Item: Read&Write
Rating: 9
Author: Daniel Bull

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

We use this across our multi academy trust to support literacy and SEND. This is around 22500 students and 3000 staff. I promote the tool and do training on it for our schools. The key for us is around access to learning. Personally I mainly use the read to me tool when my eyes are tired from the screen.

Pros and Cons

Helping to break down words using the dictionaries
Read to me tool
Speech to text with the ability to speak in different languages
Screen mask tool for a whole screen colour or a reading line

A more human sounding reading tool would be benefit that adapts to certain words better
Some definitions are not always totally correct and perhaps could benefit from community feedback
The Google search tool would be better if it kept you in the document rather than opening Google

Return on Investment

For some of our students with additional needs this has been a game changer. It has allowed them to access learning and produce work that previously they would not have thought possible.
By making students more independent, this has supported the classroom teacher to focus on other aspects of learning and not be so essential to a smaller group of students.
The use of the tools hasn't been consistent in all our academies, but I believe that if they all adopted the right approach that this would be a very worthwhile return on investment. So it is not the tool but the willingness of the school to engage.

Support Rating

On the whole support has been good. Occasionally it has felt the team could be a bit more responsive, or to make sure they follow through on an issue to confirm it is resolved.

Platforms and Devices

It is important that no one is disadvantaged because of what they are using. We have found that our iPad students are missing out and there is a desire from our schools to get the same level of support for those students.

Alternatives Considered

Widgit Essentials

Clicker was missing from the list.
The benefit of using Read&Write over other software has been its integration with Google, and that it brings all the features into one toolbar.
This means we are not adding additional cognitive load to our students.

Key Insights

Do you think Read&Write delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Read&Write's feature set?

Yes

Did Read&Write live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of Read&Write go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Read&Write again?

Yes

Other Software Used

Google Workspace for Education, Canva, Adobe Express

Likelihood to Recommend

I have found it benefit all students in their approach to literacy. By teaching all students, who have one to one access to a device, it allows the student greater independence in their learning. It also breaks down SEND stigmas, with all students using the tools as and when needed.
Some tools require headphones which can prove difficult in some schools due to funding. So using the audible in a whole class context can prove harder.

Read&Write is a great tool to support all learners

Overall Satisfaction with Read&Write