I like Draftbuilder better than Inspiration as an organizing software
program, because I find that students must fuss so much with constant
rearranging and reorganizing of the Inspiration bubbles that they lose
momentum in getting their ideas written. Draftbuilder is available from
donjohnston.com, and you can use Dragon Pro dictation boxes to dictate
and correct all of your "written" work in Draftbuilder. It also has
templates so that students can write book reports, 3 and 5 paragraph
essays, narratives, etc. as well as utilizing the correct format for
bibliographies. I have found that middle school students can use it,
and high school and college students have also found it useful. Don
Johnston has quite a few templates posted on their web site as well as
with the program.
It will also read back what is typed (or dictated) into it.
The other thing I like about Draftbuilder (compared to Inspiration) is
that it is a tool that is more similar to the way the "regular kids"
learn to organize their written work and leads to the skills students
will need to be more independent in high school and college. So many
times special education seems to spend too much time on a tool that is
an end in itself, rather than teaching students to use tools that will
be useful several years down the road and lead to independence at
developmentally appropriate times. I think it's sort of like spending
years teaching dyslexic, dysgraphic students to type (even though they
will never keep up with the pace of a college student) insteading of
spending the same time teaching voice recognition technology. Some
students I've taught VR have been subjected to years of keyboarding and
still only type 2 or 4 words a minute with multiple spelling areas.
...Sorry for soapboxing!
Jeanne
-- Jeanne D. Beckman, Ph.D. Developmental and Licensed Clinical Psychologist 840 Foxdale Avenue Winnetka, IL 60093 Telephone 847-446-1251 email: AT_Psychologist@jeannebeckman.com http://www.JeanneBeckman.com * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Learning Disabilities Testing Assistive Technology & Inclusion Evaluation, Consulting, and Training Child, Adult, Marital & Family Therapy Consultation & Seminars to Organizations and Mediaspk2wrt@phoenix.edc.org wrote:
>[Moderator's note. Inspiration and other similar "planners" or graphic >organizers are also great to use in advance of dictation via speech >recognition. Bob] > >Thank you so much for your response! Inspiration sounds like a great >program~ >I'll definitely look into it! > >Thanks, >Alison Geraci > >Quoting spk2wrt@phoenix.edc.org: > > > >>I'm not sure if this is what you mean. But Inspiration is a graphic >>organizer software, that helps a student brainstorm ideas into a web and
>> >> > > > >>with a click puts the web in outline format. From there with another >>click >>it hyperlinks the outline into MS Word or Appleworks (MACs) or you can >>export the outline form into a PP document with every main heading >>becoming >>a separate slide. It has both a screen reader and a text reader. Go to
>> >> > > > >>http://inspiration.com/ to download a 30 day demo. The program is about 60 >>dollars. It is the best money I ever spent for writing and organizing >>ideas. Try that. >> >>Best Wishes, Peg B >> >>----- Original Message ----- >>From: <spk2wrt@phoenix.edc.org> >>To: <spk2wrt@phoenix.edc.org> >>Sent: Thursday, February 24, 2005 3:11 PM >> >> >> >> >>>Date: Thu, 24 Feb 2005 08:19:44 -0500 >>>From: ageraci@purdue.edu >>>To: spk2wrt@phoenix.edc.org >>>Subject: [EDC-spk2wrt] Prompting software >>> >>>[Moderator's note. Hi Allison. I've never heard of such a thing--it >>> >>> >>would >> >> >>>have to be pretty smart, I think. The closest thing I can think of is >>> >>> >>the >> >> >>>use of TTS readback to prompt the student with what's BEEN written >>> >>> >thus > > >>>far, possibly providing enough cuing to proceed. Anybody else? Bob] >>> >>>I am interested in finding out if there is any type of software >>> >>> >>available >> >> >>>for >>>students with mild disabilities that is able to generate writing >>> >>> >prompts > > >>>based >>>on what a student has written. I am familiar with programs like >>> >>> >>Co:Writer >> >> >>>4000 >>>etc. but haven't been able to find anything that actually is able to >>> >>> >do > > >>>this. >>> >>>Thanks, >>>Alison >>> >>>Quoting spk2wrt@phoenix.edc.org: >>> >>> >>> >>>>[Moderator's note. Yes, that was me and I recall finally meeting you, >>>>Nettie. Anyway, I think the product will be out soon, but it is now >>>> >>>> >out > > >>>of >>> >>> >>>>my hands. See my discussion in other messages today. As for the mic, >>>>Fraser was using it and had just purchased it the day before at >>>> >>>> >>>OfficeMax. >>> >>> >>>>I don't know what kind it was, but it WAS Bluetooth compatible. I am >>>>hopelessly old fashioned and am still attached. Maybe others know of >>>> >>>> >>>good >>> >>> >>>>wireless mics? Bob] >>>> >>>>Hi Bob, >>>> >>>>I saw the demonstration of Word for Word at CSUN last year. (I think >>>>that is the product you are referring to). Do you know when the >>>>projected availability date is scheduled? Is this the same software >>>>that was demoed. I think you were one of the co-presenters - am I >>>>correct? If I am correct, I have been trying to locate the wireless >>>>microphone that was used. Any information would be greatly >>>>appreciated. I have a Toshiba with blue tooth and the SD card that I >>>>was told was necessary to use this wireless mic option. I liked the >>>>fact that you microphone was small and appeared quite functional. >>>> >>>>I own a Jabra wireless mic that I purchased to use with my telephone >>>> >>>> >>but >> >> >>>>that does not seem to be working -- does not do the required synch >>>> >>>> >with > > >>>>the bluetooth SD card. >>>> >>>>If you are the same person who demonstrated the speech-to-text >>>> >>>> >software > > >>>>at CSUN and used the wireless mic, I would greatly appreciate your >>>> >>>> >help > > >>>>with this search. Thanks. >>>> >>>>Nettie Fischer, ATP >>>> >>>> >____________________________________________________________ >To post a message to the spk2wrt list, send your message to: >spk2wrt@mail.edc.org. To reply to a message, simply use the reply button in >your email program (do not change the subject line in any way). To access the >spk2wrt archive containing a full list of all discussion threads to date, point >your Web browser to: http://www.edc.org/spk2wrt/hypermail/. For questions about >this list, please send a message to: spk2wrt@edc.org. For more information >about the Speaking to Write project, please visit our Web site at: >http://www.edc.org/spk2wrt >
____________________________________________________________ To post a message to the spk2wrt list, send your message to: spk2wrt@mail.edc.org. To reply to a message, simply use the reply button in your email program (do not change the subject line in any way). To access the spk2wrt archive containing a full list of all discussion threads to date, point your Web browser to: http://www.edc.org/spk2wrt/hypermail/. For questions about this list, please send a message to: spk2wrt@edc.org. For more information about the Speaking to Write project, please visit our Web site at: http://www.edc.org/spk2wrt
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