Carmel Hennessy is employed as the Assistive Technology Outreach Co-ordinator at the CIT and works with teachers, special needs assistants, parents and students; training them in Assistive Technologies, in the hope that this will improve students’ chances in going on to third level/further education.

Carmel said “The Institute purchased Read&Write GOLD to help students with dyslexia achieve their potential”.

Read&Write GOLD is an award-winning literacy support tool designed by Texthelp to help users of all ages who require extra assistance when reading or composing text.  The software works discreetly with all mainstream Windows applications, which offers users with literacy difficulties the opportunity to work in an inclusive manner alongside their peers and colleagues.  Read&Write GOLD is particularly useful for those with learning difficulties, dyslexia or where English is a second language.

Carmel states “We use the software for scanning, making audio files, proofreading, highlighting and extracting text, summarising, as well as spell checking.

I feel students’ confidence increases through using Read&Write GOLD.  They can comprehend course material more quickly once it is read to them by the software, as well as having their reading skills and word recognition reinforced”.

For further information on Read&Write, please contact Elaine on Tel: 028 9442 8105, email elaine@texthelp.com or visit our website www.texthelp.com

Early Years > Early Years Direct
English > Brilliant Publications
ICT > Charterpoint Ltd
PE > Mark Harrod Limited
PSHE > Enterprise Taktix
School Administration > ReportBox
School Signage > POD Information Displays
School Software > Texthelp Systems Ltd

School software suppliers Texthelp are pleased to announce the launch of Read&Write 3 GOLD FOR MAC, the latest version of  their Read&Write GOLD award-winning literacy support software for Apple MAC users with reading and writing difficulties.

Read&Write 3 GOLD FOR MAC New Features include:

* New Floating Toolbar
* New Integration with MS Word 2008
* New High Quality Voices
* New Fact Mapper
* New Translator

Texthelp have enhanced the Safari Web Highlighting, Scanning, Phonetic Spell Checker, Prediction Dictionary, Homophone Support and Study Skills Tools to further the user experience. Read&Write 3 GOLD FOR MAC is the most user-friendly, yet comprehensive toolbar available in the marketplace to assist students with reading and writing difficulties.

The software is available in the following ways:

On Disk: Read&Write 3 GOLD FOR MAC Single
On your Network: Read&Write 3 GOLD FOR MAC Site Licence

For further information or to book a one-to-one or group Webinar on Read&Write 3 GOLD FOR MAC, please contact Elaine on Tel: 028 9442 8105 or email: mac@texthelp.com To learn more about Read&Write 3 GOLD FOR MAC, please visit www.texthelp.com

Catering/Kitchens > Thames Valley Catering Equipment
ICT > Simply Lamps Limited
School Uniform > Noyna Aprons & Playwear
School Software > BehaviourWatch

School suppliers

In a recent survey carried out by educational resource website Schoolzone, 90% of respondents claimed that the current economic climate was having an effect on their spending decisions.

So what does this mean…?
Well firstly, it means school’s are going to be focussing their spending on ‘core’ or essential expenditure first. This includes things like utilities, maintenance and other essential services.

Where schools will be cutting back is on ‘additional’ curriculum resources, ‘nice to haves’ and non-essential software/products/services.  This doesn’t mean to say that any supplier that is selling non-essential items will go bust, it simply means that school suppliers are going to have to work even harder to convince budget holders that what they are selling is good value for money and worthwhile.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom. Whilst schools main purse strings may be being tightened, they are also allocated a significant amount of funding that is ring-fenced, meaning it has to be spent in specific areas. These areas could include ICT, kitchens, playgrounds, outdoor classrooms & SEN to name a few. In these cases, although schools are still going to be careful as to where they spend their money, they do actually HAVE to spend it.

The test for school suppliers will be to see whether they can adapt to the market, reduce costs and find new and initiative ways to promote their products. Embracing social media is one option which some school suppliers, notably ICT suppliers, are doing particularly well not only to gain branding awareness but to get feedback and responses from end users – teachers and school staff, and best of all it’s FREE – all it costs is time.

So with school’s being more careful as to where and what they spend their money on – it’s becoming quite clear that the market isn’t recession proof at all – as it was once thought.

Cleaning > Janilec Supplies
Early Years > Wooden Toy Store
Media Studies > Mediamerge
School Uniform > Dexter & Gordon Limited
School Environment > Aqualease Ltd
Virtual Learning Environments > WebAnywhere Ltd

Art > Artworkshops
Catering/Kitchens > Swift Catering Equipment
Drama > eclipseArts.com
ICT > LapSafe® Products
PE > Cheap Football Team Kits
School Trips/Visits > SunSports Spain
School Websites > Fresher Schools
Science > Preproom.org
Special Needs > Visual Learning for Life

School Furniture Suppliers, C2 Furniture Contracts, which specialises in the turn-key design and creation of working environments in the education sector, will be exhibiting for the first time at the Education Show in 2009.

The company will be showing examples of the many university, college and school projects that it has undertaken.  These include the remodelling of Esher College’s Learning Resource Centre,  the furnishing of three new student accommodation blocks for the University of Sussex, and the redesign and refurbishment of the refectory at Esher College.  C2 will also be launching the Danish-designed Chat-Board^® range of glass magnetic wall-mounted memo boards.

For more information please contact Clive Cookson at the show on 07956 121361 or visit www.c2-contracts.co.uk

Administration > ParentPay
Catering/Kitchens > Cunninghams
ICT > Cambridge-Hitachi
Playground > Fawns Recreational Services Ltd
Uniform > Embroidery Depot

Administration > Sentinel Electronic Registration Systems
Administration > SG World
Administration > Tucasi
Communication > Enabling Communications
ICT > AB Consulting
School Lockers/Storage > Prefect Lockers and Equipment
Music > Drums Agogo – African drumming workshops
Music > Haydock Music Ltd
School Furniture > O.T.T. Pouch
School Furniture > Chris Nangle Furniture Design