Trial Program Guide

DOLLARSKILLS
Math levels 4 - 8

Trial version: Set 2, Level 3

Set 1: (Levels 1 and 2)
Set 2: (Levels 3 and 4)
Set 3: (Levels 5 and 6)
          
Windows or MS-DOS (VGA display)

OVERVIEW

Focusing on real-life math and business problems, the program takes students
through the four steps of problem solving: numerical evidence, strategy, 
operation, and solution. Context-sensitive help is available as needed.

Each set contains two levels. Each level has 45 questions within three ranges 
of difficulty, with 15 questions per range.

Designed for middle school students, this program can be used as well by older 
students for remediation. Each lesson is self-directing and self-correcting. 
The computer gives step-by-step help in interpreting key words and solving 
problems.

The program evaluates performance at each range. The student who does poorly 
is directed to a lower range for remediation. The student who does well is 
directed to a higher range for further skill development.

Graphics reward students for each correct answer. The program is sent with
"Fun" graphics on. To change to "Mature Learner" graphics, see Record
Management and Configure Options: Game.

Students must read the questions carefully to avoid irrelevant numbers, to 
convert two quantities into one, such as hours to minutes, or to watch for 
important instruction words, such as "twice," "half," or "each."

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

DIAGNOSTIC TEST: A one-time diagnostic test at the beginning of each disk 
determines the student's place of entrance. The questions are multiple 
choice; as the student answers correctly, the questions gradually get harder. 
The program is configured so that the student is placed where s/he gets a 
first answer wrong out of a possible five. To change these numbers see RECORD
MANAGEMENT and CONFIGURE OPTIONS: GAME.

MAIN PROGRAM: Students do a round of randomly chosen questions within a range.
To change the number of questions, see RECORD MANAGEMENT and CONFIGURE OPTIONS:
GAME. The program comes with a Steps ON configuration. That means the student
will be asked, in step-by-step fashion, to look for: the EVIDENCE (the numbers
needed to solve the problem); the STRATEGY (the word clues that indicate the
method to use to find the answer); and the OPERATION (the mathematical method
to arrive at the answer to the problem), before trying to find the SOLUTION
(the answer to the problem). Context-sensitive help is available throughout 
the main program. 

If you choose to have the student try to find the solution first, you must 
change the game configure option to Steps OFF. See RECORD MANAGEMENT and 
CONFIGURE OPTIONS: GAME. If the student answers correctly on the first try, 
s/he gets another question. If the answer is wrong, the student may try again. 
If the student again answers incorrectly, the computer will then review the 
steps described above. A student who thinks s/he cannot get the answer may 
choose the Help option, which will enable him/her to go directly to the Steps 
section.

At the end of each round, the computer provides a summary of the student's 
work. A score of 70 percent or higher enables the student to continue to 
practice within the same range or advance to the next range. With a score 
below 70 percent, the student moves to a lower range. On the first try, the 
right answer is worth twice as many points as on the second try. Correct 
answers receive a graphic reward.

RECORD MANAGEMENT and CONFIGURE OPTIONS

To see student records, run RECORD from the directory, or press [CONTROL]T
while at the title screen.

The default directory for the windows trial version is:
     c:\MAVDEMO\DS-WTD\RECORD.EXE

CONFIGURE: Configure allows you to set 1) Directory options and 2) Game options.

DIRECTORY: Lets you define where the program stores the students' data. There
are three basic ways to configure the program.

   CURRENT (default for trial)
   ENVIRONMENT (default for network and single station)
   PATH (user defined)

   CURRENT: The program will store its files in the directory where it was 
   installed.

   ENVIRONMENT: Use I-CLAS variables to set directory.
        
   PATH: The program will store the files in the user defined directory. 
   Select PATH and enter your working directory. Sample: C:\working (If you 
   leave PATH blank, the program will store its files in the directory where 
   it was installed.)
   
   SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR: A system administrator can go directly to DIRECTOR.CFG. 
   The following is more detailed information on the Record - Configure - 
   Directory options.

   DIRECTOR.CFG = Lets you define where the program stores the students' data.
   This is a plain ASCII file that most editors can edit and save (as an ASCII
   file). There are three basic ways to configure the program's DIRECTOR.CFG.

   CURRENT (default for single user)
   ENVIRONMENT (default for network)
   user defined

   CURRENT: With this word as the first line in DIRECTOR.CFG, the program will
   store its files in the directory where it was installed.

   ENVIRONMENT: With this word as the first line in DIRECTOR.CFG, the program 
   uses three environment variables that can be modified by the DOS set 
   command (see your DOS manual for more information on the set command). 
   These variables are automatically maintained by I-CLAS, but for generic 
   networks you can set them up as follows:

   HV      (home volume, or drive)
   G       (students' parent directory)
   D       (students' directory)

   Sample setting of master environment:

   SET HV=sys:
   SET G=students

   Sample setting of the students' login batch:

   SET D=student_._ _

   The program will then assemble these variables to the path 
   sys:\students\student_._ _ \ and keep its working files there.

   user defined: Any other text as the first line of DIRECTOR.CFG will be used 
   as the program's working directory. Sample: C:\working


GAME: Lets you set the following:  

IN THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST
1) The number of questions a student must answer correctly to advance to the 
next range
2) The number of wrong answers allowed before stopping the range advancement
and placing the student

IN THE MAIN PROGRAM
1) The number of problems per round, which may be between 2 and 10
2) Whether the student is able to try to find the solution before seeing the 
steps
3) The kind of graphics that will come on the screen: "Mature Learner" or "Fun"

RECORD MANAGEMENT: If the student does not complete the Diagnostic Test,
s/he will be started at the lowest range upon returning to the program. The
student's scores during the main program are saved only when s/he completes
a round.
                    
This version saves records for only two students. A third name will 
automatically replace a previously entered name. (The School version saves 
records for as many students as disk space allows. The Network version saves 
records for 1,000 students.)

The records can go to the screen or the printer. You may see the records of 
both students, or choose one of the student's scores. If you choose to look 
at the scores of both students, you may have them displayed in alphabetical 
order or from highest to lowest.

Use the following keys to make your selections:

ALT: Allows you to choose items in the Top Menu: (1) Order (2) View 
(3) Select (4) Print (5) Delete (6) Configure (7) Exit.  In each of the 
first three options, you will have the choice of selecting records from the 
Pull Down Menu by name, date, skills mastered, or class code.

TAB: Changes the category of information that is displayed in a fixed cycle, 
e.g., from students' names to last dates played, to highest mastered skill 
levels, to class codes, to a student's entire record and then back again to 
the students' names.

ENTER: Selects or deselects any piece of information on which the cursor is 
placed. Selected items can be viewed, printed, or deleted as a group. They 
appear on the screen highlighted in red.

Screen Layout:  Instructions are placed in color boxes at the bottom of the 
screen. The number appearing at the end of the last line of instructions on 
the screen indicates the position of the cursor in the total number of 
records. Just before this number is a description of what information is 
being displayed, e.g., name, date, etc.

Moving the Cursor: To move the cursor use the arrow keys. To see preceding 
screens, use the Page Up key. To go to following screens, use the Page Down 
key. To go to the beginning of a list, press the Home key. To get to the end 
of a list, press the End key.

To See Records: All information may be viewed on the screen or printed out. 
To clear previously selected records, choose Select from the Top Menu and 
Deselect from the Pull Down Menu. Note that your viewing selections are 
cleared each time the program is restarted or the computer is turned off. 

Examples

1. To print out the records of one class, follow these directions:

     Top Menu    Pull Down Menu     Other Keys     Remarks/Actions

ALT   Select          Class         Cursor keys    Find the beginning of 
                                                   the class
                                    
                                    ENTER          Mark the beginning of 
                                                   the class

                                    Cursor keys    Find the end of the 
                                                   class
                                    
                                    ENTER          Mark the end of the 
                                                   class

ALT   View            Selected                     Now only that class is 
                                                   displayed. (Repeating 
                                                   this step would restore 
                                                   screen as it was.)

ALT   Order           Name                         Class now alphabetized

ALT   Print           Selected                     Printing is optional. 
                                                   Information can be 
                                                   viewed on the screen. 

2. To print the highest (or lowest) skill level, follow the steps 
above, replacing Class, from the Pull Down Menu, with Mastered.

3. To see the records of all students in a range on the screen, choose 
View from the Top Menu and choose Entire from the Pull Down Menu.

4.  To see the records of an individual student on the screen, place 
the cursor on the name of the student whose records you want to view, 
and press TAB to change the information displayed.

Record Management Error Fix:  If the program runs but does not keep 
student records properly, access the RECORD program and delete all 
records.

Copyright 1988-1997 Merit Audio Visual
All rights reserved GTDR
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

We hope you enjoy using DOLLARSKILLS. The School versions of this 
program contain the following:

1. Three sets of two levels of exercises

2. Record management for as many students as the disk space allows

3. A program guide

Merit offers a full range of educational software for writing, reading, 
grammar, vocabulary, ESL, and math. Merit software is available for 
networking for Novell and other LAN, and site licensing. 
School or Institutional Purchase Orders accepted.

We will be happy to answer any questions you might have.

MERIT AUDIO VISUAL 
(800) 753-6488   (212) 675-8567   FAX: (212) 675-8607

Call us Monday through Friday between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM Eastern 
Time. Or write MERIT AUDIO VISUAL, 132 W. 21 Street, New York, NY 
10011, for free software catalog.

This program is produced by a member of the Association of Shareware 
Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure that the shareware 
principle works for you.  If you are unable to resolve a 
shareware-related problem with an ASP member by contacting the 
member directly, ASP may be able to help.  The ASP Ombudsman can
help you resolve a dispute or problem with an ASP member, but does not
provide technical support for members' products.  Please write to the 
ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover Road, Muskegon, MI 49442-9427 USA, FAX
616-788-2765 or send a Compuserve message via CompuServe Mail to ASP 
Ombudsman 70007,3536.


