Week 3 Oct 8

In this week's class, we explored Kurzweil. I am familiar with Kurzweil and have seen many LD students self confidence with regards to reading improve incredibly. It allows that student to stay in class and read at the same rate as most of her peers with the aid of the IPod. I did learn some things about Kurzweil this week that I did not know, and that I will implement with my studdents this year. WE have found Kurzweil has given those students a sense of independence. Instead of being pulled out of class to have a test read to them, they can simply use this software package to read the test to them. I learned this week that I can set up the test so the student can write the answers using Kurzweil as well. It is exciting this year to have Ian on board to implement this in more than just my class, or just me scanning tests and novels for students who do not have spare classes. Ian and I are looking at ways to purchase the Kurzweil flash drives so then the student may not even have to leave the classroom to write a test.

I have introduced this software to many students over the past 2 years since Barb had the in service day to demonstrate to the PST's how to implement this program with our students. Whether it is being utilized in the schools totally depends on how comfortable the instructor is with the program. Because of the success we have had at our school, Ian and I are hoping to have more Kurzweil programs in the computer lab and English classrooms. It is such a powerful tool for those students who have difficulty reading and are diagnosed with a learning disability. To them, it is cool, and it really just looks like they are listening to music as they read, as are other students.