Press Releases

February 1999 (2)
Literacy and ICT: new solutions from Crick

BETT 99 will be the showcase for the latest in Crick’s range of innovative software for literacy and special needs. Wordbar is one of the first educational software programs to be created for Windows CE* as well as Windows 95. In addition, exciting new resources for All My Words and Clicker 3 include QuickFire, a comprehensive communication aid.
Wordbar is the first of a new series of software for older primary and secondary pupils. The new range complements Crick’s best-selling, 'industry standard' Clicker titles, winners of three BETT Gold Awards. Wordbar is a flexible on-screen wordbank. It is an ideal aid for children with spelling difficulties or dyslexia. It is also perfect for rapidly accessible subject-specific wordlists.

John Crick, Director said "We thought really hard about the user interface and functionality for older primary children and secondary students." The result is a newly designed look and feel which appeals to learners from 10 to adult and gives very quick access to a large number of words.

Wordbar is a kind of toolbar which sits at the bottom of the screen and tiles with any word processor. It consists of a variable number of tabs. Each tab, like a Clicker grid, holds a number of cells. Each cell holds a word which can be sent to the word processor by clicking on it. Adding words couldn’t be simpler - you just hold Shift and click on a cell. More tabs can easily be added to a bar, and the whole bar can be saved. The back tab is a kind of ‘Explorer’, providing access to other saved bars. The user can therefore easily move between bars. For example, you could have bars for different subjects, or for individual pupils.

Wordbar supports software speech and sampled sounds, enabling the user to listen to a word before writing it. It uses a very small amount of memory and will be available for Windows CE, as well as Windows 95 upwards.

Expanding on the success of Clicker 3 and All My Words, Crick will also be showing new literacy materials, designed especially for use with these programs. These will be invaluable to busy teachers who are working with the government’s new targets for literacy. They have all been developed by practising teachers in the classroom and offer an integrated approach to literacy and IT.

Quickfire is a further development of ready-made grids for use with Clicker 3. A breakthrough as a communication aid, Quickfire offers a fully integrated approach combining speaking with writing. Crick Software, together with Cambridge Adaptive Communications, have brought together a design team of experienced professionals to produce an exciting, colourful and instantly usable package.

This growing new family of grids is designed for children with communication difficulties, especially those unable to speak. Available at varying levels for children of different ages, Quickfire offers a comprehensive and structured learning programme for young children through to adults. A huge amount of ready-to-use grids, complete with colourful graphics is provided, which can be endlessly and easily tailored to individual needs.

So far, there are two sets available. Quickpictures provides symbol-based grids, and is a very practical set of materials for children aged 4 to 11. An extensive selection of vocabulary is arranged in commonly needed categories. Workbooks and worksheets are included. Quickphrases is a set of text-based grids, designed so that the user can have conversations using rapid retrieval of words and phrases.

By continuing to respond to user need in developing new technology, Crick offers practical solutions for classroom use.

Review copies: Clicker 3, first shown at Bett 98, has now been released, Review copies are available on request. Please phone Ruth Hamson on 01604 671691.

Prices: All Crick products are available for a variety of licence requirements. Prices for new products to be announced.

Further Information: John Crick at Crick Software Email: john@cricksoft.com
Press Contact: Ruth Hamson Tel: 01604 671691 Fax: 01604 671692 Email ruth@cricksoft.com

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