SEN Laptop

[Irazmus]

I've been asked to select a laptop for use by one of our SEN students. It will probably only be used for general office apps so doesn't need to be anything spectacularly powerful. My main concern is that we get something reliable and robust with a clear screen that can withstand being carted around by a 10 - 13 year old.

Can anyone suggest something suitable?

[witch]

always found the Dell range to be pretty good and well priced

[bossman]

I have just been introduced by our SEN to a usb unit which allows the pupil to type in and utilise the printing facilities of whichever computer it is plugged in to. It has other uses but is light and robust. I don't know what it is called but can find out for you.

[Norphy]

As much as I hate to suggest it, the RM Mobile One might be the best option here. It's been kidproofed as much as possible, glass screen, rubber corners, magnesium lid etc.

Admittedly I haven't seen one in the flesh but it seems the best option to me.

[Disorder]

If you are only looking for something that does word processing and perhaps a bit excel you might want to think about an alpha smart. We have 5 of them to hand out to kids when they need them. They can type stuff in lessons rather than write and then connect it up to a pc at the end of the day and transfer any work that they have done on to the system.

We also have one for a particular child which uses palm software and has a small touch screen, plus he can hotsync it each evening before he goes home.

[Ric_]

I must concur with Disorder... the AlphaSmart units are great. They might not be much to look at but you can tap away on them for hours then just whack it into any USB/PS2 enabled machine and send the text (it pretends to be a HID).

They are also far cheaper and lighter than a laptop.

[meastaugh1]

I have just been introduced by our SEN to a usb unit which allows the pupil to type in and utilise the printing facilities of whichever computer it is plugged in to. It has other uses but is light and robust. I don't know what it is called but can find out for you.

A keyboard?

Our learning support people dish out a mix of Alphasmarts and laptops.

I'm not sure I'd recommend an RM Mobile One, purely because it weighs so much. If this is to be assigned to a specific student, then theoretically, it should be less likely to be kicked about, compared to a laptop in a trolley which is used by anyone/everyone.

[Irazmus]

@Disorder & Ric: The Alpha Smart looks like a perfect solution, however we've been given a grant for a laptop, so a laptop is what we'll get. I may however suggest SEN get a couple of Alpha Smarts aswell.

@Norphy: As good as a kidproofed laptop sounds, we won't be buying from RM again in the near future. The build quality of the RM laptops we already have (Not RM One) coupled with their inability to fulfill a simple order means they're not currently high on our prospective supplier list.

Our learning support people dish out a mix of Alphasmarts and laptops.

What kind of laptops do you use for LS?

[meastaugh1]

We don't get involved as the authority pays for, supplies and maintains them. That will no doubt change in the future. I think they've been supplying Acer, not that I'd favour them over any of the names already mentioned (except RM )