Assistive technology supports special ed learners in Kentucky

Wizcom Technologies Ltd.,provider of portable literacy support tools, announced today that Hopkins County Schools of Madisonville, Kentucky, has chosen Wizcom's Reading Pen 2 as its standard for students with disabilities in general area content classes. The school purchased 30 classroom sets (300 Reading Pens) to meet the needs of grade 4-12 students who receive specially designed instruction.

"We have an amazing staff of 185 special education and early childhood teachers, consultants, specialists, and psychologists to help over 1500 students with special needs reach their full potential, academically and socially," said Jennifer Williams Lutrell, Director of Special Education & Early Childhood."We chose Wizcom's Reading Pens to help increase students' independence and confidence in content area classes and support new common core standards in reading."

By scanning text, students can see and hear words, lines or paragraphs spoken aloud in English and are provided with word definitions, synonyms, translations, spelling, and pronunciation via Text-to-Speech technology (built in speaker or earphones).

"Students who use the Reading Pens become less dependent on their peers and adults when reading content material, improving schools' education effectiveness and experience," Ms. Williams Lutrell continued.

Wizcom's Reading Pens are backed by research and support the essential components of reading instruction, as outlined in the US National Reading Panel's guide, Put Reading First: The Research Building Blocks For Teaching Children to Read.