Jane, are your sites part of any evaluation of the software in adult ed sites that will be published?  I know that IBM does a lot of continued development on products at beta sites - is that what is going on?  Their site says that they are no longer accepting "grant" sites where the software can be installed.  Thanks - Heidi
 
Heidi Silver-Pacuilla, Ph.D. 
American Institutes for Research 
1000 Thomas Jefferson Street NW 
Washington, DC  20007 
202.403.5218 (Phone) 


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From: technology-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of technology-request at nifl.gov
Sent: Mon 5/14/2007 12:00 PM
To: technology at nifl.gov
Subject: Technology Digest, Vol 20, Issue 15



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Today's Topics:

   1. [Technology 1003]  Blogs (Kelli Sandman-Hurley)
   2. [Technology 1004] Re: Reading Companion (Jane MacDonald)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Sun, 13 May 2007 14:38:27 -0700
From: "Kelli Sandman-Hurley" <ksandmanhurley at sandiego.gov>
Subject: [Technology 1003]  Blogs
To: technology at nifl.gov
Message-ID: <s64722ec.098 at gwmail.sannet.gov>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Hello all:

I am wondering if any of you know of a blog written/hosted by literacy learners (not ESL) for learners. If so, do you have the web address and do you know of the level of success it has experienced?

Thank you,
Kelli Sandman-Hurley

Kelli Sandman-Hurley, M.S.
Literacy Tutor/Learner Coordinator
READ/San Diego
619-527-5480
ksandmanhurley at sandiego.gov



------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Sun, 13 May 2007 16:27:41 -0400 (EDT)
From: Jane MacDonald <capemacca at yahoo.ca>
Subject: [Technology 1004] Re: Reading Companion
To: The Technology and Literacy Discussion List <technology at nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <606323.24665.qm at web51101.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

David I have 6 sites on Cape Breton Island presently using the Reading Companion software and the instructors involved feel it is more appropriate for very beginning readers and perhaps even better for ESOL. 
  
  The books are basic and for more experienced readers, the instructors involved say there is not enough of a story line in the readers to hold their interest. The stories are limited to 8 pages and very little text on each page.  Ideal for beginning readers however.
  
  Regards Jane
  
 

"David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:
  Colleagues,

I wonder if you have used IBM's Reading Companion software. On the
Reading Companion web site it is described as a "web-based literacy
grant initiative that uses voice recognition technology to help
children and adults learn how to read." It is available free to
(selected) agencies that offer adult literacy services.

Here's a description from the web site:

"Developed by IBM researchers working in partnership with schools and
not-for-profit organizations, Reading Companion is an effective and
easy-to-use technology that assists individuals as they learn to
read. This innovative software 'listens' and provides feedback,
enabling emerging readers to practice reading and their English
pronunciation as they acquire fundamental reading skills.

How it works

Users log on to the Reading Companion web site and are presented with
material to read. An on-screen mentor, or companion, "reads" a phrase
to the user and then provides an opportunity for the user to read the
material, using a headset microphone. (Depending on the accuracy of
what was read, the companion provides positive reinforcement (e.g.,
"You sound great!"), gives the user an opportunity to try again, or
offers the correct reading of the words on the screen. As the user's
skill improves, the technology reads less material so that the
learner reads more."

http://www.readingcompanion.org/aboutUs.html

If you have used this software, have your students found it helpful?
Have you found it effective? Is it helpful for literacy level ESOL
students, and with beginning new readers?

David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net



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Jane MacDonald - Project Coordinator
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Literacy Nova Scotia
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