The Home Access Programme is a government initiative that aims to ensure all pupils in UK state education have access to computers and the internet whilst at home to support their learning. Every computer provided as part of the programme comes with a suite of pre-installed assistive technology software, which can benefit all children and their families, as well as children with special educational needs.

The Government expect to issue more than 270,000 laptop computers to students, with one year free internet access and an assistive technology bundle including Texthelp's Read&Write, Matchware's Mindview mind-mapping tool and Issist's iZoom screen magnification system.

More information about these systems and the Home Access Programme can be found in the video below.

 
Now in its 20th year, The Education Show 2010 will be taking place between from 4^th – 6^th March at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham.

MindView is a visual study aid based on mind-mapping theory that assists students with the research, organisation and planning of projects across the curriculum. MindView's different layouts allows students of all levels to personalise how they structure information to enhance creativity, clarify thinking and improve memory. The tool's strong integration with MS Office means that mind-maps can be converted to an outline in Word or a PowerPoint presentation with a simple mouse click. 

iZoom is a screen magnification and reading package integrated into a single application. Students with a visual impairment can use the tool to enlarge and enhance the appearance of the computer screen to read emails, web pages, word documents, course materials, exams and more.

Visitors to The Education Show can also check out Texthelp's new online software to improve oral reading skills in early learners, Fluency Tutor. Children as young as five years old can log-on to Fluency Tutor at school or at home and practise their reading. The tool enables learners to listen to passages being read aloud before they record themselves reading and submit assessments to their teacher for marking. Feedback is provided to the pupil through a series of straightforward graphical displays.  

Fluency Tutor can also benefit teachers as it provides a method of developing and assessing the oral reading fluency levels of their class. The software allows teachers to select the right text difficulty level of exercises for each pupil and to monitor a running record of their reading progress. Teachers can evaluate the fluency errors made, words correct per minute score and level of prosody (expression of reading) for every pupil. 

Visit Texthelp at stand F68 at The Education Show. For more information about Texthelp visit the website.