Software for Students with Special Needs Content-free Software for Writing

2 Categories of Software 1.Reinforcement (Drill & Practice Software) 2.Interactive Books (Talking Stories) 3.Content-free Software 4.Exploratory Software 5.Reference Software 6.Assessment Software 7.Access Tools / Software

3 3.Content-free Software Allows user to enter own content Benefits  Use in many areas of curriculum  Develop own materials to meet indiviual needs of students  Helps students to overcome barriers to learning

4 Content-free Software Types:  Word Processing Programs  Talking Word Processing Programs  Word Prediction  Word Bank  Planning and Organising  Desktop Publishing / Art & Design Applications  Multimedia Authoring Systems  Presentation

5 Word Processing Programs Enables user to produce wide range of professional looking products Benefits:  Writing can help students develop word recognition and reading skills  Highly motivational as students can express themselves without being worried about appearance  Text can be moved, changed and copied easily

6 Word Processing Programs Benefits (cont.):  Facilitates drafting and rewriting processes  Spellchecker allows students to concentrate on content rather than spelling  Picture or graphic can facilitate those with reading difficulties

7 Word Processing Programs Prerequisites:  Basic knowledge of sentence building, sequencing, punctuation, etc.  Basic keyboard skills  Some mouse skills

8 Word Processing Programs Students who benefit from this type may include those with: Writing Difficulties Emotional/Behavioural Disorders Hearing Impairments Physical Disabilities

9 Word Processing Programs Examples include:  Appleworks  Creative Writer  Microsoft Word  Writer’s Workshop  My World 2  Write on for Windows

10 Talking Word Processing Programs Include an inbuilt speech synthesizer that reads back text Can be set to read every letter, word, line, sentence, paragraph or whole screen Benefits:  Allows students to monitor their work  Auditory feedback assists students in correcting their spelling, grammar, syntax

11 Talking Word Processing Programs Students who benefit from this type may include those with: Reading and Writing Difficulties Visual Impairments Speech & Language Disorders

12 Talking Word Processing Programs Examples include:  Clicker 4  Granada Writer  Inclusive Writer  Textease 2000  Texthelp! Type & Talk  Write Outloud  Writing with Symbols

13 Word Prediction Run in conjunction with a word processing program and suggests words as text is entered When user types first letter of a word, a list of words appear Benefits  Suggests words so students can concentrate on context rather than spelling  Remembers words that student uses most frequently

14 Word Prediction Students who benefit from this type may include those with: Reading and Writing Difficulties Physical Disability

15 Word Prediction Examples include:  Co: Writer  Penfriend  Predict IT  PredictAbility  TextHELP! Read and Write

16 Word Bank Allows the teacher to input lists of words Student can hear the word by pointing to it with the mouse Benefits  Teacher can chose words that individual students have difficulty with  Can input topic words, sentence starters, etc.

17 Word Bank Students who benefit from this type may include those with: Reading and Writing Difficulties Physical Disabilities

18 Word Bank Examples include:  Wordbar  Granada Writer*  Clicker*  Textease 2000* * Talking word processors that include word banks