co:writer software

Well, imo, the software is very decent. It is a very well made piece of software and really types into anything (except databases I think). But it depends on the age, reading/spelling level of the student. I think it is best for someone who has a 3-4th grade spelling level (or at least reading level). It does have an auditory feedback so that it can read what it has put in.

Don Johnston should be able to give you a demo of the software. There demos generally are not working but they do show you the features so you can make up your own mind.

If she is 14 or so you might think more along the line of speech to text, but before that age I think the later is terribly difficult.

Has your child had a technology evaluation? This would really help in figuring out what is best for her.

—des

Thanks for your reply, We have already had our ARD for the year and Not schduled for one till next fall, this came about days after our ARD. Her Educational Diag. suggested the software and If I received positive feed back I wanted to get her started on it over the summer therefore when I go into the ARD they could not tell me that they didn’t have the training in the software so she could not use it. I would train her. But to answer your question we will not meet with the School’s AT untill fall. I have her going to educational diagnostician apart from school.

You might call them and ask if they have a demo. As I said the demo will likely not let you really use the software like a real demo, but it will show you the features. Maybe call it a “walk thru” or something else.

Anyway I liked the software. Have used it, but it is on the slowish side. It’s ok if her typing is slow anyway. It will also help her spell correctly and so on. I think the ideal arrangement would be with Type Outloud or some other software that would read exactly what she writes.

—des