Calling All SARAW Programs
If you are using a Speech Assisted Reading and Writing (SARAW) talking computer program, or know someone who is, we need to hear from you. (SARAW is a talking computer program that helps teach basic reading, writing and math to adults with disabilities.)
A new national project called the Literacy and Disability Study (LADS) is researching different models used to deliver literacy instruction to adults with disabilities using SARAW software. The LADS project will research a variety of instructional approaches used in different educational and community based settings, to students across a range of disabilities. An information guide will be produced describing these models and effective practices. The information guide will be distributed across Canada to adult literacy programs and rehabilitation agencies.
We are currently updating our database of existing SARAW programs. We will be contacting programs by July 2004, and conducting short interviews in the fall of 2004.
To ensure we have current information, please contact us if you know of a SARAW program operating in your area. Please contact Harry Lew at the Neil Squire Foundation, phone (604) 412-7599, email: harryl@neilsquire.ca
LADS is a project of Bow Valley College, Calgary, AB and the Neil Squire Foundation, Burnaby, BC, and is funded by the Government of Canada’s Social Development Partnerships Program.
FREE ADULT LITERACY SOFTWARE
The Neil Squire Foundation and Capilano College are proud to announce the release of SARAW LITE for WindowsTM. SARAW LITE is an entry level version of the award winning SARAW, Speech Assisted Reading and Writing, adult literacy software. SARAW is a self-paced and effective software package designed to help instructors teach basic adult literacy at the grade 2 to 7 level. Its built-in audio feedback allows students to hear and identify mistakes in grammar and spelling by themselves, allowing you to spend more time with students that may need more individualized attention. SARAW is specifically design to engage the adult literacy student.
SARAW LITE comes with the same reading, writing and vocabulary building software components that you are familiar with. As part of our ongoing commitment to literacy in Canada, any Canadian non-profit organization or publicly funded educational institution that teaches adult literacy can receive two free licenses for the SARAW LITE software. Simply send your request on your organization's letterhead to:
SARAW LITE Registration, c/o Neil Squire Foundation, Suite 220, 2250 Boundary Road, Burnaby, British Columbia V5M 3Z3.
If you are a non-profit organization, include a copy of your non-profit certificate of registration. Please include your EMAIL and telephone contact information. You can then download the software from the SARAW website at: http://www.saraw.net
You will need to install the software on your computers. Once it is installed, make sure to run the SARAW Registration program on each of the computers you want to install the SARAW LITE program on. Send us the SITE CODES generated for each of the computers. Send the SITE CODE to the email address: info@saraw.net. We will contact you with the SITE KEYS to unlock the program copies.
If you do not have access to the internet or have a slow internet connection, you can receive a CD-ROM containing the software. Please include $15.00 to cover the cost of shipping and handling. Also visit the new on-line discussion group created for SARAW instructors. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/saraw/
The on-line discussion group is an informal way to exchange ideas and experiences, discuss your preferences in supplementary resource material available on the web, in electronic or paper format, and publish and swap stories written by your literacy students. Please stop by to say hello, share your experiences or start a discussion.