Getting
Started: Instructions for Co:Writer
To Begin:
1. Open the Co:Writer program. You will be prompted to select the program that you would like to use Co:Writer with. Select Choose an application (Microsoft Word®, Write:OutLoud®, etc.). Click OK.
2. When the application is open, a dialog prompts you to position your text insertion cursor and wake up Co:Writer.
3. When the application is ready to receive text, click in the Co:Writer status window or press the wakeup key (+ / =). Co:Writer should now be in the foreground.
Writing Sentences:
You will write sentences one at a time with Co:Writer. As you begin to type a word, Co:Writer® offers guesses as to what the word is, based on the letters you typed and other factors. When the word you want is in the list of predictions, select the word and continue typing the next word. If the word you want is not on the list, continue typing until it appears, or until you finish the word. When you finish your sentence, Co:Writer will “send” it to your word processing program. (The program will not send individual words into a document.)
Flexible Spelling:
Flexible Spelling is designed to aid beginning writers who are in the phonetic or transitional stages of spelling. This feature can aid students who include the following errors in their writing: phonetic substitutions, common letter confusions, letter reversals, letter omissions, letter additions, etc.
Examples: balloon entered as bloon
hiked
entered as hikt
man entered as nam
To change settings on Flexible Spelling, select Flexible Spelling under the Options menu. Select from the following options:
Changing
Dictionaries:
If
you are using an existing writer file, there are already dictionaries associated
with it. However, you can select or change the dictionaries Co:Writer will use
in the current writer file at any time. Use the Dictionaries menu to select
dictionaries. Select Main Dictionary. Then select level/size dictionary
based on the dictionary description on the bottom of the dialog box. Select OK
to accept your choice.
Changing
the Number of Words in the Word Prediction Box:
Select
the number of word choices (Format menu) to appear below your sentence. (The
number of word choices will automatically adjust to fit in the Co:Writer window
as it is resized.)
New Writer:
Co:Writer creates a new writer file, using the default settings based on the Intermediate Writer file. Choose New Writer to open the dialog box. Type a name for the new writer file and click Save. Co:Writer will next ask you which of the Main Dictionary sizes you want to use with this writer file (Beginner, Advanced, Intermediate). Select your choice and click OK. The Co:Writer window opens with your new writer file active. Customize the new writer file by changing settings such as number of word choices, the dictionaries used, window size, font and size. When you have finished setting the preferences, close Co:Writer and the settings are automatically saved for future use. When Co:Writer is opened it will automatically load the last writer file used.
Note: On SFPS computers where the Deep Freeze program is installed, when the student closes the program the options will not continue to be saved. The program will be reset back to its original default settings.
Talking Toolbar: To hear a button speak its function, place the cursor over the button and click the Right Mouse button.
Auditory Cue from the
Prediction List: To hear the predicted
word choices place the cursor on the word and Co:Writer will read the word.