In having incredible success with Spell-A-Word since 1987, and looking at the great early literacy packages that exist (IntelliTools: Balanced Literacy; Don Johnston: Start-To-Finish; Edmark/RiverDeep: Edmark Reading Program), I felt that a gap existed.  I wanted something to take the learner from Spell-A-Word to actual *use* of literacy and not just practice.  So I thought about what does literacy actually *do* for us, as far as school-aged people?

Using the same logic that I employed to create CrossScanner ("What is the easiest way to use a single switch to click anywhere on a computer screen?"), I came up with the following task analysis of use of literacy skills:
1) Isolate information base
2) Decode and comprehend the information base, using text-to-speech as a 'scaffold'
3) Respond to simple questions referring to exact text in the information base
4) Cognitively extract relevent information from that base
5) Copy that relevent text from the information to an answer field
6) Progress to answer the question without the necessity of referring to the information base

Whew!  OK, I realize each step is more than 1 step and has pre-requisites, sub-skills, and many other issues.  But when I taught tennis many years ago, I remember our head coach telling us that if you practice tennis by squeezing tennis balls (to build up your wrist muscles), you will get good at one thing: squeezing tennis balls.  Oh yes, the skills/pre-requisites are necessary, but at the levels that I work with, *doing* stuff is the most important thing.

So there is my philosophy.  Now how does that map to a software program.  First, the supervisor/teacher/parent/practitioner/caregiver types Information in.  Second, that person types a question into the program.  The info/question can be about anything, but I prefer to focus on the actual interests of the learner.  The following is more 'standard' shool stuff, but it could be Nascar or girls or a movie or....well, you get the idea.

The Settings Screen (click pic for larger image)

The Settings screen gives you control over how the text-to-speech engine speaks under the control of the learner, and access to the supervisor editing screens.

After the supervisor does creates/edits Informations and Questions, the program saves this info.  The learner can get started.  Here is what they will see (with *your* text, obviously, not mine).

The learner using their arrow keys to read the information at their own pace, most often, word by word
(click pic for larger image)



Learner is on the Question field now, using their arrow keys to read/decode the question
(click pic for larger image)

By using the same language in the Question that exists in the Information, and having the answer underlined, the learner's path to success is facilitated.

I encourage the learner, when possible, to move their finger along with the finger on the screen and the speech output of the computer, and copy/speak the words, while it's reading the Information or Question.  You can control the speed of Q&A's reading, allowing for a sufficient pause between words for the user to comprehend the sound of each word.

And finally the learner is copying the relevent text from the Information field to the Answer field
(click pic for larger image)

All along the way, the learner has complete control over the highliting/text-to-speech by their 4 arrow keys.  When typing their Answer, you can choose to use my pre-recorded voices for key echo or TTS.  The Answer field acts just like a mini talking word processor.

As they become more successful, you can make a second Unit (each screen is called a "Unit"), to follow the first, that doesn't have the answer underlined.  And upon success with that, make a third Unit, to follow the second, that has nothing in the Information field at all.

Well, that's the gist of it.  Now I need to hear from you.  Who's read this thoroughly?  Who has questions?

Here's the deal in beta testing: it's no picnic.  I have no time for 'handholding' during this process.  I'm looking for people that have a desire to see such software, have some skills to try it, have the motivation to provide quick, detailed feedback.

I cannot help you with downloading, navigating your hard drive, hooking stuff up, etc.  I need self-starters that believe that I'm onto something and wish to help in development.  Those that self-qualify and follow through get the program for free (as well as a great feeling that they helped created something worthwhile and helpful).

(Read my Downloading notes to learn more about
downloading, decoding, and decompressing)

• BigKeys, IntelliKeys, or regular keyboard are recommended.
• Switch access would need to be accomplished through a scanning keyboard or something like my CrossScanner/OnScreen combo.
• Head tracking can be employed using SmartNav and OnScreen .
• Any AAC device which can 'type' into the computer could also be used.