For these students, it may be advisable to introduce more variability into the waiting time by increasing the setting of the RANDOM DELAY switch. If the fire button is depressed when the stimulus is presented, the message RELEASE JOYSTICK BUTTON will appear on the screen, and that trial will be repeated.

 

Return to Main Menu

To return to the EXAMINATION PROGRAM MAIN MENU, hit 4 at the SUPER TRACKER GAMES MENU.