Make an Eye Gaze Communication Book using PowerPoint  

Download the template

Jump to the instructions

This PowerPoint template speeds up the creation of eye gaze communication frames:

• you can quickly add in up to eight pictures - with text - per page - around a central area which you will cut out when printing out;
• you only need to create the pages as they will be viewed by the communicator;
• if you want a cell to refer to another page - so if the communicator looks at that cell, their communication partner should turn to another page - you just enclose text in square brackets and that will create an instruction to turn to a page with the corresponding title (for the communication partner)
  • [food] - displays "food" on the page, and displays a page turn instruction to the page with the title "food";
  • [food|I want to eat] - displays "I want to eat" on the page (everything after the "|"), and displays a page turn instruction to the page with the title "food" (everything before the "|";
• when you are finished, you can run a "macro" which automatically creates a version of the pages for printing:
  • extra pages are automatically created which will face the communication partner;
  • the pages are correctly ordered to make a book (or alternatively for stand-alone pages);
  • page numbers are added to the communication partner's side;
  • directions as to which page to turn to are also added to the communication partner's pages - where gazing to a cell means go to another page.

Sample pages to make a book - after printing

In this example, you would have created the two pages that will be shown to the communicator - the other two pages for the communication partner are created automatically:

First page shown to the communicator:

The communication partner's side:

Page 2 - communicator's side:

Page 2 - communication partner's side:

 Printed out and made into a book:

Widgit symbols have been used in these examples.

Instructions for using the PowerPoint template

Note, you will need to use Microsoft PowerPoint.

To start, double click on the template file you downloaded.

How to create new pages:

1. Insert a new slide using the layout “Front View (to eye gaze user)”;
2. Fill in a title in the box at the top of the page (e.g. "food");
3. Click on the text to add in the phrases/words;
4. Click on the picture icons to add symbols/pictures.

• The picture/symbol may be clipped: if so, right click on it, choose “size and position”, click on “reset”, into whichever of the two size boxes height or width is larger, enter 3.6cm, make sure “lock aspect ratio” is checked and close the box when done;

Page turn instructions. If eye gazing to a picture/symbol means go to another page – rather than say the associated text – enclose the text in square brackets. If you do this, instructions for the communication partner as to what page to go to will automatically be added when pages for printing a book are created. You do not need to (and should not) put in any of your own page turn instructions or page numbers;

• [food] - displays "food" on the page, and displays a page turn instruction to go to the page with the title "food";
• [food|I want to eat] - displays "I want to eat" on the page (everything in the square brackets after the "|"), and displays a page turn instruction to go to the page with the title "food" (everything in the square brackets before the "|");

When you save it, you must save it as a macro enabled presentation – (pptm file extension) – if you want to create the print version as described below.

Note, by default this presentation is set up to print on A4, you can change it to A3 by going to Design -> Page Setup. Or un any case, choose to print on A3 when printing and under "Full Page Slides" choose "scale to fit paper".

Create a version for printing:

1. If you cannot see the developer tab at the top, go to File -> Options -> Customise Ribbon -> check “developer” under main tabs, and then OK;
2. Select Developer -> Macros -> choose “MakePrintableEyeGazeFrames” -> click on “Run”;
3. Follow the instructions to make a presentation that is suitable for printing – either with the communicator and communication partner’s pages back to back, or arranged so that they can be printed out as a book;
4. When printing, choose double sided printing and flip on the short edge.

Note, for this to work, you will need to choose to enable macros for this document when you see the security warning.

Download the template here.