![]() The toolbar can be aligned horizontally or vertically, or resized to a square or rectangle to assist users with eye gaze technologies or trackball and joystick users or people who have poor vision. Some New Features Included in Read&Write App Have some vision loss so would use the text-to-speech options, especially Read the Web functionality.Have some hearing loss and would enjoy the Picture Dictionary and OCR features.Have been through school or college but want to compete in the workplace and be able to read and write. ![]() Experience English as a Second Language ( ESL).Have a vision impairment and require text-to-speech (not as severe an impairment to require Screen Reading software such as Jaws or NVDA) Note: MAC OS has VoiceOver built in for text and Braille speech output from the screen.Have a physical disability and need to have printed media scanned into text.Have a learning disability or difficulty.Have had a stroke and are recovering to continue education, training or re-enter the workplace.Experience the effects of Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome and Meares Irlen Syndrome.Find text hard to comprehend passages of text.Struggle with spelling and particularly phonics.Twenty-five years (25) years later, and Read&Write is a veritable toolbox of powerful features that help, guide and assist people of all ages and abilities (as well as differences) who: Most importantly, it is also available for MS Windows, iOS, Android and on Chromebooks in various formats and functionality. It is fully customisable and uses colour graphics and sound to assist people with their class work, specific topics, assignments, tests and exams, workplace and training manuals and literature, study, research and comprehension of materials online or from printed media (using the OCR built into the App). The modern graphic based icons represent various tools to help people of all ages and abilities handle and have success with text. The MAC OS App, once downloaded and installed ( and free for all registered teachers), is a floating toolbar and resizable, with many significant and enabling features. It conforms to Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles in design, function and accessibility. Texthelp now boasts having 18 Million users worldwide of their Read&Write program, and is now deemed as a mainstream tool as well as being one of the leading Inclusive Technology literacy support tools. Europe and the Americas are well serviced. They have an Asia-Pacific Team that covers a vast area, particularly all states and territories in Australia as well as New Zealand and parts of Asia. Texthelp, in Northern Ireland, now boast having six different tools to accommodate users’ preferred platforms including Mac OS, MS Windows, for Google Chrome, for Edge and for Firefox Browsers, iPads and iPhones as well as for Android-based tablets and Smartphone devices. I remember her vividly skipping out to the recess break and immediately debriefing her friends about her new, clever computer! It was a revelation to her, the teacher’s aide and her enthusiastic and supportive teacher. She was rapt! This student could read anything on her computer that was text-based. She thoroughly enjoyed the ‘talking computer’ as she struggled with spelling and particularly reading. It had some elementary features such a spell checker, a dictionary and text-to-speech. It had the MS Microsoft‘ Merlin” animated character with a very clear but robotic voice running on a very early model of a PC. Texthelp Read&Write has certainly come a long way since Texthelp Read and WriteVersion 2, where I was working for East West Computers in training a young Primary school girl in Year 4 at Wangaratta Primary School, a regional Victorian country town.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |