Mac OS X offers many solutions for assisting in the learning process in areas literacy, mathematics and spelling.

Mac OS X features

Speak Text Under Mouse

The Macintosh recognizes the built-in commands (the commands that came with your speech software), and the names of each file in the Speakable Items folder on your hard disk.

Talking Alerts

You can have your computer read aloud the alert messages that appear on you screen using the Talking Alerts section of the Speech preferences pane.

Text-to-Speech

Text-to-Speech allows your computer to speak the alert messages that appear on the screen. There are 26 different voices to choose from. Set your computer to speak alert messages using the Talking Alerts section of the Speech System Preferences pane. In some application programs, your computer can also read text contained in documents out loud.

TextEdit

TextEdit can speak an entire document or selected text. You can also customize the voice and speed by customizing your Speech settings in the System Preferences application.

Calculator

Calculator is fully accessible using the keyboard and can be used to speak the name of each key as it is pressed and also speak the total of a calculation.

iChat AV

iChat AV has spell check built-in for students with learning or cognitive disabilities. Learn more...

3rd Party Solutions

Attainment Company, Inc.

• Basic Attainment
  Teach basic concepts step-by-step. Advanced graphics and clear screen presentations make the Basic Attainment series engaging and very easy to use.
• First Money CD-ROM
  Designed to help people become more independent with money skills by learning and recognizing money names, equal value, and what each coin or bill.
• The Functional Literacy System
  Set of 4 CD-ROMs designed for low-level readers to learn and recognize important signs and words used in every day life.
• Looking for Words
  Community exploration program combines reasoning skills with vocabulary building. Excellent for reading enrichment. Engaging graphics, interesting a
• Making Change CD-ROM
  Designed to teach users about being a store clerk with practice on entering purchases, giving change to customers, using a keypad and much more.
• Personal Success CD-ROM
  Designed to teach students about personal hygiene, grooming and dressing skills; 53 activities divided into categories such as personal care for women and men.
• Picture Cues CD-ROM
  Designed to teach students life skills with over 680 graphics with text and speech; categories include personal care, housekeeping, scheduling, mealtime and shopping.
• Show Me Math
  Students learn in four critical areas, addition and subtraction, multiplication, and division. Programs feature assessment and instructional modes.
• Show Me Spelling
  allows students to succeed at spelling, while learning up to 600 words independently. Appropriate for any age and a wide range of ability levels.
• WordWise
  This program combines words, pictures and speech to promote functional literacy; students can record their voices and then compare them to the computer’s version.

Crick Software Inc.

• Clicker
  A powerful writing and creativity tool designed to motivate and support children as they learn to read and write.

Failure Free Reading

• Failure Free Reading
  Software and online solutions providing a literacy alternative to “at-risk” and “phonetically deaf” students.

IntelliTools

• IntelliTools Classroom Suite
  Brings together into a Mac OS X compatible, network-ready integrated suite of three classroom tools: IntelliPics Studio 3, IntelliTalk 3, and IntelliMathics 3
• IntelliPics Studio 3
  Multimedia tool for creating multimedia slide shows, presentations, games plus much more; user friendly interface with drawing and painting tools; includes over 1500 images
• IntelliTalk 3
  Combines speech and graphics to meet the learning needs of all your students. A wide variety of speech options reinforce letter and word recognition.
• IntelliMathics 3
  Designed for students in grades Pre-K through 8, this software explores a wide range of math concepts.

Kurzweil Educational Systems

• Kurzweil 3000 for Macintosh
  Reading, writing and learning software for struggling students. It is widely recognized as the most comprehensive and integrated solution for addressing language and literacy difficulties.

Marblesoft

• Early Learning Series
  This program is designed to let the student have fun learning while requiring a minimum amount of time from the teacher or parent.

Slater Software

• Picture It
  The easiest and fastest teachers’ tool for adding pictures to text. Students struggling to understand print can have successful literacy experiences every day using picture-supported materials.
• PixWriter
  A writing program combining text, pictures, buttons, and voice output. Fun for beginning writers, ESL and autism.

TextHELP Systems

• PDFAloud
  Speech enables PDF documents with word highlighting.
• Read & Write for Mac
  Provides literacy support alongside other applications such as word processors, spreadsheets, databases, internet, and email.