Reading and Writing Technology for Individuals with Learning Disabilities

Spell Checkers for atypical spellers:

• Ghotit (www.ghotit.com)
• Ginger Software (www.gingersoftware.com)
• Franklin Language Master
  (http://www.franklin.com/estore/dictionary/LM-6000B/)

Text to Speech Software:

• Read:Outloud (www.donjohnston.com)
• TextHelp Read & Write Gold (www.texthelp.com)
• Natural Reader Education Ed.(www.naturalreaders.com)
• Text Aloud (Demo Available) (www.nextup.com)

Free Alternatives

• Natural Reader (www.naturalreaders.com)
• Click, Speak  (clickspeak.clcworld.net)
  • Dictionary ToolTip
    (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1171)
  • TidyRead (www.tidyread.com)
  • PDF Download
    (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/636)
  • Google Docs (docs.google.com)
  • OffiSync Beta (offisync.com)
• Word Talk (www.wordtalk.org.uk)

Mac OSX Software

• Ghost Reader
  (http://www.convenienceware.com/ghostreader.php)
• Natural Reader (www.naturalreaders.com)
• Voice Over

Reading Devices

• Victor Reader Wave (https://custhub.rfbd.org/prddetail.asp)
• Classmate Reader
  (http://www.donjohnston.com/products/portables/classmate/index.html)

Word Prediction

• WordQ (Demo Available) (www.wordq.com)
• Co:Writer (www.donjohnston.com)

Scanning Books

• Kurzweil 3000(Demo Availale) (www.kurzweiledu.com)
• WYNN Wizard (Demo Available) (www.freedomscientific.com/lsg)
• ClaroRead (www.clarosoftware.com)
• OCR Terminal.com (www.ocrterminal.com)
• PDFtoWord (www.pdftoword.com)

Speech Recognition

• Dragon Naturally Speaking (www.nuance.com)
• SpeakQ (www.wordq.com)
• Vista / Windows 7

Hardware Based Writing Tools

• Alphasmart Neo (http://www.alphasmart.com)
• The Writer (http://www.writerlearning.com/)
• Netbooks

Graphic Organizers

• Kidspiration/Inspiration (www.inspiration.com)
• Draft Builder (www.donjohnston.com)
• MindMeister (www.mindmeister.com)

Notetaking

• Livescribe (www.livescribe.com)
• Evernote (www.evernote.com)
• Scrapbook
  (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/427)

Getting textbooks in Alternative Formats:

• Bookshare.org (www.bookshare.org)
• RFB&D (www.rfbd.org)

Cast.org / LDOnline – Alternative Formats Article

http://www.ldonline.org/article/16308

Up coming Webinars: (This section will become dated very soon)

1. Dragon Naturally Speaking in Education:
   https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/995277705
2. Bookshare 101 for Parents:
   https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/schedule/display.do?udc=ll2pjyowqtgi
   pre-recorded version here:
   http://bookshare.org/assets/webinars/2009-02-18/index.htm
3. Using Visual Learning Techniques to Improve Academic Performance with Inspiration (Pre-recorded)
   http://www.inspiration.com/videos/Inspiration
4. Kurzweil 3000 v11 Overview (Sept. 8th and 22nd)
   http://www.kurzweiledu.com/webinars.aspx