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Computer screen glare.

A computer screen can 'glare' at you while you are typing, especially if you suffer from light sensitivity. The glare can be reduced by turning down the brightness, or by wearing sun glasses.

Spell-checker.

A computer with a spell-checker can provide the best possible support for a student at college or university.

Every computer comes with a word processing program such as Microsoft Word, where spelling errors are underlined in red, and, if you click on the underlined word, and then right-click your mouse, the program will suggest a short list of alternative spellings.

Speech recognition.

A basic word processing program with a spell-checker meets the needs of most dyslexic students, and will help to correct spelling errors. However, if you are still having problems, a speech recognition program such as Dragon Naturally Speaking or IBM ViaVoice may be the answer. This program will type what you say to it - word for word. As you can imagine, the program needs some time to learn your particular speech patterns and accent, and there is a training program which allows you to read a couple of chapters of a simple book. It is advisable to read more than the suggested number of short chapters, as the more the program hears your voice, the better it will be at recognizing your speech.

You are also advised to let Dragon Naturally Speaking read through your personal documents in your 'My Documents' file. This will give the program a chance to see the kinds of words you use a lot.

If you are studying and training to be a dancer, for example, the program will learn the sort of words you use frequently, such as:

• movement.
• choreograph.
• performance.
• ballet.
• musical.
• spatial.
• Nijinski.
• Rambert.
• etc..

Print size.

You may find it helpful, when using a word processor, to adjust the print-size on the screen and to print out your writing in a larger size print (e.g. Arial size 14 or 16) if it is for your own personal use.

If it is for another person (e.g. a letter) then you can easily reduce the print-size back to size 12, which is the usual size, before you print it out.

It may also help to lower the brightness of the monitor screen to reduce glare; some people wear tinted glasses when using a computer.

Tape recorders.

If you attend a course, a small tape-recorder can allow you (with your tutor's permission) to tape lectures and listen to them at home, making notes at your own pace or on a word-processor without the pressure of the lecture rushing on before you have time to get it all down. This is a technique which is used by many dyslexic students at lectures.

A small pocket tape-recorder can allow you to make spoken notes if you have to write a report; these could be typed up later on a word-processor. This technique allows you to separate the 'thinking' part of report-writing from the 'writing down' stage.

Other similar programs are shown below, and a good source of further information is www.dyslexic.com.

• • • IBM ViaVoice is similar to Dragon Naturally Speaking, though less well reviewed: 'Using ViaVoice's Corrections Window is an exercise in frustration' (Guardian, Nov 18 03). ViaVoice Pro USB Edition, Release 10, includes a quality headset microphone with USB adapter.r USA | UK.

• • • Co-Writer 4000

Translating thoughts into writing can be overwhelming. Your writing often suffers from phonetic or inventive spelling, lack of richness, limited detail, and incoherence. This word prediction program empowers more written self-expression.

"Co-writer 4000 is a great instrument. It can be use as a thesaurus and give power words that will strength your writing style while developing a wider vocabulary." (B.R.N., Iraq.) Co-Writer 4000.

• • • Kindle 2 Electronic Book - 'One of my students has found Amazon’s Kindle 2 electronic book system very useful because she can load her school English texts and pre-read them in a font size best suited to her reading ability.
Kindle2 also has a text to speech feature so that she can have the book read to her while she follows the text.' (R.P, Hong Kong.)

'The Kindle 2 does away with almost every awkward convention introduced in the original version. The device is now cleanly laid out, very much shaped like a large iPhone; a big rectangle with rounded edges. The keyboard has gone from that unnatural, slanted arrangement to a standard, familiar keyboard layout, and the keys are now small and round instead of rectangular pellets. The next / previous buttons occupy a very similar location, but are much smaller (as opposed to taking up the entire side of the device), so the threat of constantly hitting them is noticeably alleviated. They've also been stiffened up, so even if you do accidentally brush past one of them, it takes a little more effort to engage.

'The screen itself is looks somewhat clearer than the original version, helped largely by the fact that the e-ink display can now show up to 16 shades of gray as opposed to the previous four. You can definitely see those differences in font smoothing and on images (which, incidentally, you can now zoom in on)'. - EnGadget Review
USA | UK)

• WordQ - a writing tool used along with standard Windows word processing software. It uses advanced word prediction to suggest words for you to use and provides spoken (text-to-speech) feedback.

• • • 'TextHelp' Read & Write - An excellent word-processing support program which links in to your word-processor, suggesting spellings for each word as you start to type a word, and reading out your writing so that you can see if it makes sense or if you've missed out any words. A detailed review and links to further information can be found at:Dyslexia Online Magazine.

• WordQ2 - a software tool used along with standard writing software. It suggests words for you to use and provides spoken feedback to help you find mistakes. Users of all ages who have problems writing and editing can benefit from using WordQ. WordQ was researched and developed at Bloorview MacMillan Children’s Centre, an internationally renowned children’s rehabilitation hospital located in Toronto, Canada.

• Inspiration - a program that is used to generate ideas for a topic in order to make an essay. The program types a word – and you write another word associated with the first word and another and it builds diagrams.
     For example let’s say you must write an essay about the “highway system”. It puts these words in a box, then it branches out into another box, for example with the words “ministry of transportation”, and another box - “roads”- “vehicles”, each time branching out into more details.
     Then from the boxes, the program makes a list and extracts the list into headings, then sub-headings and then bullet points. Eventually you have a summary of an essay. Then you can put the bullet points into sentences and paragraphs.
     This program is very useful, when you don’t have an idea – it inspires you to one.
     However, my son says that usually he has ideas and prefers to write them down directly, and then organize his ideas rather than on a word by word basis.
     Since organization is a very weak point with many dyslexics, organizational programs may be very helpful for them. Saving files on a computer in folders (with systematic ways of searching for the files.) is a big advantage for dyslexics since they don’t have pieces of paper that can be lost.
     My son has used some business programs such as “Visio” by Microsoft which has templates for building diagrams and is useful to make maps, and streets with pictorial explanations, not just boxes as in “Inspiration”. He finds it very helpful in breaking down tasks and particularly helpful with organizing topics in order to explain to other people. (Keppy Guberman, Israel).

• Readable - a computer application that helps you read more of the web. It transforms text on any website using fonts, colors, and layouts of your choosing.
     The program allows a student to change the color of the text, the back-ground and the size of the font. This will make it easier for the student to read long passages of text without causing headaches, and strain associated with Irlen Syndrome.
     Readable is the most customizable solution for manipulating content (on the web) and making it readable. It's also very simple to use and completely free.
    It sits in your bookmarks bar until it is clicked; when that happens, it will load into the page you're currently viewing.

• Kurzweil 3000 - 'The Kurzweil 3000 is the greatest tool to benefit the dyslexic student. My high school students can bring in a library book or an article, etc. and scan the material one class period and listen/follow along the next period. The students can use bookmarks and change the voice and speed that it reads to their individual tastes. The Kurzweil also comes with a CD with numerous works available to be read without scanning. With the CD you just find the author and click; locate the story you need and click; and start listening. The classroom teachers are really great about sending the reading assignments to me a few days ahead of time so I can have them scanned and ready to read. This helps the students because they stay on schedule. Sometimes students come in after and before school to scan articles so they will be able to keep pace with other students. Therefore extended time isn’t necessary. The bottom line is that it is a wonderful tool that gives the students a sense of independence.' (Lisa Landers, Texas)
     The “Kurzweil 3000” scans text, recognizes text, reads the text with voice options, and highlights the text – each word as it reads it. It has highlighters that can be used to extract and make notes from the text and therefore is useful in summarizing. The voice control and speed of speech can be set and it sometimes reads words out of context, but very rarely. It is an excellent asset for dyslexic students if you can find an electronic version of the text that you are required to read, import the text and have Kurzweil read it. However, its greatest drawback is that scanning each page of text when reading a book is extremely time consuming and takes a large amount of computer space. Therefore, my son finds that he does not use the program as much as he would like to, due to this drawback. (Keppy Guberman, Israel).

• Franklin Spell checkers (recommended by Little Liz, UK - 'invaluable.'

• Study Skills reference (students and college).

• BrowseAloud - Free to download, "easy to use with control over the voice, pitch and speed, Browsealoud is there when you need assistance as you navigate the Web. Simply by scrolling your mouse over the text that you want read to you, Browsealoud will read and speak what you require, helping you navigate websites more easily".

• Textic - A British inventor, himself dyslexic, has come up with the 'Textic' toolbar to make reading the web or even a word processor easier. Once installed on your machine, you can use the Textic toolbar to alter a web site's background color, text color, text size, font style and color, as well as directly access a thesaurus, dictionary and unique messaging 'keypad'. The tool bar has been approved by the British Dyslexia Association.

• HelpRead - Free software that "reads along with you while you do the reading. Whether you’re younger or older, new to reading or have your own library, this program should be able to help you read more and understand more of what you read".

• ReadPlease - Free - "Shatters the myth that computers must sound robotic and monotonous. Just imagine having web pages and e-mail read aloud to you. If you are finding there is just too much on-screen reading with all of this technology, then you will love using ReadPlease".

• Quicktionary Reading Pen - reads single words of text through an earphone, as well as providing a definition on its small screen. Recommended for difficult single words.

• Ultimate Speed Reader - encourages the user to increase reading speed in a variety of ways. A typical training session lasts about 30 minutes, and begins with 'Reading Warm-Ups,' which are essentially limbering drills for the eyes and brain. Moving on, the user strengthens 'Eye Movement' skills by following along with highlighted text that tracks at targeted speeds, as does the 'Newspaper Reading' section which features columnar text. 'Paced Reading' includes longer reading passages at a preset pace, and 'Timed Reading' offers timed sessions so the user can monitor his or her progress.

• E-Z Focus - Slide rule with four colors to assist reading, which we've heard recommended.

• Study Skills and Technology - British Dyslexia Association listing including Time Management and Organisation, Memory, Planning, Note Taking, Reading and Writing, and Examinations.

• Aurora Suite 2005 - Aurora Suite 2005 offers a double-shot of accessibility features in one flexible, high-quality solution for people with Learning Disabilities and Dyslexia. Aurora Prediction is surprisingly effective word prediction, a talking spellchecker and homonyms assistance that helps you type emails, instant message to friends, write documents or do any other task that requires typing. Prediction works with whatever applications you use to save keystrokes, get punctuation and capitalization right, and assures you write the best you can. Aurora Echo provides simple screenreading and a complete range of readback tools to help you be sure you get your ideas down on paper. You can use Echo to read your documents, emails, web pages and even application menus aloud, highlighting each word as it is spoken.

• Speaking NotePad - Affordable program which will read aloud what is on your computer screen.

• • • 'Web Talkster' - talking browser - Inexpensive - will read web pages out loud for you as you browse the Internet.

• ReadPal - New software program which provides a choice of font faces and colored backgrounds for reading web pages, emails and word processing documents.