Kurzweil 3000 Reading and Comprehension Software Helps Business Leader Reach Full Potential

Ray Sands Glass President and General Manager, Dave Burns, runs a busy and demanding business that requires both face-to-face and computer-based communications. But a learning disability makes reading a struggle for him. Burns tried numerous strategies throughout his life to "learn" to read and to cope with his difficulties, but he was most successful when he learned about assistive technology—technology that can deliver information the way he needs to receive it.

"I had trouble with reading from the get-go," says David Burns, President and General Manager of Ray Sands Glass of Rochester, New York. "But, I finally got sick and tired of being sick and tired," he says—constantly devising workarounds to compensate for his reading difficulties. That's when he found help and success through assistive technology—including the Kurzweil 3000 reading and comprehension program he uses today.

Assistive Technology Allows Users to Choose How Information is Received

Kurzweil 3000 from Kurzweil Educational Systems, Inc.—the leading developer of reading technology for people who are blind or have difficulty reading—is software that helps people with reading or learning difficulties increase their reading speed and comprehension.

Kurzweil 3000 employs optical character recognition and speech synthesis to read aloud text that has been scanned into the computer, stored in electronic files, or retrieved over the Internet. It can read virtually any scanned document or electronic file on the user's computer. It also uses highlighted text to help the user follow the voice narration—thereby providing information both visually and aurally—which aids in comprehension and can help improve spelling and grammar skills. New or unfamiliar words can be defined using Kurzweil 3000's electronic dictionary or thesaurus, or broken down into syllables using the syllabification tool. Additional study skills tools help users make notes or outline material that they read. A form fill-out feature makes it easy for users to complete administrative paperwork and job-related worksheets.

Compatible Microsoft Products Help Support Assistive Technology

Burns uses the Kurzweil 3000 in his daily work activities which are split about equally between computer-based and face-to-face communications. His primary responsibilities include overseeing sales and marketing, purchasing, and managing the accounting and customer service representatives who deal directly with the public. Burns' computer is equipped with Microsoft Windows 98 and he uses Microsoft Office 97 suite of productivity software—Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Outlook Express in particular.

Skills Improved Through Assistive Technology Help Unlock Potential

A slight reading disability was the torment of Burns' youth. He was held back in second grade and spent his entire school life learning to cope or compensate for his problems with reading, writing, and spelling. He was an intelligent and dedicated student, but his self-esteem suffered because he was unable to develop his reading skills. Instead, he developed a coping strategy—memorizing, avoidance, relying on others. Even this he considered "cheating" because it was not the "normal" way to deal with written words.

After high school, he continued to struggle with reading until he'd finally had enough frustration and sought the help of a tutor. His plan was to "start over" and, this time, learn to read. That's when he learned about alternative ways to learn—and that's when he was introduced to assistive technology. At this point, he says, "a whole new world was opened up."

Today, Burns uses the Kurzweil 3000 to read all important documents including legal contracts and important industry news and publications. In addition, he uses Dragon NaturallySpeaking voice recognition software to enter text and commands, relying on Microsoft Outlook Express for e-mail, Microsoft Word for word processing, and Microsoft Excel for spreadsheets used in the management of his company. With the help of various spell checking and dictionary features in Microsoft Word and Kurzweil 3000, Burns says, "Suddenly, I'm a writer too."

Need for Accessible Technology Solutions Grows with the Aging Workforce

Burns knows he is one of many thousands of capable and productive members of the workforce who can benefit from assistive technology. His company reflects the demographic makeup of the nation, in general, which includes a significant number of "baby boomers," he points out, who—in growing numbers—are starting to need the features of accessible technology as well as assistive technology.

Accessibility features such as adjustable font sizes and type colors, for example, help compensate for loss in visual acuity which is part of the natural aging process. Alternative input options in software and hardware can mean the difference between working and not working for people who develop certain visual, hearing, and mobility conditions—both temporary and permanent.

Because of his personal experience, Burns is a strong advocate of exploring technology that helps individuals get information in the most appropriate way for their particular learning style and physical and cognitive abilities. He tells his friends and coworkers, "It's OK that you learn and gather information in ways that are different than the mainstream. The important thing is gaining access to information—however you need to do it—and to use it in your personal and work life in a meaningful and productive way."