Old Trusty

We've all typed our fair share of essays, resumes and countless other things. But did you know that Microsoft Word can do much, much, much more?!? I'm not talking about just changing the font and the colors, it's a very powerful piece of software. For instance it can be used to as a communication device. I find this feature extremely useful because I work with students with severe and multiple disabilities. Two of my students have augmentative and alternative communication devices (AAC) but sometimes, like they are now go on the fritz and can not be repaired right away. Both of these students have adapted keyboards so they can type on a computer. In a pinch, Microsoft Word can be used to communicate because of the text-to speech capabilities. A link is posted below on how to do it:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/support/using-the-speak-text-to-speech-feature-HA102066711.aspx

Also, the 2010 version of Microsoft Word offers a number of ways to make the software more accessible to individuals with disabilities. Numerous other software programs exist to achieve the same results, but Microsoft has built in many of these features. Microsoft Word can be looked at as a cost effective piece of assistive technology. A link is below on how to make Microsoft Word more accessible for students with disabilities. 

http://office2010.microsoft.com/en-us/word-help/accessibility-features-in-word-HP010370103.aspx


Microsoft Word, the standby of the Microsoft Office package. That familiar "W" that's displayed on my desktop is a sign of comfort for me. I will admit, I struggle to use any other word processing software as I find them very confusing and poorly laid out. Microsoft has done a nice job at keeping Word user-friendly and keeping the changes to a minimum. Sure, I've had to hunt for things after an upgrade but their still there. While, I don't see the bouncing paperclip anymore like I did when I was using Windows 98, I'm sure he's floating around somewhere.