AN INNOVATIVE adult literacy -training program developed by the North Vancouver-based Neil Squire Foundation in con- junction with Capilano Col- lege was offically opened by Advanced Education Minister Tom Perry earlier this month. Michael Becker HIGH TECH Neil Squire Foundation soft- ware development manager Don Bentley and ‘Capilano College educator Pat Hodgson, who is the provincial literacy coordinator with the Ministry of Advanced Education, developed the software program for SARAW (Speech Assisted Reading And Writing). The talking computer program is designed to impart basic reading and writing skills to adults. The system is a catalyst for Accessing THE SARAW (Speech Assisted Reading And Writ- ing) adult literacy training program is providing access to the world of words for a number of non-verbal adults with severe physical ‘disabilities, The process is resulting in some powerful stories. Some of the students share their insights: eT don’t understand protective parents with disabled daughters ‘who grow into adulthood. My mother was very protective with some profound changes for a par- ticular group of people: SARAW software is making possible com- munication for non-verbal adults with severe physical disabilities. In many cases unable to speak, hold a pencil or flip through the pages of a book, the severely physically disabled are finding themselves enabled and em- powered by a new way of com- municating. There are 12 computer work Stations set up at the college. Each Sunday, January 26, 1992 - North Shore News ~ BUSINESS Talking computer assists non-verbal adults of the program’s 12 students also . has a computer at home to work with. Said Bentley, ‘‘Some people use a@ scanner, a switch they hit and choices appear on the screen. Other people type with a single finger, a pointer or a hand splint. The rest type directly onto the keyboard.”* The program is divided into four main sections: reading, activ- ities, writing and options. Students set their own goals and are supported by tutors. Said Bentley, ‘‘Right at the beginning it was an idea from our executive director (Bill Cameron), who, after going around visiting group homes and long-term care facilities, came across a sroup of peopie who couldn’t read the in-. structions on a computer screen because they had never been taught to read and write or they had been written off 20 years ago as unteachable. That was the im- petus for it.°” SARAW software runs on an MS-DOS compatible computer fitted with a speech synthesizer. The program incorporates the students’? work so that participants the world me. 1 know another disabled aduit female in the same situation. I wonder about parents who won’t let disabled children do what they want.... We do a lot in our own way. Some people don’t think disabled people can do anything for themselves.’’ e “I am learning lots of different kinds of writing. I like to write poetry best. I enjoy expressing my feelings about my life. 1 have waited for this for a very long time. I will be able to go to school after I earn to read and write. I want to learn how to write full pages to write a book. My book would be about my life and my SARAW (SPEECH Assisted Reading and Writing) instructor Don Kirkby (right) works through the unique adult literacy software program at Capilano College with student Michael Wayne and tutor Claudine Michaud (left). The program is opening a new world of communication for adult learners with severe physical disabilities. share each other’s efforts. A SARAW pilot program was in place at the college last year. Bentley had a few surprises: ‘It was interesting that some of the students, who I would classify as non-verbal, would listen and practise their pronunciation — us- ing the system for something it of words experiences.’ e‘T don’t like to see people put down any handicapped people. I am a handicapped adult and I feel capable of having an independent life. But some people don’t let me be independent. Also, people think I am stupid because I am in a wheelchair. But I can make my own decisions for my life.... I want people to listen to me carefully. People need to be pa- ‘tient -with handicapped people. But people always worry about themselves and people don’t take the time to listen. Who really are the deaf and blind people? Who is really handicapped?” Group formed to support the bereaved THE NORTH Shore Grief Re- covery Group (NSGRG) is of- fering a six-week program on Tuesday evenings at Highlands United Church, 3255 Edgemont Blvd. in North Vancouver, starting on Tuesday, Feb. 4 at 7:30 p.m, The North Shore Grief Re- covery Group was formed , because a need for greater support for the bereaved was identified. “Grief is a unique but natu- ral experience. We can ease the experience a little by learning what to expect and by sharing coping skills,”’ say organizers. A participant recently com- mented, ‘‘The biggest thing I found is that you’re not alone there’s so much energy in the group and you realize that there is light at the end of the tunnel.”” The group leader wil! be Elizabeth Mendgen, who has special training in facilitating grief recovery. Fre-registration is preferred, there is no fee and the program is non-denominational. An ongoing support group is available and recommended after completion of the initial six-week program. There is a committee of con- cerned North Shore citizens - working to realize a permanent resource centre for grief recov- ery on the North Shore. For more info call 980-6071. YEARS YOU. wasn’t really designed for. You can have it repeat something over and over again and try and get closer to it. “Ie was also surprising the diversity of stories that came out. There have been a Jot of things this group of people have wanted to say and just haven’t been able to express before. There have been a lot of really neat stories and also a lot of sad stories have come out _ about mistreatment,’’ he said. For now the SARAW program is only available at Capilano Col- lege. But Bentley anticipates the program will eventually be picked . up by other colleges. 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