Dyslexia Software - Talking Word Processors

Talking Word Processorsno good for someone with dyslexia because they
In a previous article about dyslexia software Icannot be sure, without the arduous use of a spell
wrote about three pieces of software thatcheck facility, that what they have written makes
supported a dyslexic user in working successfullyany sense. With dyslexia, poor spelling skills
and competently with an ordinary word processorreinforce poor reading skills. It is a vicious circle
such as Microsoft Word. Well, in this article I wantthat is hard to break. The speech function in
to briefly examine slightly different software-these talking word processors offers light at the
talking word processors. This software wouldend of the tunnel because individual letters or
mostly suit children with dyslexia who are still inwhole words are read out as they are typed.
primary education or people who have dyslexia inSound is used to complement vision.
combination with other learning disabilities. TheMuch Less Typing
reason that I say this is because the talkingTalking word processors such as Intellitalk 3,
versions are very different in their looks and theirWrite Outloud and Clicker 5 also support a person
functions than the mainstream versions. Theywith dyslexia effectively because words can be
look less complicated and sophisticated than theirwritten and sentences can be made without the
mainstream rivals and they perform fewerneed for much, if any, typing. I am not talking
functions. They are a perfect match for childrenhere about word processors that allow to user to
with dyslexia who need a simpler interface and dodictate into them using speech to text facility. I
not care so much about looks!am referring to the grids of words that can be
Three Good Examplesplaced on the screen and can be added into a
The talking word processors that I want todocument by the click of a mouse.
analyse in more detail are; Intellitalk 3, WriteMuch More Focus
Outloud and Clicker 5. This type of softwareThe reason why this is so important to a child
were not just developed to meet the needs ofwith dyslexia is that word processing requires a
the dyslexic market. They were designed torange of individual skills being used at the same
cater for people (children especially) who have atime. It requires a user to multi task. The ability to
variety of learning difficulties. Yet for me they arespell words and to type them fluently are some
an excellent means of supporting a child withof the most important. On top of this, a person
dyslexia in a couple of respects. Any specialistmust then think about what to say- how to
piece of software must make a person with aexpress yourself (and this is the most important
disability more independent in order to be trulyskill.) Successful word processing requires these
considered great. Talking word processors do thatskills to be combined correctly. The brain only has
because of they read text back to the user and,a fixed amount of concentration that it can
as already stated, they are much simpler to useallocate to a task and a dyslexic person will need
than something like Microsoft Word.to concentrate greatly on the spelling and typing
A Multi Sensory Approachprobably at the great expense of the creative
Talking word processors can work so powerfullyprocess of thinking what to say. Talking word
with people with dyslexia because they provideprocessors, by providing on screen grids to be
multi sensory support. A mainstream wordaccessed, allow more concentration to be used
processor, working on its own, only workswhere it is needed (in the creative writing
through one sense- vision. The user looks at theprocess) rather than on the dull mechanics of
screen and reads what they have written. That isspelling and typing.