Quillsoft

One of my neighbours on Queen Street is Quillsoft, the renowned developer of Word Q, a software designed to help people with learning disabilities how to write.

WordQ is a software tool used along with standard writing software. WordQ suggests words for you to use and provides spoken feedback to help you find mistakes. Users of all ages who have problems writing and editing, particularly those with learning disabilities (LD), can benefit from using WordQ. It features a carefully thought-out design with only essential functions that have demonstrated benefits to help students write. Word prediction and speech feedback are important functions that bolster students' strengths to assist writing. Read more...

WordQ was researched and developed at Bloorview Kids Rehab, an internationally renowned children’s rehabilitation hospital located in Toronto, Canada along with educators and professionals working with students with learning disabilities.

Install WordQ and begin using it immediately with any word processor. State-of-the-art word prediction suggests words when you have trouble spelling or choosing the right word. A special text-reading mode helps you proofread. With Microsoft® Word, WordPad, Notepad or Outlook, text can be highlighted and read aloud within that application.

WordQ does not correct your grammar, sort out your punctuation or provide you with creative ideas. Instead WordQ allows you to independently write your own ideas, and check your spelling, grammar and punctuation so that you can become a more competent and confident writer.

WordQ benefits a wide range of users; it helps develop confidence, improves productivity, increases self-esteem and fosters a spirit of inclusion – some of our users say that it has changed their lives! The main advantage of WordQ over other products is that it is extremely clean, simple and easy-to-use. Teachers in special education will appreciate its simplicity.

WordQ 2 includes:

* Natural sounding text-to-speech
* In-context prediction for corrections
* Usage examples for confusing words
* Predictions based on creative spelling

WordQ 2.0 for Mac OS 10.4 - 10.5 is their first release for Mac OS X. It is functionally identical to WordQ 2.6 for Windows. An update for Mac OS 10.6 Snow Leopard is planned for November 2009.