What is Writing and Organizational Software?

Writing and organizational software is designed to provide assistance with the writing process and with the organization and diagramming of information and ideas. Writing and Organizational software often uses visual learning techniques to clarify thinking and reinforce the understanding of new information. Visual learning uses graphical representations to aid in working with the writing process, in categorizing ideas, and with sorting information. Visual learning can show patterns and relationships between concepts and leads to creative thinking. Diagrams in Visual learning can help people to better integrate new knowledge to existing understandings that they have.

Writing software adds the extra element of text-to-speech. Writing software often vocalizes words and sentences so that a user can hear what is typed as well as see it. Some writing software uses word prediction to use previously entered words to help predict the next word that will be needed.
 

Inspiration

Inspiration is a tool to develop ideas and organize thinking. Inspiration is designed to facilitate the brainstorming, planning, and organizing of ideas. With Inspiration one can effectively expand ideas into outlines and diagrams.

Inspiration Features

• Clarifies thinking
• Deepens understanding of concepts
• Increases retention
• Develops organizational skills
• Taps creativity
• Creates clear, concise essays, reports and more.

Write OutLoud

Write OutLoud is a talking word processor software that is filled with features that increase its ease of use. Write OutLoud lets the user see and hear what they are writing. The program is flexible so students can hear letters, words, and sentences while they write. It can read a whole page and reread it as often as the user needs.

Write OutLoud Features

• A Talking Toolbar – enables the user to work without menus
• Speech, text color, and background color support the student’s visual and auditory needs
• The Franklin Spell Checker and Dictionary is fully integrated with speech to assist with spelling and word search needs
• Highlight Word by Word – words are highlighted one by one as Write: Outloud reads them aloud

CoWriter

CoWriter is a grammar-smart word coach that helps user build effective sentences. Cowriter gives a user new ways to focus on what they want to write and helps them to just the right words to write it with. The program is useful to users who would like a bridge between how a word is said and how it is spelled. Cowriter helps a user to produce quality writing with less fatigue and to build a better vocabulary.

CoWriter achieves the above results by acting as a writing assistant that intelligently predicts the words that will be needed. The word prediction is designed to allow complete and correct sentences to be written with very few keystrokes. As you begin each word CoWriter offers spoken guesses as to what word you may intend to write. As you select the desired word, you continue on to the next word until the sentence is completed.

CoWriter Features

• Total Vocabulary System – Matches user with the appropriate dictionary for that user’s needs – can be updated and edited for user’s needs.
• Effective Speech System –customizable speech engine that pronounces words as they are predicted and selected
• Connects to Word Processors – use CoWriter in connection with popular word processor programs
• Customizable Word Prediction – change the arrangement and behavior of the word prediction to fit your needs.

Sample Writing and Organizational Screen Views