Write:OutLoud Version 3.0
by Gerry Kennedy
Version 3.0 for Windows and Macintosh From Don Johnston
A New Version!
Write:OutLoud Version 3.0 is the recently released easy-to-use talking word processor from Don Johnston. There are two versions - one for Macintosh Power PC's running 7.5.3 (or later) and one for Pentium 100 (or higher) PC-compatibles running MS Windows 95/ 98.
This exciting new version has numerous innovative new features, namely a dictionary and facility for importing of pictures (with support for numerous graphic formats). One of the most useful and critically acclaimed features is the Write:OutLoud's (WOL) talking spell checker. It voices misspelt words. More importantly, it also voices the sentence or phrase in context, as well as the list of suggested words. In addition, in this new version, it provides context sensitive definitions of each word, in a dictionary! You can edit and customise the dictionary as well and include your own definitions. This supports poor readers, students who have dyslexia and confuse words, people with poor eyesight as well as those users who have a reading disability.
In the package, you receive:
- A software registration card, and a licence agreement (multiple licences are available),
- A CD-ROM (users can elect to have floppy disk version OR
- Copy the nine or so floppy disk images from the CD-ROM (using another computer's CD-ROM drive)
- An exchange card
- A READ ME FIRST Write:OutLoud Installation Card
- Write:OutLoud Getting Started
The User's guide is a high quality A5 sized booklet with 92 pages. It contains six (6) helpful chapters and has four (4) Appendices and a comprehensive six page index. A typical Don Johnston production, it is well written, with all sections illustrated using a series of screen "shots" and has clearly documented instructions. There are useful tips and strategies for first time users as well as for experienced WOL evangelists! The guide provides relevant information about the program, explains in detail how it can be used and lists all of the features. It is a "hands-on" document. I consider that it can be read by teachers, parents and users themselves! It is even included on the CD-ROM in electronic form as an Adobe Acrobat file.
Installation on the Macintosh involves a number of important steps. I discovered on my Performa 6360 Power PC (Macintosh) that I needed to install QuickTime Version 3 first. The Read Me First leaflet prompts you to install Co:Writer first if you are installing both programs. The Installation required 21 MB of hard disk space, with the program using approximately 7.2 MB, the pictures 11MB and the rest of the resources (i.e. dictionary and spell checker) 2.7Mb. Adobe Acrobat Version 3 is required if you wish to read, edit or print the documentation that is provided on the CD-ROM. A hint: install the software, re-start your Macintosh and hold down the Option-Command keys in order to "re-build" your desktop. After this procedure, it operated beautifully. The Macintalk 3 voices were ready to voice my text as I typed and I could insert pictures! It looks and feels like Version 2.0, but has more features, some new icons in the toolbar and has been redesigned in some areas to include the new functions and user options.
The Windows installation was very straightforward. Within minutes, I had successfully installed WOL. After having restarted Windows, I created a short cut to position a quick start icon on my desktop. I then launched the program and immediately started typing, with the "words" voiced in a high quality male voice. The Windows version has a number of voices, with Bobbie (a child's voice), Flo (an adult female) and 5 other clear, well articulated voices, that reproduce text-to-speech in a very acceptable manner.
Write:OutLoud Version 2.0 is essentially an entry-level word processor that has high quality speech. The most liberating feature, which has been maintained and refined in this new version, is the handy "toolbar" which appears at the top of the Write:OutLoud document (you can turn it off or on at any time if you so desire). Users only need to click on buttons (small icons) to perform necessary tasks. If you position the mouse pointer (using a mouse or trackball) and dwell on an icon, it is voiced. Users can quickly access and use commonly used features. Navigation about your document is a breeze! You can elect to move the cursor to the beginning and end of the document , or to sentences, have selected text voiced or have the entire document read aloud. Other icons perform such repetitive and often used tasks such as voicing text, turning speech off, checking spelling, importing a picture (i.e. ones that are packaged with WOL Version 3.0), or your own! Handy functions such as saving and printing are available at the click of a mouse. Changing font size up or down, and customising the text and background colour(s) are also instantaneous. Centering, right and left aligning text is so easy to perform, using the text formatting icon. It works, as do the colour text/background icons, in a "cycling" mode, merely performed with a click!
Writing - Is Beautiful!
Colour is very important for users of all ages. Users who are visually impaired and children who have perceptual problems require colour contrast. Text and background colour can be changed at any time, or saved as the default. Words or sentences can be changed to emphasize meaning, to show grammatical structures, to highlight key words or used in the design of cloze exercises. Colour is very powerful in providing clues for readers of all ages. Older people, who require an easy, uncluttered and intuitive word processor will delight in using this package; possibly using it with their grand daughters and grand sons!
Teachers who wish to instruct children in the use of nouns, verbs, and adjectives can colour individual words of passages of text. This feature can assist adults who have reading difficulties as well as providing them with optimum figure-ground settings. The interface and overall "look and feel" is quite generic, and so users of all ages will feel confident in using it.
A practical use of colour in a word processor document can be given where Questions and Answer sheets need to be completed onscreen. In this example, the questions can be coloured red, with the anticipated responses coloured blue. Students highlight the question, voice it, then type their answers. Students can quickly distinguish between answers and questions. Teachers can choose to correct students' work on or off the screen, even printing in colour to gain full advantage, or in black where the shades of each colour give visual differentiation in each section. There are numerous benefits in using coloured text, not only in presentation, but in assisting students identify important aspects of their writing.
Spoken text is selected from the Speech Menu. Speech can be turned off completely. The user may set the speech option to speak each letter, word, sentence and/or paragraph. The package can highlight words as they are spoken and passages or single words can be repeated as well. Volume and speed can be altered to suit individual needs with a test facility included in the dialogue box. This is a ideal for users who wish to have very slow speech output. It accommodates users who require faster speech output as well (for capable students and adult users).
The Pronunciation option provides the facility to phonetically set spelling for any word, particularly useful for proper nouns, place names and unusual words where the speech is mispronounced. You simply type the mispronounced word, phonetically type it and then listen to both spellings, modify your phonetic spelling if necessary and then add the word to Write:OutLoud's word list. When you type the word later, it is spoken correctly.
Spelling It Out
The spell checker facility checks your selected text. The user hears the sentence where a misspelled word appears and can listen to WOL speak suggested words. Another great feature is the facility to add your own words to the User Dictionary. This is a must for proper nouns, abbreviations, colloquial terms and idiom. It provides for "personalizing" your copy to meet specific needs. It enables teachers who wish to introduce a theme with unusual words or terms (e.g. in science, history, maths etc.) to generate new vocabulary. As you type, the spelling monitor (located in the Edit Menu) can cue the user with either a beep or menu bar flash when an incorrect word is typed. The "flash" feature assists users who are hearing impaired and the "beep" for users who are vision impaired. The definitions listed in the dictionary will certainly prove to be a hit!
To quickly print your document, simply choose Print One option from the File Menu or just click on the Printer icon in the menu bar. It's quick and easy and eliminates a step that so often that is pedantic and slows down the work rate. Young children or users with special needs will enjoy this feature. Another feature in the File menu, is the listing of recently opened documents. Most features have equivalent keystrokes. This is so important for macro definition, for designing overlay files (Discover:Board, IntelliKeys) and for people more accustomed to keyboard input. People with physical disabilities will appreciate this facility as adaptive devices can be programmed to make good use of all of the package's features.