Kurzweil 3000 (Mac) v.4. Using the Writing Tools. Introduction. Learning Objectives. Case Study

Transcription

1 Kurzweil 3000 (Mac) v.4 Using the Writing Tools Introduction Kurzweil 3000 is reading and writing software that has many features designed to support students who are struggling with reading comprehension and written output. The program can be used as a word processor or it can be used to scan documents, like textbooks or worksheets, which can then re read aloud or completed within the program. The program provides a supportive environment for those students who need help with written output. In this tutorial you will learn how to use the various writing tools to support students who struggle with this aspect of literacy. This tutorial assumes... Kurzweil 3000 v.4 for Mac is installed on your computer. If you do not have the program already installed, please refer to the installation and registration instructions that came with your software. Your computer system supports audio output either through speakers or a headset. Learning Objectives Completion of this tutorial will give you experience with the following: Creating a text file Using the writing tools to format text and spell check a document Adjusting the Spell Check options Using the word prediction feature Creating custom vocabulary lists for word prediction Case Study Cody is a Grade 4 student who is writing 2 or 3 grade levels below average. He is not motivated to write and has difficulty catching errors as he is writing. He does not like to edit his work. He uses Kurzweil 3000 as his main word processor, utilizing the Speak as Typing feature to help him catch mistakes and improve his overall written output. Nick is in Grade 7 but is writing at a Grade 2 level. He has many writing challenges and needs a great deal of support to write even the simplest assignments. He struggles to find words and often loses focus on what he is writing. He uses the word prediction SET-BC 1 of 11 February 2011

2 feature with custom vocabulary lists created around themes of personal interest as well as classroom curricular units. Creating a Text File and using Spell Check Launch Kurzweil 3000 If the Tip of the Day window opens: Close it by clicking in the red dot in the upper left hand corner. 1 To open a new Text File: Click File - New to create a new empty text file. Type a few lines of text like... In this report about weather, I will talk about clouds, hurricanes and tornadoes. I will describe the different types of clouds and how they formed. I ll also talk about how hurricanes form and what you should do to protect yourself from tornadoes. To change the font of your text: Click the Fonts button on the writing toolbar. A new Fonts window will appear. You can also change the Font type, size and colour from this window. Click the red dot to save changes and return to your file. Click to change fonts. 2 SET-BC 2 of 11 February 2011

3 You can also increase or decrease the size of the font. Click and highlight the text to which you are making these changes FIRST. Click one of the Bigger or Smaller buttons on the writing toolbar. Click Bigger or Smaller Select text When working in a text file you may find your margins aren t set up properly for printing. To adjust the margins of your text, you may want to show the rules at the top of your work. Alignment Ruler Click on the Toggle Ruler icon on the writing toolbar. 3 You should now see the ruler at the top of your text file. You can now also change the Style of the font, change the alignment, increase the spacing, and add bullets from the Lists tab. Styles Spacing Lists (Bullets) To change the margin: Drag the downward SET-BC 3 of 11 February 2011

4 arrow to a new location. To change the Indent marker: Drag the T-shaped marker to the desired location. Drag The first button on the writing toolbar is the Spell Check icon. Type another sentence in your document making sure you put in one or more spelling errors. Click the Spell Check button the writing toolbar. Note: The Spell checker is also accessible under the Edit menu. 4 On the Spelling and Grammar Correction window that opens up: Change the word from on in the Suggestion box by selecting the word and choosing Change. Ignore the word if you know it is spelled correctly. You can have Kurzweil learn the word by adding it to the dictionary. You can also skip the current word and find the next spelling error by selecting Find Next. Once you have finished spell SET-BC 4 of 11 February 2011

5 checking, click on the red dot in the left hand corner to leave the Spelling and Grammar Correction window. You can also have Kurzweil check the spelling as you type. To turn this feature on, go to the Edit menu and select Spelling. From the drop down list, select Check Spelling While Typing. Kurzweil will now place a dotted red line under misspelled words in the document. SET-BC 5 of 11 February 2011

6 Using Word Prediction 1 Some students require support finding words and writing sentences. Kurzweil 3000 s word prediction feature can provide the high level of writing support they need. To turn on Word Prediction in a text file: Click the Toggle Word Prediction on the writing toolbar or Go to Edit/Word Prediction/Predict as You Type. Click to open Prediction 2 The Word Prediction palette opens on top of the document. Move the palette to a convenient location by clicking and dragging it by the title bar. Begin by typing the letter T. You should see a list of suggestions or guesses appear in the word prediction list. Select a word from that list by clicking on the number associated with the word in the list. Click on the words themselves to read the word out loud. Click # to send word to text file. Click and drag SET-BC 6 of 11 February 2011

7 To see a word s additional information: Click on a word in the list that is highlighted. The Word Prediction window expands to show more information. Click word for additional info. To have the Word Prediction window follow the cursor as the student types, Select Edit - Word Prediction - Follow Cursor. To turn this feature off, follow the same steps to remove the check mark beside Follow Cursor. Word Prediction in Kurzweil 3000 is based on a selected starter list of words. If your student types a word that is not on that list, you can train the word prediction database so that it will add it to future suggestions. 3 To train a word (add it to the word prediction database): Select Edit - Word Prediction Train from document i.e. Weather Report. This allows you to direct Word Prediction to train on the words in SET-BC 7 of 11 February 2011

8 an entire text or image document, permanently adding them to the Word Prediction database. You can also have Kurzweil 3000 add words to the database as you type them. Go to Edit - Word Prediction - Learn as You Type (note: this option is on by default). You also have the option of having Kurzweil 3000 present word possibilities based on common phonetic spelling errors. Go to Edit - Word Prediction - Use Phonetic Prediction. Creating Custom Vocabulary Lists 1 The word prediction database is designed to be writer or student centered. To make the use of the word prediction feature even more powerful, consider creating custom vocabulary lists. These lists can be based on curricular themes, novels, science text, class field trips, and so on. They can be created ahead of time and activated as needed when the student begins writing on that topic. Words from vocabulary lists are not permanently added to the database. To create your own custom vocabulary lists: Go to Edit - Vocabulary Lists. SET-BC 8 of 11 February 2011

9 2 On the window that opens you will see a list of Vocabulary Lists that came with the program (Confusables and Homophones). Any that are selected (checked) are active and part of the suggestion lists. To make a new vocabulary list yourself: In the vocabulary lists window, click the New (+, plus sign) button to add a New List to the Names column. Type a name for the new vocabulary list. Click the highlight color box to open the colors palette, and select a different highlight color from the list. This is the color that Word Prediction uses to identify words from this list in the Word Prediction window. Click Edit. A window appears containing the new list and you are ready to add words to the list. Create new Vocab List Change colour SET-BC 9 of 11 February 2011

10 To add words to your custom Vocabulary list: Click the New (+, plus sign) button to add a new word to the list. Type the desired word into the Word text box. You can also provide a definition and/or related words. Click the New (+, plus sign) to add another word to the list. Repeat this step for each new word you wish to add. 3 When you are finished with the list: Click the Close button (the red dot) to return to the Vocabulary Lists window. The new list now appears in the Vocabulary Lists window and is enabled by default, making it available to Word Prediction. To disable a vocabulary list, deselect it. Click on the Close button (red dot) to exit vocabulary lists. If you kept the list active, try typing a word from the list it should appear in the word prediction suggestion list with the color you selected for the list. Check to keep list active. SET-BC 10 of 11 February 2011

11 Checklist of Skills Developed in this Tutorial Create a new text file Adjust the font style and colour of the text Increase and decrease the font size of the text Adjust the word processor margins using the ruler Indent text using the ruler SET-BC 11 of 11 February 2011