Talking Word Processors

How and when to use?

Pictured here are two of the talking word processors that we use throughout the Fayette County Public School district. The software can be used with students of all ages and abilities. It helps provide help to students with reading and writing difficulties. Here is a brief synopsis of the two software and their advantages and disadvantages.

Wordsmith (Texthelp)—Wordsmith is designed to provide help to Microsoft Word users with reading and writing difficulties. It can read text aloud and help you construct words and sentences. It also has advanced spell checking, documents scanning, screen reading and pronunciation capabilities. The utilities contained within the program are:

• word prediction for miss-spelt or unfinished words
• a thesaurus
• a word wizard to search for words you have forgotten or related word groups
• a pronunciation tutor to show you how each syllable of a word is pronounced
• an advanced spell checker
• a homonyms checker
• a text reader
• screen reading options
• a document scanner with OCR

This program actually uses a tool bar that is added across the top of the Word document so that it does not look any different that any other computer that has WORD loaded.

Best used with students intermediate and upper levels.

(more information can be seen at www.texthelp.com)

Write Out Loud (Don Johnston, Inc)—Write Out Loud (WOL) is designed to be used as a stand alone software package for a talking word processor. WOL is a valuable tool for students who:

• are reluctant and frustrated writers
• need help to pass their writing standards
• have difficulty expressing their ideas in writing
• need to write and work more independently
• have limited reading skills

WOL allows the student to include imported graphics to prompt and support writing, on screen tools let students work without menus, easier formatting, and highlights as it reads back to the students. Can be set to read letters, words, sentences, or paragraphs in numerous voice options.

Best used with students K- and up.

More information can be gathered from www.donjohnston.com.

If you have any more questions on acquiring this software or training please contact me. cmoffett@fayette.k12.ky.us