From the perspective of our exhibition area we have some interesting exhibitors. Wiley Blackwell – who produce publications within specific learning difficulties for researchers, practitioners and teachers. They have a Tim Miles Memorial lecture on Friday 3rd June at 5.45, Tim was founding editor of the Dyslexic Journal.

Inclusive Technology will be displaying a wide range of special needs hardware and software including Co-writer – word predictor, Kurzweil 3000 – an all in one reading, writing, test taking and learning tool and Intel Reader – an impressive piece of equipment that takes photographs of text documents and reads it back to you.

Other exhibitors include Olympus Keymed demonstrating the DM-5 and the DM-450, audio recorders that specifically assist Dyslexic and visually impaired people by providing textbooks into speech, stereo and mono recording in multiple formats ideal for students attending lectures or taking notes.

TextHELP stand manned by Gary Smith are proving that with their PDF allowed Read and Write Gold software and the Scottish Exam Board taking this process on large scale that finally students are able to have dedicated workstations rather than reader scribers – one teacher to one student scenario. Gary commented that ‘giving students the ability to work independently and in their own time achieving their own goals was ultimately rewarding’. Paul Nisbet – Joint Co-ordinator at the Literacy and Learning department of the University of Edinburgh could not praise this system enough in the progression of study abilities.

Dyslexikit will be launching Access Literacy today for adults in response to demands from people to the British Dyslexia Association. Gina Brooks, a Specialist Teacher is the author of the publications which span groups from age 5 to age 13 and from 14 to adult. These strategy based books break the learning process into manageable chunks and are colourful and activity based for dyslexic children and specific to parents who may also be dyslexic.

So much more to report with key speeches, poster sessions, workshops and new developments, so watch this space.

http://tinyurl.com/6zojafa