Yes Tech!

The second session I’m attending is Read:OutLoud Universal Access…Get IT! Read IT! Learn IT! – Oh the Possibilities.  Read about the software here.   I didn’t realize that it was sponsored by a software company, Don Johnston, so hopefully it will not be a hard sell.  Facilitator is Cortnee Snell.  I’ll receive a free copy of the software, and will be comparing the features to what comes free in Microsoft Office. 

You can import files:  web pages, pdfs, Word docs, and a few others.  It will read word at a time, sentence at a time, or the whole passage.  The audio sounds mechanical, but perhaps a bit better than the built in reader in Microsoft Office.  You can change the rate, pitch and volume of the voice.  You can also use the built-in dictionary for any word in the selection.  There are different colored highlighters for identification of main points and supporting details.  There is also a note taking tool for paraphrasing and a bibliographer.

The teacher side of the program allows the teacher to assign assignments and look at student work.  Sounds like you need the “networked version” to see student work from a different computer than the one used by the student.  There’s got to be a similar web-based reader available to take away the logistical issues of downloading the program to a limited number of computers and how to conveniently get access to students who need it in many different classrooms while following copyright/licensing restrictions.