Assistive technology - word prediction

Assistive technology - Word Prediction

Introduction: A word prediction program provides assistance to students who have difficulty writing by predicting the target word as the student types in the first letter or letters of the word. Word prediction programs provide rate enhancement for students who are slow typists due to physical disabilities or due to inexperience with typing as it reduces the number of keystrokes needed for each word. 

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Description:Word prediction is based on spelling, syntax, and the principle of frequency, as well as how recently a word has been used. Words are predicted on a number of criteria. Firstly, the word needs to be in the dictionary being used. If a word has been used recently, it will appear further up the list. If used frequently, it will appear at the top or high in the list. Depending upon the program being used, word prediction should become more and more accurate over time as the student uses it with more words

Features:

• Increase writing fluency, allowing students to generate more writing.
• provide auditory support to confirm word selection
• reduce the number of keystrokes needed and reduce writing fatigue
• reduce frustration with writing
• support vocabulary development and increase variety and complexity of words used in writing
• reduce the number of keystrokes needed and reduce writing fatigue
• provide spelling assistance
• improve legibility of written products
• improve overall quantity and quality of written work including sentence structure and grammatical accuracy of text
• increase independence in producing written work

Wide range of word prediction tools are available over the internet.

The following are some popular tools:

• eType
• Soothsayer Word Prediction
• Claroread
• WriteOnline
• WordQ
• Typing Assistant
• Read&write
• WordLogic

For more information and reference on Word prediction softwares:

http://www.snow.idrc.ocad.ca/content/word-prediction-software