Rebecca’s On-screen Protractor for Adobe Reader XI
Schools can download PDF versions of the Scottish Heinemann Maths primary books, and also
TeeJay maths textbooks, from the Books for All Scotland Database at
http://www.booksforallscotland.org.uk/. Learners can use the built-in annotation and drawing tools
in Adobe Reader to type in answers and complete exercises on-screen. Learners can also use the
built-in Analyse tool to measure dimensions of objects on-screen. However, there is no equivalent
of an on-screen protractor for measuring angles, and so Rebecca, CALL’s dynamic digital
illustrator, has created one. Here’s how to use it.
1. Download the “My Protractor.pdf” file from
http://www.adapteddigitalexams.org.uk/CommonAssets/ckfinder/userfiles/files/myprotractor.pdf.
2. Open Adobe Reader and click the Comment at the top right of
the toolbar, then click on Annotations to show the various
annotation tools.
3. Click on the arrow to the right of the Stamp tool and choose
Create Custom Stamp.
Click Browse and find and open the My Protractor file. Click
OK.
4. Type a new category for your stamp such as “Maths Stamps”,
and name your stamp as e.g. “Protractor”. Click OK.
5. Click on the Stamp tool and select Add Current Stamp to
Favourites.
6. To use your protractor, click on the Stamp tool and then click
the protractor.
7. Now click on the page and your protractor will appear. You can
move it around and re-size it by clicking and dragging the
handles in the corner.
On-screen Protractor
8. If you see the identity setup dialogue box to the right, fill in your
name, tick Don’t show again and then click Complete. This
means that you will not be asked the same question again.
Graph paper for Drawing
Many drawing tasks require squared paper and so we have created PDF files of ‘graph paper’ with
different sized grids. You can download these from
http://www.adapteddigitalexams.org.uk/Downloads/Quick-Guides/.
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1cm square paper
5 mm square paper
5 mm square paper landscape
2 mm square paper
1 cm dotty paper (useful for 3D drawings)
1 cm dotty offset paper
1 cm dotty and offset paper
Measuring Dimensions
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Go to Edit > Preferences > Units and set the units (mm, cm, inches)
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Adobe Reader X: click View>Tools>Analyze. The Analyze Tools will appear in the Tools
to the right of the page.
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Adobe Reader XI: click Extended at the top right.
To measure using the Ruler,
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click on the yellow Ruler button,
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click on the start and end of the element you
want to measure.
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Move the mouse and then click a third time to set
where you want the actual measurement
indication to be shown.
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Right-click on the measurement and then click
Properties if you want to change colours etc.
To stop measuring, press the Esc key on the keyboard.
Other software for drawing and measuring
The built-in drawing tools in Adobe Reader are convenient but fairly basic: some programs with
more or better tools for drawing are:
FX Draw
Draw and type equations into MS Word; for secondary; free for students with
special needs.
Textease Draw
Drawing tool for late primary and early secondary. Onscreen ruler, protractor,
calliper and angle measurer. £42 single user licence.
Splash City!
Maths and drawing tools specifically designed for learners with disabilities; for
ages 4-7; 7-1; and 11+; £125 single user licence.
Smart Notebook Drawing and eqautions; onscreen ruler protractor and compass; if you have a
Smart Board, Smart Notebook is free.
© CALL Scotland 2014
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