“Having books and other materials highlighted and read aloud has allowed me to progress through texts quicker, and has provided me with a better understanding of the content.” – Ben Wiltshire, student at Bournemouth University

Hearing text read aloud along with words highlighted as they are spoken helps with comprehension and word recognition. Read&Write GOLD for MAC works with the following:

• Pages
• Microsoft Word for Mac 2008 or later
• Web Pages
• PDF files
• Inaccessible Flash and Text embedded in graphics of video
• Instant Messages
• Email
• DAISY books
• All content on your screen, including file names and tool tips

Text-to-Speech

It is easier to understand a block of text by listening to it, particularly if you struggle with reading. Read&Write GOLD for MAC reads text aloud to you from any document on your computer. Text can be read using a male or female voice. You can select your preferred voice and set the pitch, speed and volume to suit your individual needs. Words are highlighted as they are spoken, which helps you to track where you are on the page and it is proven to raise comprehension levels by 20% (Assistive Software Tools for Secondary-Level Students with Literacy Difficulties – Queen’s University). The software reads text on:

• Pages
• Web pages
• Emails
• Microsoft Word documents
• PDF documents

See a video tour of the Text-to-Speech feature

Screenshot Reader

Sometimes text cannot be read aloud as it is part of an image contained within inaccessible Flash, or it is in a ‘locked’ PDF document. Read&Write GOLD for MAC has the ability to read this text online, no matter where it is. Screenshot Reader can even read aloud text on online application forms and assessments. With Screenshot Reader, you can select any part of the screen to be read aloud with word highlighting. You can even transfer the text into Microsoft Word or Pages to be read.

See a video tour of the Screenshot Reader feature

Daisy Reader

Read&Write GOLD reads DAISY Books aloud with each word highlighted as it is spoken.

See a video tour of the Daisy Reader feature

PDF Aloud

The PDF Aloud tool will read content on a PDF document with each word highlighted as it is spoken.

See a video tour of the PDF Aloud feature

Safari Web Highlighting

With Safari Web Highlighting, you can have web content read loud as you navigate through the Safari browser. Simply click your mouse over the text you wish to have read aloud using high quality voices. The words are highlighted as the text is read to reinforce reading comprehension.

See a video tour of the Safari Web Highlighting feature

“I like the dictionary as it speaks the words aloud and explains an unknown word to me in context with a sample sentence. I also find myself using the dictionary feature as a thesaurus with the list of alternative words that are available.” – Amie Swinton, student at Carnegie College and Telford College

The reading support features on Read&Write GOLD for MAC help students expand their vocabulary and improve reading comprehension.

Dictionary

There are three types of dictionary available in Read&Write GOLD for MAC to provide definitions and alternative words for a selected word, they are: Basic, Advanced and Online dictionaries. A definition and sample sentence is provided to help the user to understand the meaning of the word in context along with alternative suggestions. All of the above can be read aloud to increase word understanding.

See a video tour of the Dictionary feature

Picture Dictionary

Read&Write GOLD for Mac’s Picture Dictionary illustrates words with pictures. This feature is a valuable concentration aid. The image can be placed in an open Word or Pages document next to the selected word.

See a video tour of the Picture Dictionary feature

Speech Maker

Read&Write GOLD for MAC can convert any digital text into an audio file, such as an MP3 file, using high quality voices. The audible text can be saved directly to your media player and listened to wherever and whenever needed.

See a video tour of the Speech Maker feature

Translator

You can translate single words, paragraphs, or blocks of text into multiple languages using the Read&Write GOLD for MAC translator. Any on-screen content including digital textbooks can be translated and read aloud in the language of your choice – perfect for English Language Learners!

See a video tour of the Translator feature

“Read&Write GOLD’s Spell Checker, which speaks words and definitions, provides much greater support than a conventional spell checker for a pupil who cannot decide which word from the list of suggestions is the one they wish to use.” – Stephanie Thomas, Dean Close School

For those who struggle with writing, Read&Write GOLD for MAC’s writing and self-editing features can help formulate ideas, construct sentences and prepare their writing and essays.

Spell Checker

The Spell Checker in Read&Write GOLD for MAC will help you to check your document for spelling errors. Even the most unusual spelling errors are recognised. Spelling suggestions as well as their definitions are provided and can be read aloud to ensure you choose the correct replacement word.

See a video tour of the Spell Checker feature

Word Prediction

Word Prediction learns your writing style and predicts the word you may want to use next. As you type in Pages or MS Word 2008 or later, a list of suggested words appears in the Prediction Panel. Definitions of the word are also available and can be read aloud, helping to build your vocabulary and develop your writing skills. Use the Word Prediction feature to help you construct sentences with ease! Subject-specific prediction word banks such as Astronomy or Human Skeletal System are available and new ones of your own can be added easily.

See a video tour of the Word Prediction feature

Sounds Like and Confusable Words

The Sounds Like and Confusable Words feature identifies words that sound the same but are spelt differently, such as “eye” and “I” or words that are commonly confused, such as “through” and “thorough”. When checking your writing or reading it aloud, these similar sounding words might not be identified as an error. Read&Write GOLD for MAC will provide a list of options, their definitions and sample sentences to ensure that you chose the right word in its context.

See a video tour of the Sounds Like and Confusable Words feature

Verb Checker

The Verb Checker helps students to determine the correct verb conjugation they require. They can select from past, present or future tenses of each verb. They can click Play to have the options read aloud and clicking Replace will add the selected verb into your document.

See a video tour of the Verb Checker feature

Speak while Typing

Speak while Typing allows you to hear each word read aloud as you type. You can also choose to read aloud the entire document when finished. By listening to your work being read aloud, you can correct and self-edit your work before submitting it, thereby reducing many common errors.

“Read&Write GOLD allows students to efficiently collect specific information from sources and export that information into a document. This has been a huge resource for students that are collecting research, and has allowed the research process to become more organised and meaningful.” – Sean Joyce, Joliet Public Schools – District 86

Read&Write GOLD for MAC assists with studying as well as conducting research. The Study Skills tools help with active reading, writing, and learning. The research features make it easy to collect, collate and present research for assignments.

Fact Finder

The Fact Finder is a web search tool that makes finding information on the internet easier and faster. If you wish to find out more information about a topic, simply highlight the word and click on the Fact Finder. Read&Write GOLD for MAC then displays the online search results for your word so you can continue your research. It is a quick and easy way of conducting research and gathering information for reports.

See a video tour of the Fact Finder feature

Fact Mapper

Mind mapping is a perfect tool for when you are brainstorming, mapping out ideas, and creating essays. With the Fact Mapper, you build your own visual mind map – adding elements, sticky notes, and imagery. You can then easily export the elements into an outline. This visual map is important for organising and preparing work before starting to write and is especially helpful to visual learners.

See a video tour of the Fact Mapper feature

Study Skills Highlighters

Read&Write GOLD for MAC has coloured highlighters that you can use to highlight sections of text such as main ideas, supporting details and vocabulary. You can extract highlighted text from any document or website to create study guides, outlines or complete assignments. Highlights from multiple documents or web pages will be collected into a single document including a bibliography. This makes it easy to collate related information, start an outline or create a study guide. This is useful when gathering information for a project from many different sources.

See a video tour of the Study Skills Highlighters feature

Vocabulary Tool

This feature allows students to build a vocabulary list by highlighting unknown words. A MS Word or Pages document is created with the vocabulary list, dictionary definitions for each word and images representing the words.

See a video tour of the Vocabulary Tool feature

Talking Calculator

You can easily access the MAC calculator from the Read&Write GOLD for MAC toolbar! You can also add speech to the calculator.

“Using Read&Write I can scan a page of a document and have it read aloud to me. This lets me read at a faster pace and better understand the content.” – Chris Caswell, Kent Fire and Rescue

In addition to the reading, writing, research and study skills features found on the toolbar, there are other powerful features available to you.

Scanning

Read&Write GOLD for MAC can scan your print documents or saved images into PDF, MS Word 2008 and upwards, Pages, HTML or Read&Write GOLD. You can even scan a document in using a digital camera! Once scanned, the text can be read aloud with word highlighting and you can access all the other support tools in Read&Write GOLD for MAC.

See a video tour of the Scanning feature

Screen Masking

If you have trouble focusing on the screen or need a visual tracking aid, the Screen Masking feature will assist you. It masks out the active or non-active parts of the screen, just like a coloured overlay. Read&Write GOLD for MAC has unique screen tinting options to suit all users including tinting the whole screen, mouse spotlighting, and underlining the point in the document where you are typing.

See a video tour of the Screen Masking feature

Text Transfer

You can automatically transfer text from any MAC application to Read&Write GOLD for MAC and vice versa. In Read&Write GOLD for MAC, you can listen to the text being read aloud with word highlighting, or you can edit the content. Text can then be returned to the original document by the click of a button.

Preferences

In the Preferences panel you can adjust options and settings (such as the voice, speed and pitch), the pronunciation of words, the highlighting colours; you can upload word prediction, homophone and spelling lists, add words to the Dictionary, add definitions, upload new groups of words for Word Prediction, and add or remove features from the toolbar.

See a video tour of the Preferences

Web Apps are perfect for today’s on the go lifestyle!

The new suite of Texthelp Web Apps works within browsers (e.g., Internet Explorer, Safari, Chrome, and Firefox) on iPad, iPod Touch, iPhone, and other mobile devices as well as on PCs and Macs. Read&Write GOLD users benefit from using familiar features along with flexible mobility and instant accessibility to these powerful web support tools.

The Web Apps are available as Add-ons to your Texthelp Read&Write 5 GOLD for MAC software licence.

See a video tour of the Web Apps in action!

Apps available

Read&Write Web You can use the Read&Write Web toolbar to access and interact with web content on your mobile device or computer. It will read HTML content aloud with dual colour highlighting. You can also use the following support tools: Dictionary and Picture Dictionary to look up unfamiliar words; Translator to translate selected words into French; Study Skills to highlight and extract important pieces of information and Fact Finder to research on the web. You also have control over the speed of the reading voice.

eBook Reader eBook Reader allows you to log into your Bookshare account, download or open a Bookshare eBook, and read the ebook aloud with dual colour highlighting, with access to all of the same support tools found in Read&Write Web.

Speech Designed to be used on smaller devices like your smartphone, you can use this App to read aloud any typed or pasted text with dual colour highlighting. Perfect for texting!

Dictionary Another App meant for smaller devices, the Dictionary App lets you look up words, get both text definitions and images, and read aloud the text definitions.

The following are the minimum requirements needed to operate Read&Write 5 GOLD for Mac:

• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo 1.83 GHz
• MAC OS 10.5 or above
• 512 MB RAM (1 GB recommended)
• 1.5 GB of free disk Space (non USB edition)
• DVD player (for installation only)
• Internet connection for certain features
• PDFaloud requires Adobe Reader or Acrobat Version 9 or above
• USB 2 port and 300 MB disk space for Texthelp voices for USB edition

Recommended Scanners

Texthelp recommends scanners from Canon and Epson.

Examples of officially tested scanners for Read&Write 5 GOLD for MAC include:

Flatbed	Multifunction	High Speed ADF
Canon Lide 90/200/210 Epson V100, V300, V350 Epson 4490	Canon MP210, MP270, MP490/495 Epson SX400, SX515W HP Photosmart 5510 (Mac OS 10.6 or above)	HP Officejet Pro 8500A Premium e-All-in-One (Mac OS 10.6 or above)

View / Download

• Texthelp Read&Write 5 GOLD for MAC Free Trial
  
• Read&Write 5 GOLD for Mac Training Guide UK (3.2 MB)
  
• Read&Write 5 GOLD for Mac Quick Start Guide (950 KB)
  
• Read&Write 5 GOLD for Mac Manual (518 KB)

Online Training and Webinars

• Free webinars by Texthelp