New Learning Access Suite Included in Dragon NaturallySpeaking

Nuance joins forces with Claro Software and Microlink to deliver education software designed to enrich the learning process for pupils of all abilities.

Nuance Communications, a leading provider of speech solutions, has today announced that Dragon NaturallySpeaking, the world's best-selling desktop speech recognition software, features in the Learning Access Suite, a collection of powerful learning tools designed to make reading, writing and learning much easier. Developed in conjunction with major assistive solution providers Claro Software and Microlink PC, the Learning Access Suite is available immediately for as little as 1.10 per pupil.

The Learning Access Suite enables learners to see the relationship between the spoken and written word, as it offers both speech recognition and a facility to read back text. In addition to offering Dragon NaturallySpeaking, The Learning Access Suite also includes: the ClaroRead literacy support tool, (including text to speech features), ScreenRuler, Lightening Magnifier and screen reader. It also feautres ClaroView screen colour overlay tool, MindFull Concept Mapper, Colour Explorer and ClaroLingo language assistant.

The comprehensive set of features in the Learning Access Suite will enable schools to meet the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) and other government led education initiatives With Dragon NaturallySpeaking, people can write documents and emails, search the Web, and control their PC entirely by voice. This makes it far easier for pupils with learning difficulties or upper body mobility issues to take full advantage of a PC as a learning and communications tool. Dragon can deliver accuracy up to 99 percent while never making a spelling mistake.

Mark Green, Director of Education, Nuance EMEA, said: "The Learning Access Suite has the potential to transform the learning experience for students as they explore and communicate with IT throughout their school lives. As millions of users have already discovered, Dragon is a multifaceted product and in this application it will open the door to a richer, more inclusive learning experience".

Students, who struggle with using a keyboard and mouse or with a cognitive disability, such as dyslexia, can use this technology to help them reach their full potential. The Suite also provides new learning opportunities for students who are learning English as an additional language. At any one time, there are 150,000 overseas students studying at UK universities as well as many younger learners who are recent arrivals in the UK.

The Learning Access Suite can be easily installed on a school network and, to encourage pupils to use it outside of school for homework and extended learning, there is a special programme for home use. Once a school has taken out a subscription, parents are then entitled to buy Dragon and other tools at a discounted price.

Dragon NaturallySpeaking software from Nuance is used by millions of people, in the office, at home, at school, on the road, even in hospitals and GP practices to get more done faster by voice. Dragon delivers what matters most in speech recognition, superior levels of accuracy, seamless integration with the most popular PC applications, and unrivalled ease of use.

For more information on the Learning Access Suite please visit http://www.nuance.co.uk/learning-access-suite/

In other Disability and Health News from Europe

A CHARITY that has helped nearly 2000 disabled and mentally ill people in the Capital get back into work is facing a fight for survival.

The two main funding streams for Employment Opportunities in Edinburgh have dried up, leaving it facing an uncertain future. But senior figures at the charity insisted today that they would continue to fight to secure the money to keep it alive. The Edinburgh office at Shandwick Place is part of the UK charity that was set up by employers with the support of Prince Philip to create routes into employment. Insiders say that if no funding is secured the office, which employs five members of staff, will face closure because the national charity does not have the funds to sustain it. Hotel giant Holiday Inn has employed 16 people with a range of mental and physical illnesses in Edinburgh in the last two years through open days linked to Employment Opportunities.

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Local authorities are using the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) as an excuse to close public toilets, a committee of MPs has claimed.

According to the report by the Commons communities and local government committee, many councils claim they cannot afford access adaptations required by the DDA and have used this as an excuse to shut their public toilets. The committee report estimates that the number of public toilets in the UK between 2000 and 2008 fell by nearly a sixth, from around 5,410 to 4,423. But it claims that the number of these toilets with facilities for disabled people rose by about the same proportion, to 3,353, between 1994 and 2000.

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A Palmyra man is accused of netting himself more than $83,000 by selling fraudulent certificates of deposit and mutual funds to senior citizens.

Scott Michael Powell, 49, of the first block of North Grant Street, who conducted business as SMP Financial Services of Palmyra, was charged Wednesday with fraud and theft by the state Attorney General's Elder Abuse Unit and Insurance Fraud section. Powell is accused of targeting senior citizens, including those he contacted while presenting an insurance and investment program at a retirement community in Lancaster County, Attorney General Tom Corbett said. According to the criminal complaint, Powell attempted to conceal the fraudulent nature of the investments by providing victims with fabricated statements that showed interest and dividends being earned. He is accused of diverting at least $83,000 in clients' funds for his use. Elder financial abuse and other forms of fraud targeted at senior citizens can be reported by calling the toll-free Elder Abuse Hotline at 1-866-623-2137.

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Ireland - The Government has reversed a decision taken in the Budget to raise the age at which disability allowance can be paid to 18, after a number of disability support groups contested the changes and said they would cause hardship to families.

The announcement by Minister for Social and Family Affairs Mary Hanafin today marks another climbdown on a controversial Budget measure, following changes to the scheme under which medical cards are provided to those over 70 years of age.

Ms Hanafin said the Government had "reflected carefully" on the concerns expressed by families and representative groups since the changes to the Disability Allowance Scheme were announced as part of the 2009 Budget two weeks ago. "On the recommendation of the Minister, the Government has agreed that the existing arrangements, whereby disability allowance is paid to 16 and 17 year olds will continue, pending the completion of a full review of the Disability Allowance scheme," Ms Hanafin said.

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Premature births in the UK are rising dramatically, according to Tommy's baby's charity.

The number increased over one per cent between 2005 and 2007, after 15 years of stagnancy. The 1.6 percent increase is equal to 10,554 more premature births each year.

Premature births hugely increase the risk of neonatal death, serious disease, and disability. They cause 75 per cent of the deaths happening within the first month of the infant's life and are behind 50 percent on intensive care hospital admissions.

"It is hard to tell from the figures whether the increase is due to spontaneous births, when the woman goes into labour early, or whether it is due to medically-induced premature delivery", said Dr Rebecca Johns of Tommy's Manchester Research Centre.

"This is a worrying increase and it highlights the need for more research in this area, to understand the reason for premature birth and develop new treatments."

Following the release of an NHS maternity statistics study, the charity's warning also list several causes of premature birth, including maternal smoking, young or old maternal age, twin or triplet pregnancies, and women being underweight.

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Researchers from Tel Aviv University caution that ADHD, an attention deficit disorder common in teens, is a serious driver’s disability.

To alleviate the problem, and to decrease ADHD-related road accidents and fatalities, Tel Aviv University has developed a new driver’s training program in collaboration with occupational therapy departments in affiliated Israeli hospitals.

Connecting their own clinical research to advances in occupational therapy, TAU researchers have merged the two disciplines in a novel approach to treat drivers, old and young, with ADHD.

Many cases of ADHD remain undiagnosed. If you suspect that your teen may be one of the hundreds of thousands of youngsters with the condition, Dr. Razton suggests you take your child for evaluation by a specialist at a driving rehabilitation center  before you let him or her get behind the wheel.

Using customized state-of-the-art tools, Dr. Ratzon and her colleagues at the Tel Aviv University-affiliated Rabin Medical Center have developed therapeutic guidelines for occupational therapists to follow.

One way the TAU specialists “re-train” ADHD drivers is by creating “a systematic screening of the visual field.” Part of this screening includes a checklist of things every ADHD driver must do when driving. While these activities may come naturally to others, ADHD drivers need to remind themselves when to look at their mirrors or check for hazards on the road. This checklist helps keep the driver’s mind on the road, says Dr. Ratzon.

While most teens outgrow ADHD by their early twenties, the disorder can persist into old age. "While there are very few articles on ADHD and driving," says Dr. Ratzon, "new research indicates that ADHD doesn’t really go away.  People continue to suffer from its symptoms. Even those old enough to be grandparents can benefit from our new driver’s training program."