A range of intelligent solutions to assist those with reading and writing difficulties

textHELP Read&Write Version 9 is now available!

Read&Write Version 8.1 is a discreet, integrated solution for any person with literacy needs. It has been designed as a “floating” toolbar that will help improve reading and writing skills, with features such as speech feedback, phonetic spell checking, word prediction and homophone support to cover every aspect of the learning spectrum.
Read&Write works within any of the Windows based applications such as word processors, Email, Internet, Spreadsheets or databases.

CORE FEATURES AND BENEFITS include:

• Speech Feedback
  Text can be read back by each word, sentence, paragraph or selected text and spoken as it is typed. Choices of adjustable voices are available. Words can be highlighted as they are spoken for audiovisual reinforcement, increasing word recognition levels. Screenreading of onscreen text, menus and icons is also available. Click here for more details.
• Phonetic Spell Checker
  Colour coded identification of errors helps the user to identify their mistakes. The phonetic spell checker assists the user in correcting the most complex of errors. All spelling suggestions, and dictionary definitions can be spoken. An error log gives the educator the opportunity to monitor individual user’s progress. Specialised dictionaries are included. Click here for more details.
• Homophone support
  To eliminate the confusion of “like sounding words” (homophones) the software provides colour coding of the confused words, and lists possible alternatives with audible definitions and sample sentences. Click here for more details.
• Logs
  The logs are individualised per user. They will record spelling mistakes by date and type. This gives the educator the information needed to monitor the progress of individual students and adapt their Individual Education Plans accordingly.
• Multi Profile Function
  Allow many users to save and access their individual settings on one machine. A cost effective way of providing the support of textHELP Read&Write to many students.
• Extensive Speaking Dictionary
  Version 8.1 now includes textHELP’s own commissioned dictionary giving easier to understand definitions and has options allowing the user to choose basic or advanced definitions of words.

  180,000 words are provided with alternative suggestions, developing the user’s creative writing skills. Each word has a description and sample sentence, all of which can be spoken. Highlighting the words in MS Word and collecting them at the end of the session can collect any new words that are looked up. Click here for more details.

• Word Wizard
  For when a user is just “lost for words”, it takes them from the word they know to the word they want. Click here for more details.
• New Study Skill Toolbar
  This is an additional toolbar where sections of pertinent text can be highlighted and collated together to produce study notes. Click here for more details.
• Word Prediction
  Reduce the time and increase accuracy when trying to form words and sentences. As you type a list of suggestions will appear in the Prediction Panel; phonetic based suggestions are also available.

  Read&Write 8.1 Word Prediction learns your style of writing and predicts the word you want to use next. It also incorporates a prediction database based on a 100 million-word corpus.

  You can select from one of thirty two context specific prediction files, such as Arts, Beliefs and Books. Correctly spelled words are learnt as you type and can be suggested. Word Prediction reduces your number of keystrokes substantially increasing sentence construction. The level of accuracy of each suggested word is indicated according to the context of the sentence being constructed. Click here for more details.

• Clipboard History
  The clipboard history feature of Read&Write allows you to store any item you have viewed in your clipboard for use at a later time. The clipboard stores the last ten pieces of information accessed by you in a visible list for easy retrieval. Click here for more details.
• Web Highlighting
  The web highlighting feature of Read&Write allows you to experience dual colour highlighting with audible feedback in HTML documents. This is of particular use for those with literacy difficulties when accessing information online and also aids their concentration and comprehension. Click here for more details.

1. Multi Tasking – Works in any Windows based application so you can have different applications all running at the same time and use Read&Write with any one of them.
2. Simple Calculator
   Read&Write has an easy to use simple calculator. Not only does this provide the most common functions associated with a simple calculator but it also provides an audit trail so that each user can see their calculations as they go. Click here for more details.
3. RealSpeak voices
   Version 8.1 comes with RealSpeak V4 Solo voices – which give a more realistic sounding human voice and load in a fraction of the time taken by previous voices. Australian RealSpeak V4 voices are available with textHELP Read&Write programs from March 2005!

   Listen to onscreen text read back by the most human sounding voice available. By incorporating these features Read&Write provides support for creative writing, promoting independence and increasing accuracy of work created. This all leads to a much more motivated learner who achieves the results they deserve. Click here for more details.

4. Daisy Reader
   Read&Write 8.1 contains Daisy Reading technology and allows you to read their Daisy Books while working within the Read&Write program. Click here for more details.

5. Teacher Toolkit
   Manage your students’ profiles with the Teacher Tool Kit. With more and more impetus for providing support within the exam or assessment environment, Read&Write Version 8.1 provides a new resource for choosing which features are active in the program whilst still allowing the students to have reading and writing support. Using a toolkit that can only be accessed by an authorised user, teachers can customise Feature Sets which enable them to switch on or off any of the features of the program. Click here for more details.

Quote from the UK-based DYSPEL Project for improvement of literacy skills of young offenders with dyslexia:

“Read&Write is user-friendly, in that it does not require extensive initial training. It can be used immediately and provides our clients with a feeling of success that motivates them to continue and progress. It is not intimidating and most of our clients find it quite entertaining, which also promotes and encourages positive learning. It is a flexible tool that can be managed by clients at different levels and who work at different paces – thus accommodating differential learning. In addition, it is multi-sensory and includes very important auditory feedback.” (Dyspel, 2001)

Technical Support

Spectronics is happy to provide technical support for all products we sell to you. It may also help to know that you can find helpful information through:

• the Technical Support section on the textHELP website


• or by taking a look at our growing collection of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on this Spectronics website.

Want more information to help decide which version of textHELP Read&Write is best for you?

• Click here for a chart comparing the various features of textHELP’s programs – to help you see at-a-glance which program is best for you.
• Click here to find out about new features built into textHELP Read&Write Version 8.1 released in January 2007!
• Click here to use our textHELP Upgrades Calculator to quickly see how much it will cost for you to upgrade your current textHELP programs to Version 8.1 with Australian Voices! Serial Number for your existing software licence must be provided with your upgrade order.

System Requirements

The following are the minimum requirements needed to operate Read&Write 8.1

• Pentium III 800 MHz Processor


• Windows 2000 SP4, XP or Vista (excluding 64-bit editions)
  
• Internet Explorer 6 or later
  
• 256 MB RAM, 512 MB minimum on Windows Vista


• 600 MB Free Disk Space


• Sound Card and Speakers

NB: If you have previous versions of Read&Write or WordSmith installed, they must be uninstalled before installing Read&Write 8.1

View/Download

• Single User and Network Installation guide for Read&Write 8.1 Standard and GOLD – (pdf 840 KB)
  
• Read&Write 8.1 Training Guide UK – (pdf 3.4 MB)