Home Catalogue Software Draft:Builder UK Version

A step-by-step graphic organiser to help students in writing tasks

Why You Will Love Draft:Builder 6!

Most struggling writers spend less than one minute planning (Writing Better, 2005). This is why Don Johnston developed Draft:Builder. It breaks down the writing process into three manageable steps:

1. Brainstorming
2. Note-taking and
3. Writing the first draft

Brainstorming is where students add concepts and ideas to the outline on the left and a visual map is automatically created. Students can easily change the order and outline level with drag-and-drop techniques or with the one-click arrow buttons.

In step 2, Note-taking/Expanding Ideas, students add short notes that include details and assign them to an outline point. They may reorganise at any time by dragging them to different locations in the outline.

In Writing the First Draft, students drag notes from the outline and drop them into the draft area. This creates the first draft. Then, students can type more sentences or add punctuation and capitalisation.

With this structure, students learn to generate ideas and organise them to form a cohesive paper. Draft:Builder is particularly useful to students with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Asperger’s who have trouble with organisation.

“We knew we were successful because the students wanted to come to the writing lab. Their self-confidence increased, and they were excited about writing!” Santina M Brown, AT Resource Teacher

Draft:Builder 6 is so simple to use you can train teachers in just 30 minutes with the new Train-in-30 tutorial.

“I introduced a student with autism to Draft:Builder SOLO this year. After a few short introductory sessions with this program, this student used the software on a consistent basis and used the tool while taking the state test. He was so excited to use this tool during the state test that he wrote all day long and his mother actually had to come and pick him up after school hours when he finished writing.” Karen, Assistive Technology Specialist, Fairfax, VA, USA

Draft:Builder is also ideal for students who have trouble transitioning from brainstorming to writing, because it breaks down the writing process into manageable steps.

Who Needs Draft:Builder?

Draft:Builder benefits students and writers with these characteristics:

• Poor organisation
• Difficulty understanding how ideas and information are related
• Overwhelmed by all of the tasks involved in writing a paper
• Struggles to follow the writing process (idea generation, note-taking, etc)

Features and Benefits

• Easy Step-by-Step Writing Process
  Draft:Builder breaks down the writing process into three manageable steps: 1) brainstorming, 2) note-taking and 3) writing the first draft.
• New Speech Engine NEW!
  Draft:Builder 6 features the latest Acapela voices – one of the highest quality, most natural-sounding speech engine available. Draft:Builder 6 will also play any other SAPI 5 voice you have on your system.
• Oxford Student’s Dictionary
  The Oxford Student’s Dictionary displays and speaks the definition of almost any word. Unlike other common dictionaries intended for use by professionals, the Oxford Student’s Dictionary definitions are clear and concise for 3-12th grade students.

• Talking Spell Checker
  The Spell Checker consistently outshines the spell checkers in MS Word and other common word processors when used in K-12 schools. And text-to-speech reads the word choices, helping students choose the right word.
• Bibliographer
  The bibliographer helps students create their own bibliography using dozens of source types including electronic/webpage, articles, books, etc. Formats include both APA and MLA.
• Locked Text Instructions
  Teachers may add locked text to a Draft:Builder assignment to give directions and extra help to students as they form their first draft.
• Train-in-30 Tutorial NEW!
  Draft:Builder 6 is so simple, you can train teachers in 30 minutes with the “Train-in-30 Tutorial.”
• Network Ready NEW!
  Now you can save files anywhere on your computer, network, or USB drive for easy access.
• Supports the Latest Mac and Windows OS NEW!
  Draft:Builder 6 functions identically on Mac and Windows, and is now optimised for Windows XP, Vista, 7, and Mac OS 10.4+. To be notified when support for Mac OS 10.6 is available in Draft:Builder 6, register at Don Johnston website.

Requirements and ResourcesexpandClick to collapse

Prices

	Code	Media	Platform	$AUD Price	$AUD GST
	Draft:Builder 6 UK Version - Single Computer Licence
	DJR85-V6	CD-ROM	Mac OS X, Win XP, Win Vista, Windows 7	$199.00	$0.00
	Upgrade to Draft:Builder 6 UK version from any prior version of Draft:Builder - Single Computer Licence	Proof of original older software required.
	DJR85U	CD-ROM	Mac OS X, Win XP, Win Vista, Windows 7	$129.00	$0.00