textHELP! Read&Write Version 6.0 is an easy to use toolbar that floats above any of the Windows-based applications such as word processors, email, Internet, spreadsheets or databases. It assists students with learning disabilities in the development of their basic skills in reading and writing by speaking out text with a human-sounding RealSpeak voice and much more.

In brief, it offers the following.

• Phonetic Spell Checker
  With all spelling suggestions and dictionary definitions able to be spoken


• Homophone support
  To eliminate the confusion of “like sounding" words - and now includes Australian homophones for increased accuracy in identifying like sounding words for Australian students


• Logs
  To record spelling mistakes by date and type


• Multi Profile Function
  To allow many users to save and access their individual settings on one machine


• Word Wizard
  For when a user is just “lost for words”


• Context Based Word Prediction
  As the user types the first letter of the word, suggestions are made in the prediction list with phonetic based suggestions also available.


• Multi Tasking
  Works in any Windows-based application so users can have different applications all running at the same time and use Read&Write with any one of them.


• Simple Calculator
  An on-screen speaking calculator providing all the main functions of a basic calculator and an audible audit trail


• Teacher Toolkit
  Manages students' individual profiles - including the ability to switch off any "advantageous" features, leaving only "reasonable adjustments" active during exams.


• On-screen Tutorial
  In response to repeated user requests, textHELP! Read&Write now has a on-screen tutorial built into the program - making it a lot easier to quickly master the many tools built into the program!

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textHELP! Read&Write GOLD is also a toolbar, which floats on top of any Windows application waiting to provide assistance to users with learning difficulties. Alternatively, users can drag the toolbar to the top of the screen and it will "dock" itself within the other toolbars at the top of the program screen. Users can then call upon it for assistance as they work.

Read&Write GOLD is based on feedback that program users have given textHELP! over the years since they first launched Read&Write in 1995. The feature set now included in Read&Write GOLD allows students to work independently in an inclusive environment ensuring they “keep up” with their peers in the same classroom and in tertiary study environments.

Read&Write GOLD includes all of the features of Read&Write Version 6.0 - plus the following extras which allow even virtual "non-readers" to complete studies at secondary and tertiary level.

• Scanning of printed documents
  
  The ability to scan printed documents directly into Microsoft Word or other word processors is built into the Read&Write GOLD toolbar – making these documents available for being read aloud by the computer. The fast and accurate text recognition software in Read&Write GOLD even copes with documents containing graphics and text with complex formatting.



• Fact Folder
  
  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 users can convert facts to a text document at the click of a button or turn the text into a slide show which speaks out text. This is an excellent revision tool - with diagrams and pictures automatically included.



• Fact Finder
  
  A web search tool that can collect a selected word from any document or application and do a quick web search to nominated engine(s) returning the information needed instantly without having to type into individual Internet search engines.



• Scientific Calculator
  
  An on-screen speaking calculator providing all the main functions of a scientific calculator with audible audit trail and multiple display memory locations.

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