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For PC Compatible and Macintosh Computers

There are a number of high quality voiced word processors that are available for both IBM PC compatibles running MS Windows 95/98 and Apple Macintosh computers. At Spectronics, we have a number of solutions. Packages have specific strengths and key features that differentiate one from another. This article is an attempt to describe the functionality, purpose and application of four voiced word processors, with mention of other literacy products that work alongside them, providing literacy solutions that assist teachers, therapists and parents meet a range of writing, note taking and general word processing needs. Please contact us for advice, so that we can recommend the right solution!

IntelliTalk from IntelliTools

IntelliTalk is IntelliTool’s talking word processor. It is available for both PC-Compatibles and Apple Macintosh computers. IntelliTalk is affordable, practical and is very user friendly – ideal for younger children in mainstream primary classrooms and for people who are vision impaired, who require an easy to learn and use writing package. It is the perfect word processor to use with IntelliKeys. Students of all ages with learning difficulties and mainstream users who like to hear what they write will enjoy the high quality voices, simple tool bar and excellent navigation features. It is also suitable for adult users who have intellectual disabilities. It caters to the elderly who just wish to write simple correspondence, shopping lists, notes, prepare text for email or develop text for letter writing – as they can see the text in large fonts and hear what they have typed – even the menu items!

IntelliTalk has facilities for both large print and synthesized speech. IntelliTalk supports parents who need a simple yet powerful writing tool at home for their children. Introducing it to first-time users takes little or no time, as the software is so intuitive. The voice technology has matured as well, with both male and female voices included, as well as a child’s voice. Voices are clear and of a high quality on the Window’s version, as are the voices on the Macintosh version. IntelliTalk is an ideal “entry level” program with features that assist and direct users who have physical disabilities (e.g. one key deletes an entire word, or sentence). Ideal for beginners who do not require a spell check or cluttered menu items. IntelliTalk is straightforward, simple yet elegant in design and functionality.

The Macintosh version will run on all Macintosh platforms, and is ideally suited to the Apple PowerBooks. It will run on older style Macintosh computers (running System 6.0.7 or higher) and the PC DOS version will happily run using only 512K RAM on older style ’386 and ’486 PC computers (with a sound card installed). The MS Windows version works with Windows 3.xx/ Windows 95 operating systems, requiring only 4Mb RAM. NOTE: Watch out for IntelliTalk Version 2 to be released soon!

Write:OutLoud Version 3 from Don Johnston

Write:OutLoud Version 3.0 is the recently released easy-to-use voiced word processor from Don Johnston. There are two versions – one for Macintosh Power PC’s running 7.5.3 (or later) and one for Pentium 100 (or higher) PC-compatibles running MS Windows 95/ 98.

This exciting newly released version has numerous innovative new features, namely a dictionary and facility for importing of pictures (with support for numerous graphic formats). One of the most useful and critically acclaimed features is the Write:OutLoud’s (WOL) talking spell checker. It voices misspelt words. More importantly, it also voices the sentence or phrase in context, as well as the list of suggested words. In addition, in this new version, it provides context sensitive definitions of each word, in a dictionary. You can edit and customise the dictionary as well and include your own definitions. This supports poor readers, students who have dyslexia and confuse words, people with poor eyesight as well as those users who have a reading disability. Users can add words to the UK spell checker and dictionary, as can teachers before a lesson! It is ideal for upper primary and junior secondary students and for older users who require spell check facilities. The quality of the male and female voices is excellent. WOL has an icon bar, where you quickly navigate through your document, change font size, colour and style, change the background colour and have menu items voiced. Voiced text is selected from the Speech Menu. Speech can be turned off completely. The user may set the speech option to speak each letter, word, sentence and/or paragraph. The package can highlight words as they are spoken and passages or single words can be repeated as well. Volume and speed can be altered to suit individual needs with a test facility included in the dialogue box. This is a ideal for users who wish to have very slow speech output. It accommodates users who require faster speech output as well (for capable students and adult users).

The Pronunciation option provides the facility to phonetically set spelling for any word, particularly useful for proper nouns, place names and unusual words where the speech is mispronounced. You simply type the mispronounced word, phonetically type it and then listen to both spellings, modify your phonetic spelling if necessary and then add the word to Write:OutLoud’s word list. When you type the word later, it is spoken correctly. A powerful writing package, designed with simplicity in mind!

Writing with Symbols 2000 from Widgit (now replaced by Communicate: SymWriter ANZ and Communicate in Print ANZ)

Writing with Symbols 2000 gives you full and flexible support for literacy development. It has many features, a comprehensive tool bar, is easy to use and works like a normal word processor except that in graphics mode, symbols pop in place with the text as you type. It features a fully featured voiced word processor AND is a fully functioning symbol processor. It has a pictorial spellchecker with over 4000 Rebus symbols and 3,800 black and white and 3800 coloured PCS symbols with in-built writing tools so users can write by selecting letters, words images or any combination from lists or grids. Grids can be set up for a range of uses and clients – on and off the computer.

Using Writing with Symbols 2000 you can write with any level of symbol support – producing writing that is automatically fully illustrated, or which has been made with the help of additional pictures, but which is completely in text when it is finished. Users of all ages can write in a full window, or in a grid – which is great for constructing and designing communication books, worksheets and timetables. It is both a resource tool for teachers, aides parents and therapists as well as a “hands-on” package for students with special needs.

When using IntelliKeys with overlays that contain key words, concepts, phrases or complete sentences, students with special needs can write quickly, easily and efficiently. Simply press on the IntelliKeys! Success in writing is so important for building self-esteem and confidence and benefits all students in all areas of the curriculum. Children are empowered to use overlays that contain text, and PCS, Rebus or COMPIC or photographs will then be displayed (from Wordlists), to create tables, drawings or pictures to write stories, poems, shopping lists . You can complete absolutely ANY writing task! WWS 2000 will display appropriate symbols or pictures onscreen (having been set up by their teacher, aide or parent).

Symbol libraries are available on start up. You can Show Wordlists installed, elect to Remove Wordlists and then “build” a list of symbols that are relevant for an individual or group. You can “import” a specific photograph that has been acquired using a digital camera, a scanner or used from the Internet. Pictures and clip art can be assigned to a word or concept at any time. Writing with pictures and symbols is a perfect expressive tool for non-readers and students with emergent literacy skills. WWS 2000 is an ideal package for students in special settings who learn or use pictographs.

Inclusive Writer from Inclusive Technology Ltd

This highly regarded package has received very favourable reviews. It is a fully featured word processor with many additional features. It displays pictures with text. Included on the CD-ROM are over 3,500 pictures. Using digital devices such as digital still and moving cameras, scanners and other image manipulation programs you can add your own images as well. It has high quality voice capabilities where you can change volume, speed and pitch. The program can be run from a CD-ROM drive or from your hard disk (which is preferable). It is so versatile and has so many features – you have to see it and work with to fully appreciate its power and breadth of appeal. Inclusive Writer supports a range of users, particularly those at risk and children who find writing difficult. Inclusive Writer is an ideal package for Primary Schools, as it can accommodate student needs from Prep – Grade 6. There are 5 different menu Tool Bars, which cater to different levels of cognition. Teachers can set up the software to suit individual needs. Onscreen word banks also feature strongly where you can create ‘working environments’.

OTHER LITERACY SUPPORT PACKAGES: Clicker 5 is an onscreen keyboard as is My Words. They have word banks that can be created to accommodate a range of needs. They will work with ANY word processor (Clicker 5 also has its own Clicker Writer application). Other support products include Discover:Screen (another onscreen keyboard program), Co:Writer – a word prediction package that assist users who have writing and learning difficulties and Texthelp Read and Write, a total literacy solution for older students (especially in Secondary Years 7-12) and adult users. Check our website library for articles.