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October 15, 2002
Supporting the Reading First Classroom: Issues and Challenges (cont'd)
Innovation in the Reading Classroom
 | | Many educators hope that Reading First will give a boost to the development of innovative tools such as Wireless Generation's portable mClass series. |
Despite the many unsettling question marks surrounding implementation of Reading First, recurring language in the bill calling for the "innovative" use of technology is encouraging. Particularly creative are the new products designed to simplify and systematize the process of ongoing assessment. Wireless Generation's mClass series, for instance, allows kids to take high-stakes tests and reading teachers to conduct running records using a portable handheld device. Sunburst's Learner Profile also offers "assessment on the fly." Other new products are harnessing cutting-edge interactive speech recognition technology to help students gain literacy proficiency. IBM's Watch-me-Read captures a variety of intonation and accents through the recorded voices of 1,800 children, and Soliloquy Learning's Reading Assistant measures fluency rates and compares them to grade-level standards. Other software products, such as Polyester's Scribblebug, reinforce the writing process by integrating an instant messaging-style e-mail function into the editing process.
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