reviews in the news spotlight series press releases

Homeschooling and Assistive Technology: One Mom’s Story of Homeschooling Children with Learning Differences

“For struggling writers reaching for a technological life preserver, grab hold of WordQ for easy, invisible, and inexpensive word prediction and spoken feedback.” --PCMag.com

“As a homeschooling mom to a child with learning difficulties, this software has been a blessing. I highly recommend you check out WordQ+SpeakQ if you have a child that struggles with writing.” --Gretta Johns, Hanceville, AL

“The beauty of these two programs is their power within simplicity…Children with learning disabilities will likely find these programs an invaluable tool in improving their writing and comprehension skills.” --The Old Schoolhouse Magazine/TheHomeschoolMagazine.com (from review of earlier version of WordQ+SpeakQ)

Creating Confidence and Defying Stigmas: The Carol Burdock Story

"It breaks your heart as a parent to see your child struggle." Carol Sue Burdock recalls. Currently homeschooling three children diagnosed with dyslexia, Carol recounts her family's long battle with the crippling insecurities, social stigmas and constant frustrations stemming from this widely misunderstood disorder.

This battle started soon after her 6 year old son, John, entered public kindergarten. After about a month, the pressure of trying to keep up with fellow classmates when not being able to grasp common lessons caused John to develop severe anxiety and stress. Carol remembers that “it escalated to the point where he started having nervous ticks.” The many days when he would come home crying, confused and discouraged led Carol to seek alternate education methods.

With careful consideration, Carol decided the best course of action was to homeschool John. Though the plan had always been to send John to public school, Carol felt it necessary to “pull him out and try to get him back to the child that he was before he started school.” After a short adjustment period, John began using a multi-sensory learning system at home. Though this type of program helped him with his reading, his writing and spelling mistakes still plagued him, leading to distraction and frustration. This struggle led Carol to wonder if the symptoms he displayed while struggling with his work could stem from dyslexia, a developmental reading disorder resulting in problems with the brain's ability to recognize and process symbols. Desperate for a solution, Carol continued her search for the tools to help unleash all of her son's hidden potential.

In the fall of 2006, she came across a website promoting a computer program designed for children with developmental reading and writing disorders. Focusing on word prediction and voice recognition, WordQ+SpeakQ would help John not only translate his thoughts into a cohesive manner but would also help him learn the correct spelling and pronunciation of words despite his dyslexia. With no risk and little to lose, Carol decided to download the free WordQ+SpeakQ 30 day trial.

Immediately after beginning the program, John showed notable improvement in his reading comprehension and creative writing. "The first thing I was just amazed at was the simplicity of getting the computer to recognize his voice." explains Carol. Having the software programmed with sentences he could easily read and understand helped him progress with the voice recognition.

John's first assignment from Carol, using the WordQ+SpeakQ software, was to produce a creative narrative. Though it might have been a small piece, the success of John being able to work independently brought tears to his mother's eyes. "It was the first time he would actually say, 'Mom, I can't believe I wrote that,’" Carol reminisces fondly. This significant achievement prompted Carol to implement the entire WordQ+SpeakQ program into her son's curriculum.

With three children now using the WordQ+SpeakQ program full time, Carol feels their success is due in large part to each child being able to learn at their own pace. In conjunction with the extra time and flexibility that homeschooling provides, the WordQ+SpeakQ program allows her children to develop reading and writing skills with no unnecessary pressure. “It takes away that feeling of ‘I’m dumb.’“ Carol explains, “They may learn in a different way but they are far from stupid.” Adaptable to each child's specific level and need, the children have been able to pursue their personal and academic interests with more enthusiasm and capability. "WordQ+SpeakQ saved us from a really dark place." Carol concludes, "We just needed the right tools and, for us, this was the answer."

Review copies of WordQ+SpeakQ are available upon request
Carol Burdock and goQsoftware VP Neil MacGregor are available for interview

About WordQ+SpeakQ: This software bundle is the first and only integrated word prediction and speech recognition tool available, designed for students (from 2^nd grade to college) and others who struggle with writing.

About goQ: goQ is an international literacy software entity specializing in high-quality products, customer service and training. The entity is comprised of Quillsoft (developers of WordQ+ SpeakQ), Strategic Transitions Inc. (global distributor) and ST4 Learning Inc. (U.S. distributor). (www.goqsoftware.com)

Media Contact:

Christopher M. Williams
Director, Strategic Communications
Cookson Stephens Corporation

chris@cooksonstephens.com / 603.782.8192 (o) / 603.630.1259 (c)

Call Toll Free: 877-674-7687

Homeschooling and Assistive Technology: One Mom’s Story of Homeschooling Children with Learning Differences