There is a great deal of evidence that the consistency of how information is presented is important to many groups of students including those with learning disabilities, such as Dyslexia, Autism, ADHD and Asperger’s.
As technology is increasingly used in classrooms, information is presented to students through the User Interface (UI) of the device they are using (computer, tablets, iPads, interactive whiteboards etc.)
It has been shown that consistency leads to habituation and habituation assists automaticity in learning. Automaticity is the state of being able to complete tasks without conscious thought. Fluency is the result of automaticity; to be able to recognize and comprehend written words reflexively, without having to decode or pause to consider their definition.
When it comes to UI’s we talk about this as “seamless operation” and “intuitive design”; and what we really mean is that the software uses very consistent commands to access the features of the software. This makes it easy to learn, easy to retain in memory and easy to operate.
Automaticity is a well-researched topic important to learning.
WYNN’s user interface has been carefully designed to provide consistency, flexibility, and a short learning curve. Colour-coded toolbars have intuitive, large buttons along with background colours that can be turned on or off to suit each student’s visual preferences.
Most features within WYNN can be accessed by a single click, making it easy for students to explore and learn.
Reading ToolBar
From the Reading ToolBar you can change the size of text, spacing between lines and words, change background and foreground colours, and control how information is spoken.
WYNN’s Web ToolBar
WYNN’s Web browsing module supports the latest innovations in Web technology. Using the integrated tools, students can easily conduct online research assisted with a range of literacy tools at their fingertips. WYNN’s new Web browsing module includes the ability to highlight text on a Web page and then to extract the highlighted text, to mask areas of the page to de-clutter and assist reading and the ability to read online e-mail.
WYNN also boasts one-click PDF file conversion, so the student can spend valuable time on the content, not the process of converting it. The Web module also includes a built-in pop-up blocker to allow students to focus with fewer distractions.
In addition to the Web toolbar, WYNN toolbars focus on assisting students by providing a consistent, clean and uncluttered user interface, using
– Easy-to-use rotating toolbars that provide all functions.
– Intuitive buttons and icons that allow a short learning curve.
– Simultaneous auditory and visual presentation to support all learning styles.
– Clear, natural-sounding speech.
Trial versions of WYNN are available to trial with your students.