Assisting Writing

Communicate: SymWriter provides the perfect tool for simple word and symbol processing for emergent writers. It enables users to see the meaning of words as they write. The symbols appear automatically in a side panel, illustrating the word just typed or chosen. Non-keyboard users can write in very flexible ways by selecting from grids and buttons.

SymWriter comes with over 8,000 Widgit Literacy Symbols, in colour and black & white. You can also drop pictures on to the page using the symbol browser. Use any of the 1,500 Widgit Pictures (clip art and photographs) supplied with the program or access images from anywhere on your computer.

Position grids and buttons wherever you like, ready to send to the document or carry out actions. You can use the ready-made function buttons or design your own. You can even add backgrounds to buttons and grids.

Example Environments

- See images and descriptions of all the example environments that come with SymWriter.

Speech and Pictorial Spell Checker

Speech feedback can be used to speak individual letters, words and sentences as they are created, or to hear whole documents read back. The pictorial spell checker helps users understand the meaning of selected words by illustrating them with symbols, whether or not you are using symbols in the finished document.

Smart Symbolising

Communicate: SymWriter is the first program from Widgit to use our new ‘smart symbolising’ technology. This enables more accurate symbolisation of text, with less need for manual corrections.

SymWriter can work in multiple languages and other language databases will be available in the future. The program can easily switch between languages, even within the same document.

The symboliser picks up parts of speech

Wide Range of Purposes

Adult Users
Increase the involvement and motivation of adult users by creating visual strategies, such as behaviour charts and signage, or organisational tools, such as personal plans and shopping lists.

Educational Settings
We are developing a range of curriculum resources to support Communicate: SymWriter. These will extend the paper-based curriculum materials available for In Print by providing a range of complementary screen-based activities.

Communication Devices
Activities can be designed specifically to support users with Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) devices or users with physical difficulties who use switches.

Making Activities

Making your own grids and activities is easy. As well as supporting written text with the Widgit Symbols, you can add your own pictures to words or change the text for a symbol.

Toolbars are fully configurable to allow different levels of use and they can be resized to meet individual preferences.