Product review: texthelp Read&Write 7.1 vs ClaroRead Plus

Transcription

1 Product review: texthelp Read&Write 7.1 vs ClaroRead Plus Detailed comparison - February 2006 Comparison of ClaroRead Plus Version 2.02 and texthelp Read&Write 7.1 GOLD (Reviewed using the PC version of both programs) ClaroRead Plus and Read&Write 7.1 GOLD are popular pieces of software designed to support individuals who struggle with reading and writing tasks. The multiple features of these packages are discussed in greater depth in the following article.

2 Contents Feature Page No. Transparency... 3 Speech... 3 Reading text aloud... 3 Autoread features... 3 Pronunciation... 3 Spell aloud words... 4 Reading the web... 4 Reading e-books... 4 Reading PDF fi les... 4 Foreign language support... 4 Audio fi les... 4 Dictionary Definitions for Comprehension and Reading Fluency... 4 Visual Display... 5 Magnifi cation of text or screen... 5 Scanning Documents for Reading... 5 Read&Write 7.1 GOLD scanning... 5 ClaroRead Plus scanning... 6 Format... 6 Changing settings to optimise scan quality... 6 Scan speeds... 6 Accuracy... 6 Writing Tools... 7 Speak as you type... 7 Word prediction... 7 Spell check... 9 Homophone support Calculator Tools to Assist Gathering and Organising Work Speech Input (Voice Dictation) Multi-user Setups and Teacher Tools Summary Appendix A SPECTRONICS PO Box 88 Rochedale QLD 4123 AUSTRALIA T: (07) F: (07) mail@spectronicsinoz.com Web: wicsinoz.com

3 3 Transparency The two programs work with applications and software programs that allow text entry. They can be used whether you are writing a document in Microsoft Word, sending an using Microsoft Outlook or researching information on the web. Both display a toolbar containing supportive features. The toolbar can be fi xed or fl oating. The features in each are made active by choosing them from the toolbar. The toolbars can be customised so that only those features required for the task are displayed. Modifi cations to program settings can be carried out directly from the toolbar. Read&Write 7.1 GOLD has inbuilt video tours of each program feature which assists the user and others to learn more about how the program works as they are using it. ClaroRead Plus is currently only available for PC while Read&Write GOLD and standard versions are available for both Mac and PC platforms. Speech Both the programs incorporate the popular high quality Australian voices Karen and Lee as well as other ScanSoft voices for reading text aloud. The synthetic sounding Microsoft voices are also available. They allow speed and volume of voice to be altered to user specifi cations. Read&Write 7.1 GOLD lets you alter the pitch of the voice. A pause between words can be set to improve intelligibility and can be especially important when long pieces of text are being read or if text is being transformed into an audio fi le. Read&Write 7.1 GOLD has the option of specifying the length of the pause; ClaroRead simply allows a pause to be set. Reading Text Aloud Read&Write 7.1 GOLD reads text as you type, by letter, by word or by sentence. Toolbar buttons enable the user to easily repeat the text they have just read, pause, stop or read the next section. To enable continuous and fl uent reading, the user can also select an option called Automatically read next block of text along with read sentence-by-sentence. This allows for fl exibility during the reading process and is especially useful for those needing to read and re-read the text to help with comprehension. Read&Write 7.1 GOLD uses dual block highlighting to fi rst highlight the sentence or paragraph in one colour and then highlight word-by-word as the text is read aloud in another colour. This feature can be very useful for individuals who fi nd a whole page of text overwhelming. Ten different colour combinations are designed to suit preference and visual needs. Inverse colours (e.g. black text in highlighted box) are not available with the speak text as it is highlighted option. ClaroRead Plus speaks text as you type. It also echoes back text dictated using Dragon NaturallySpeaking speech recognition software. (The program does not include this software.) It highlights words, sentences or paragraphs with or without block highlighting although does not utilise dual highlighting. There are 48 possible text colours and 16 highlight colours. This means you can customise the colours to suit user needs. CalroRead Plus can be set so any text that is highlighted by dragging the mouse over it will be spoken aloud. It utilises play and stop button on its toolbar. To re-read text the cursor needs to be manually placed at the start point, then the play button selected. Autoread features Both programs contain autoread functions where menus, buttons, lists and headings are spoken aloud merely by hovering your mouse over the word or icon. Pronunciation The ability to alter the pronunciation of words is an important feature when using text to speech software. Ensuring topic related words are pronounced correctly will aid reading fl uency and comprehension. In Read&Write 7.1 GOLD and ClaroRead Plus, the user can change the way words are pronounced by SPECTRONICS PO Box 88 Rochedale QLD 4123 AUSTRALIA T: (07) F: (07) mail@spectronicsinoz.com Web: wicsinoz.com

4 4 adding and saving words and their phonetic pronunciation to a custom list. Read&Write 7.1 GOLD has an added feature of a pronunciation tutor. This helps break words into syllables making it easier to identify word segments and aid word decoding. An onscreen moving mouth assists in the development of more accurate speech. The Pronunciation Tutor can be useful for individuals who are learning English as a second language. It highlights the pronunciation of a given word in a visual format and speaks them in a clear and internationally understandable manner. Spell aloud words Read&Write 7.1 GOLD has a spell aloud feature where any selected word can be spelled out letter by letter by accessing the function in a popup menu. Reading the web When reading the web with Read&Write 7.1 GOLD, you need only click the mouse then hover over the section of text for it to be read. Dual highlighting and readaloud features are the same as for reading standard text. ClaroRead Plus will read back text from a web page instantly once it is selected by the mouse. Words are spoken but not highlighted. Reading e-books It is possible to open and read a Daisy Book in Read&Write 7.1 GOLD. Daisy Books are books available in electronic format and are displayed in the program in a format that is easy to navigate. Reading PDF files PDF (or Portable Document Files) can be a real problem for people with reading diffi culties who rely on the computer to speak out text for them. PDF fi les need to be opened up in the Adobe Acrobat Reader program. These fi les cannot be read aloud easily with text to speech programs. When Read&Write 7.1 GOLD is installed, an extra toolbar (PDF Aloud) is added into any copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader or Adobe Acrobat on the computer. This toolbar is able to read any PDF fi le page instantly - even reading documents with thousands of pages. The dual highlighting feature is available to visually identify words being read. ClaroRead Plus is unable to read PDF fi les. Foreign language support Both programs are able to read aloud text in a range of foreign languages with correct pronunciation. It is possible to download foreign language speech engines from the internet, then select the required voice from the speech settings section of each program. Neither program supports writing with a foreign language. Audio files Being able to convert a text document to an audio fi le has become a popular study tool for older students. Students can now revise coursework at their leisure using a portable mp3 player. ClaroRead Plus will save audio fi les to be spoken in the natural sounding Australian quality voices. Read&Write 7.1 GOLD saves audio fi les in Microsoft voices only. Dictionary definitions for comprehension and reading fluency As text is being read aloud, the user may come across a word in the text they do not know the meaning of. Using Read&Write 7.1 GOLD, you can highlight a word and click on the dictionary icon from the toolbar. Now you have instant access to a spoken defi nition from a basic, advanced or web based dictionary, a sample sentence and synonyms related to the word. The basic dictionary that comes with the program has 180,000 words. New words and their defi nitions can be added. The program will also keep a record of the student s use of the dictionary by listing the words looked up during each writing session. The Word Wizard feature in Read&Write 7.1 GOLD provides the user with an interactive thesaurus, which lets them to develop and build their vocabulary every time they use the program. Great for times when you just cannot fi nd the word you want. SPECTRONICS PO Box 88 Rochedale QLD 4123 AUSTRALIA T: (07) F: (07) mail@spectronicsinoz.com Web: wicsinoz.com

5 5 ClaroRead Plus does provide defi nitions of words in its spell checker, as well as synonyms, but does not have a separate dictionary feature. Visual Display features Magnification of text or screen Read&Write 7.1 GOLD has a feature that enables text to be magnifi ed in a text reader window with or without highlighting. Text and sentence colours can be altered as can the option to use block highlighting. The size and the font can be changed. Reading material can be displayed and spoken one at a time in a single-word display as well. ClaroRead Plus incorporates a program called Screen Ruler. Screen Ruler allows part of the computer screen to be highlighted and magnifi ed in a horizontal band to help anyone viewing and concentrating on text or objects. ClaroRead Plus has inbuilt features that enhance the speed of access to the following functions font selection, text size, character, line and paragraph spacing. From buttons on the toolbar, you modify these features for the whole document, reducing the need to access more complex toolbars in the application being used. Scanning documents for reading ClaroRead Plus and Read&Write 7.1 GOLD let you scan paper documents to electronic format, then use the readaloud tools to have the text spoken, providing the user access to an almost unlimited range of reading materials. To increase the accuracy of any scan, it is always advisable to have a clean paper copy and experiment with the scanning settings if they are made available within the program you are using. Read&Write 7.1 GOLD scanning features Access scan features from Read&Write toolbar ABBYY FineReader Optical Character Recognition (OCR) SPECTRONICS PO Box 88 Rochedale QLD 4123 AUSTRALIA T: (07) F: (07) mail@spectronicsinoz.com Web: wicsinoz.com

6 6 Scans to Word, PDF, HTML. Scan from existing fi le to different format (e.g. PDF to Word). Different layout options for each format (Word, PDF, HTML) to enable documents to be displayed with or without formatting and graphics. Image resolution 150 or 300 DPI (dots per inch). 150 DPI gives you a faster scan, 300 DPI is more accurate, especially when graphics are involved. Colours Documents can be scanned in monochrome, grayscale or full colour. Brightness and contrast settings can be adjusted. Single or multiple pages can be scanned with or without timer prompt. Orients page for scanning. ClaroRead Plus scanning features Access scan features from ClaroRead Plus toolbar or from fi le menu in Word via a program called Scan2Text. OmniPage OCR Scans to Word Scans from existing fi le (e.g. PDF to Word) Single or multiple pages can be scanned with or without written or sound prompt Keeps format or simplifi es document, with or without graphics Select English or one of 118 foreign languages for OCR Settings for colour, resolution and layout can be accessed via the multi scan options of the scanner software (accessing through ClaroRead settings) Orients page for scanning. Format Both programs scan documents to Word, making editing of recognition errors and content easy. Both are able to bring a PDF document into Word (scan to fi le). Read&Write 7.1 GOLD has the added features of scanning to PDF or HTML. Scanning to PDF produces a document for reading only and is quick and easy to create. By scanning to HTML format you have the advantage of being able to use information on the web, as well as change the custom colour and font settings, which may be an important consideration for some users. Changing settings to optimise scan quality Read&Write 7.1 GOLD incorporates settings that optimise accuracy and quality of the scanned document, including image resolution (dots per inch), brightness, colour and contrast. Scan speeds Comparatively, the two programs have similar scan speeds for scanning into Word. Accuracy Read&Write 7.1 GOLD scans documents with columns and tables with few recognition errors. Scanning to PDF format tends to be more accurate, however in this mode you cannot edit text. Graphics are reproduced in colour, grayscale or black and white accurately. It is able to reproduce pages with irregular SPECTRONICS PO Box 88 Rochedale QLD 4123 AUSTRALIA T: (07) F: (07) mail@spectronicsinoz.com Web: wicsinoz.com

7 7 layout (eg advertisements where there are blocks of text and graphics.) ClaroRead Plus also scans text with single line layout or columns with few errors. Reproducing pages with graphics and text with column or irregular text placement is less accurate. Writing Tools Speak as you type Both ClaroRead Plus and Read&Write 7.1 GOLD speak letters, words and sentences as they are typed. This assists the user to edit as they write. Word prediction Word prediction is a writing support that reduces the number of keystrokes needed to construct a sentence. It also helps the user select the right spelling for a word. As the user types the fi rst letter of the word, suggestions are made in a prediction list to help them complete the word. In addition to this, some word prediction software tries to predict the next grammatically correct word to follow. The following is a breakdown of word prediction features specifi c to ClaroRead Plus and Read&Write 7.1 GOLD. Vocabulary, topic lists and learning new words Read&Write 7.1 GOLD has 15 core vocabulary lists based on commonly used words in the English language by children, teenagers and adults. Additional vocabulary lists include the categories of Applied Science, Commerce & Politics, Creative Writing, Social Science, Arts & Leisure and Periodicals. New words can be added to existing prediction lists in Read&Write 7.1 GOLD in a number of ways: 1. by learning words as you type (following a spell check), 2. by saving words and phrases from the clipboard or a text fi le. 3. by adding individual words and/or phrases in the edit lists section of the Prediction Options. Words and phrases are stored in two sections - user lists and all other words - so they can be edited seperately. 4. through the Teacher Toolkit section of the program. Topic specifi c lists can be created, saved and selected as needed. Topic lists can be made available to one or more users. ClaroRead Plus has a choice of two dictionaries (2000 or 5000 words), again based on the most frequently used words. ClaroRead Plus also has the option of automatically adding new words to the prediction list. To prevent misspelled words from being added to these lists, it is a good idea to select the option that enables new words to be spell checked before being added to the prediction list. The user can choose whether they want to save this dictionary when they quit the program or simply use the words in the particular writing session. ClaroRead Plus will learn words from a current Word document along with the word frequency and word order. Words in the prediction lists can be viewed and edited but not from within the program itself. It is possible to view and edit them in Notepad. Both programs have the ability to predict ahead words that may come after any word selected from the prediction window. Prediction accuracy Being able to learn new words into an existing dictionary means that the more the user accesses the word prediction feature when writing, the more the program learns the style of the person s writing. Read&Write has an added feature where it is able to predict words based on phonetic spelling patterns. This is often called fl exible spelling. The program keeps a list of phonetic replacements. This list can easily be edited. For example, if the student starts to type the word phone with an f then the program will recognise f as a listed phonetic error and will display words related to the context of the sentence that start with ph in the prediction window. This fl exible spelling feature increases the accuracy of the prediction as well as reducing the frustration of writing for many users. SPECTRONICS PO Box 88 Rochedale QLD 4123 AUSTRALIA T: (07) F: (07) mail@spectronicsinoz.com Web: wicsinoz.com

8 8 To ensure that the correct word is selected from the prediction window, Read&Write 7.1 GOLD offers the user word defi nitions for selected words as well as identifi cation and defi nition of homophones and confusables. Appearance of prediction window Both programs have the option of displaying words in the prediction window alphabetically or by frequency of use. In Read&Write 7.1 GOLD, the prediction window can be manually moved to a part of the screen or move with the cursor. Words can be displayed in vertical or horizontal format. ClaroRead Plus supports the dynamic display only and shows words in vertical format. Only words, not phrases are displayed in the prediction window of both programs. In Read&Write, it is possible to adjust the prediction window size, change font style and size, font colour and background colour of the window. ClaroRead Plus has a fi xed window and font size. However it is possible to change the font and background colour. Both programs have a smart punctuation feature where a space is automatically added after a word is selected from the prediction window. Selection method In both programs, words in the prediction window can be selected by clicking on the word or selecting a function key displayed beside the words. Auditory feedback For some users, being able to confi rm the word before making a selection from the prediction list will help further reduce errors in writing. Read&Write 7.1 GOLD settings include: speak word when clicked/select with function key automatically scan through the prediction list. There is an option to loop back to the beginning and scan through the list again. A pause before the auditory scan starts and between words can be customised. ClaroRead Plus will speak back words once selected from the prediction window. * For a comprehensive comparison chart of a number of word prediction programs supported by Spectronics check our website. (See Appenidx A) SPECTRONICS PO Box 88 Rochedale QLD 4123 AUSTRALIA T: (07) F: (07) mail@spectronicsinoz.com Web: wicsinoz.com

9 9 Spell Check ClaroRead Plus and Read&Write 7.1 GOLD include enhanced spell checking features where the user can read aloud misspelled words, spelling suggestions and defi nitions before having them corrected in the text. A standard and useful feature of Microsoft Word is the colour coded identifi cation of errors. Read&Write 7.1 GOLD will bring up the spell check window as you type if it identifi es any spelling error. You can also carry out a spell check when you have completed the document by choosing the spell check icon from the toolbar. Read&Write 7.1 GOLD spelling helper as it is called, displays the misspelled word, a list of possible corrections, defi nitions, parts of speech, the error type (eg missing letter) and the following options: Change word Change all words in the document Add new word to custom spelling dictionary Auto correct word based on list of common misspellings Ignore word identifi ed as an error. Text in the spelling helper window can be read aloud in several ways: ~ By placing the cursor in position and selecting the play icon from the toolbar or ~ By turning on the screen-reading feature in Speech Options. There are seven dictionaries from which to choose, including Australian spellings. The program uses a phonetic map to identify possible phonetic spelling errors and then searches for words most likely to be correct. To further ensure that there are more accurate suggestions for misspellings, it is possible to select from a list of search methods for fi nding the correct spelling required. A useful teacher tool to help error analysis and intervention strategies is the feature whereby the program provides a history of user spelling errors and error types. It also saves an error log that can be printed out in Microsoft Word to add to the student s data collection. SPECTRONICS PO Box 88 Rochedale QLD 4123 AUSTRALIA T: (07) F: (07) mail@spectronicsinoz.com Web: wicsinoz.com

10 10 ClaroRead Plus has a simple check facility that combines a homophone dictionary, thesaurus and spell checker all in one and is accessed by clicking on a toolbar icon. The spell check window displays the misspelled word, spelling suggestions, a simple defi nition and synonyms or alternatives. Display of meanings, syllables and parts of speech are optional. This makes it possible to simplify the amount of information presented to the user. Any text in the window can be read aloud by the speech settings set to Speak objects under mouse. The spell check feature in ClaroRead Plus provides suggestions for common phonetic replacements such as f (ph), r (wr) to name a few. It has no capacity to add to the spelling dictionary from within the program itself. Homophones, however, can be added via the settings section. Homophone support To eliminate the confusion of words that sound the same (homophones), both programs provides colour -coding of homophones. Possible alternatives with audible defi nitions and sample sentences as well as synonyms are displayed in a separate window. Text in the homophone window is read aloud in ClaroRead Plus and Read&Write 7.1 GOLD by having the auto-read functions on. New homophones can be added in either program. Read&Write 7.1 GOLD, however, contains an extensive database of homophones common to UK/Canadian English, US English and Australian English. Any one or all the databases can be accessed during writing. In ClaroRead Plus, there is an optional feature that plays a sound to alert the reader that a confusable has been typed. Identifi cation of the confusables along with their meanings and synonyms are accessed through the spell check icon from the toolbar. Calculator Read&Write 7.1 GOLD includes an onscreen talking calculator providing all the main functions of standard or scientifi c calculators with including audible and printable audit trail and multiple display memory locations. Auditory feedback features include speaking calculations, speak buttons on mouse-over or mouse-click or an audible button click. These features of the calculator display can be altered to suit user needs: Size Background and foreground colours Button colours SPECTRONICS PO Box 88 Rochedale QLD 4123 AUSTRALIA T: (07) F: (07) mail@spectronicsinoz.com Web: wicsinoz.com

11 11 Font style and size Number of decimal places available in calculation. In addition, the user can evaluate calculations in the document they are working on, or use conversion tables for length, mass, velocity, time and temperature. ClaroRead Plus uses the existing Windows calculator but adds auditory feedback. As you enter the numbers, the fi gures are echoed back. The buttons on a standard and scientific calculator can also be spoken, providing the speech settings are enabled. Tools to assist gathering and organising work Read&Write 7.1 GOLD contains several features designed to assist users to better organise their work. Fact Finder A web search tool that can collect a selected word from any document or application and do a quick web search to your nominated engine(s) and return the information you need instantly without having to type in individual searches. Fact Folder This is a study or research tool for organising thoughts and ideas. It allows users to capture text from any application (including the Internet), classify it, attach pictures, bibliography information and record its source. When research is complete, it is possible to convert facts to a text document at the click of a button, download the text to a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), convert to HTML or turn the text into a slide show. This is an excellent support tool to aid revision of course content. Clipboard History The Clipboard History feature of Read&Write 7.1 GOLD 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 list for easy retrieval. Speech Input (voice dictation) Read&Write 7.1 GOLD now uses Microsoft`s own speech input engine integrated with UK English spellings, suitable for use in Australia. Speech input allows conversion of speech into text. By selecting the microphone from the toolbar, the user is taken through a setup wizard that helps you quickly train the computer to recognise your voice by listening to a passage of text and then repeating it through a microphone. Once the user s profi le is created, then they can dictate sentences into a word processor or other text entry program. If you use the voice dictation program Dragon NaturallySpeaking, then ClaroRead Plus is able to echo back what is spoken. SPECTRONICS PO Box 88 Rochedale QLD 4123 AUSTRALIA T: (07) F: (07) mail@spectronicsinoz.com Web: wicsinoz.com

12 12 Multi-user setups and Teacher Tools Read&Write 7.1 GOLD single user contains a Teacher s Toolkit that enables the teacher to: Set up profi les for multiple users Create features sets designed for individuals or tasks Create topic dictionaries for word prediction that can be allocated to individuals or a number of users View spelling logs for error analysis View activity log of users Add word, synonyms and defi nitions to the dictionary used for spell checking. When a user logs on, then all the changes that occur when the program is used by them, (such as words learned in word prediction, custom spelling dictionary etc) are saved. ClaroRead Plus at this point does not have any means of customising user settings and is best used in single user mode. Summary Both programs reviewed in this article incorporate numerous key features to support writing and reading, proofreading and editing. Read&Write 7.1 GOLD is the more comprehensive of the two. It is an attractive option for school settings where there are multiple users. The program enables educators to set up individual user fi les with customised settings to suit writing, reading and study skills. ClaroRead Plus, though not so comprehensive, is designed to be easy to use, making it an available option for people across a range of abilities. Its settings and menu bar are uncomplicated. It contains easy to access shortcut features such as font and spacing as well as a screen magnifi cation that makes it possible to customise the screen display for those with visual needs. Want to take a closer look? Download a 30 day trial of ClaroRead by going to the Spectronics website: Ring Spectronics for a presentation CD of Read&Write 7.1 GOLD with accompanying documentation. This gives you video excerpts of each of the program s features. It does not allow you to try the program out. Alternately, if you have any questions, please feel free to ring and talk to Penny McCulloch, Spectronics Special Education and Learning Diffi culties Consultant on (07) or Freecall SPECTRONICS PO Box 88 Rochedale QLD 4123 AUSTRALIA T: (07) F: (07) mail@spectronicsinoz.com Web: wicsinoz.com

13 APPENDIX A texthelp Read&Write 7.1 vs ClaroRead Plus Comparison Chart Features Read&Write 7.1 GOLD ClaroRead Plus Speech Output Australian voices (Karen and Lee) Alter pitch X Speed control Volume Word pause Specify length of word pause X Reading Aloud Speak as you type Speak by letter Speak by word Speak by sentence Autoread features Edit pronunciation Pronunciation tutor X Foreign Language support (import speech engines) Reads information from the web Reads PDF fi les X Spell words aloud X Highlighting Block highlighting Dual highlighting X Words Sentences Paragraphs Alter text colour 10 colours 48 colours Alter highlight colour 10 colours 16 colours Dictionary Definitions Basic Advanced X Web X Thesaurus Add new words to dictionary X Visual Display Features Screen magnifi cation X Text window X Single word display while reading X SPECTRONICS PO Box 88 Rochedale QLD 4123 AUSTRALIA T: (07) F: (07) mail@spectronicsinoz.com Web: wicsinoz.com

14 Features Read&Write 7.1 GOLD ClaroRead Plus Rate Enhancement Features Shortcuts for document formatting from toolbar (Font style, text size, spacing) X Abbreviation expansion X Scanning features Abby Fine Reader X Omnipage Pro X Scan to Word Scan to PDF X Scan to HTML X Scan from fi le Retains document format Simple document format Scan Settings Image resolution Brightness/Contrast Single/Multiple page scanning Prompt for multiple page scanning Auto page orientation Colour settings Foreign language for OCR X Writing Tools - Word Prediction Vocabulary Core dictionaries 15 2 Existing topic dictionaries X X Create topic dictionaries UK spelling View and edit words/phrases in word lists using notepad Auto learn new words as you type Learn new words, vocab patterns from text fi le or clipboard Prediction Alphabetical Frequency of use Predicts ahead (grammar) Flexible spelling guesses based on phonetic substitutions X Edit phonetic substitutions X Includes word defi nition X Includes homophones and confusables Insert space after selection Display Window Fixed X SPECTRONICS PO Box 88 Rochedale QLD 4123 AUSTRALIA T: (07) F: (07) mail@spectronicsinoz.com Web: wicsinoz.com

15 Features Read&Write 7.1 GOLD ClaroRead Plus Dynamic (follows cursor) Vertical Horizontal X Words Phrases X X Sentences X X Paragraphs X X Function keys + words Change font size X Change font colour Change background Adjust number of words in prediction window X Change size of prediction window X Selection Method Click on word Type number or function key Auditory Feedback Previews word before selection on mouse hover X X Previews word before selection on mouse click X Scans words in list before selection X Spell Check Spell check as you type X Spell check when toolbar icon selected Spelling lists 7 1 Add new words to user spelling list using notepad Word defi nitions Synonyms (thesaurus) Identifi es and records error type X Search methods for identifying spelling errors X Phonetic substitutions X Homophone Support Homophones and confusables identifi ed in text Separate country word lists (including Australian specifi c words) X Add new homophones to list Sound alert when typing homophone X Highlights homophone in text Calculator Standard Scientifi c X Speech output SPECTRONICS PO Box 88 Rochedale QLD 4123 AUSTRALIA T: (07) F: (07) mail@spectronicsinoz.com Web: wicsinoz.com

16 Features Read&Write 7.1 GOLD ClaroRead Plus Study Tools and Organisation Create audio fi les from text Fact fi nder - easy web search tool X Fact folder - for collecting and collating information X Clipboard history - visible list of recent information/ documents X Speech Input Speech input for writing X Echoes speech input from Dragon Naturally Speaking X Teacher Tools Set-up profi les for individual users X Collect, view and print spelling error analysis X Create topic dictionaries for word prediction X Add to dictionary defi nitions X SPECTRONICS PO Box 88 Rochedale QLD 4123 AUSTRALIA T: (07) F: (07) mail@spectronicsinoz.com Web: wicsinoz.com