The overall goal of this effort is to prototype WRIRE THIS WAY as an effective, but relatively low-cost software tool for remediating the types of writing problems specific to the learning disabled population. To overcome the reading difficulties found in this group, the tool will include a natural-sounding text-to-speech synthesizer. The software and speech synthesizer will be produced for the Apple IIgs, which is cost- accessible in educational environments. Phase II will expand the sophistication of the real-time grammar checker found in WRITE THS WAY, whose feasibility was demonstrated on the Apple IIe/IIc in Phase I.
Other aims for the project include expanding the ability of the software to provide assistance with spelling and grammar errors; producing a Curriculum Guide; conducting a controlled study of the effectiveness of the software; and publishing the results of the research. The major technological innovations of Phase II will be the incorporation of semantic analysis in the grammer portion of the program and the development of a low-cost speech synthesizer that derives suprasegmental characteristics (pitch and duration) from the output of the parser. This effort will characteristics (pitch and duration) from the output of the parser. This effort will not only make real-time natural language parsing available to the learning disabled, but it will open the door to afforable speech synthesis for the blind and vocally impaired.
