Assistive+Technology

There are various assistive technologies that could be used to assist students in reading and writing. Assistive technology is a term that includes assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices for people with disabilities.A software that was found useful is a product by Don Johnston. There are various parts of the software program that I will introduce to you. I will also introduce one program I found on Reading Made EZ.
 * Assistive Technologies**

The first, **Read Out Loud**. Read Out Loud makes it easy to provide access to the new electronic books required in IDEA, and the included web browser makes the internet fully accessible. This software reads out loud to you and highlights the words as they are being read. It provides accessibility supports like text-to-speech and study tools that help you read with comprehension. It helps those students who have dyslexia, those who read below grade level, and those who have trouble with comprehension.


 * Write Out Loud** is software designed to read words as they are written to provide auditory feedback. The writing tools incorporated in this program is a talking spell checker, homophone checker, and dictionary to help confirm the word choice they typed is indeed used correctly. This software is designed to help those students, who are reluctant to write, helps moderate grammar and spelling challenges, and helps students write better with auditory support.


 * Co Writer** is a program used in conjunction with any application you write in like Word, Online, Blogs, Email, etc. As you type Co Writer interprets spelling and grammar mistakes and offers word suggestions. This helps students with illegible handwriting, those with poor phonetic or inventive spelling, those with a physical disability where typing is difficult, and those who have difficulty translating thoughts into writing.


 * Draft Builder** is software that helps to break down the writing process into brainstorming, note taking, and writing the first draft. This program allows students to generate ideas and organize them to form a well written paper. Draft Builder is useful for students with poor organization, difficulty understanding how ideas and information are related, those who are overwhelmed by all of the tasks involved in writing a paper, and those who struggle to follow the writing process.

[|Don Johnston]


 * Write Now** on Reading Made EZ is an additional writing tool designed to help writers of all skill levels. Write Now is compatible with Microsoft Word, WordPerfect as well as Google Docs and social networking sites. This program is designed to work with any application that requires textual input. This will help assist students in making sure their written content is correct and prevents them from publishing writing mistakes.

[|Reading Made EZ]