High-tech computer software helping students improve literacy skills

Special assignment teacher Dan Loreto, who has been working with assistive technology developing instructional practices throughout the school year, said before programs like the text-to-speech Kurzweil and the speech-to-text Dragon Naturally Speaking, students with severe special needs would have to attend a provincial school in Toronto.

“Most of our students are just not ready for it,” said Loreto, “It’s 800 kilometres away.

“So the branch decided to reach out to other boards, especially this far North so we can keep our kids here.”

“These students were typically, in years past, would have been dropping out of school at an early age. I think that they are now engaged in learning is the best part.”

Read it all here.

Published on April 13, 2008

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