Reading Companion

Reading Companion's goal is to help children and adults around the world to gain the essential literacy skills using IBM’s web-based literacy technology in collaboration with schools and not for profit organisations. 

Reading Companion is a web literacy programme which uses IBM's innovative speech recognition technology to help adults and children improve their reading skills and is donated free-of-charge to schools and not-for-profit organisations. The software "listens" and provides feedback, enabling emerging readers to practise reading and pronunciation as they acquire fundamental reading skills.

The user is presented with material to read.  An on-screen mentor, or companion, “reads” a phrase to the user and then provides an opportunity for the reader to read the material, using a headset microphone.  Depending on the accuracy of what was read, the companion either provides positive reinforcement (e.g., “You sound great!”), an opportunity for the user to try again, and/or the correct reading of the words on the screen.  It’s easy to use and can be incorporated in any literacy curriculum.
The Reading Companion web-based literacy programme is designed to supplement, not replace, existing literacy curriculum – whether the curriculum is in a school setting or within an adult literacy programme.

Independent evaluations of this programme have proved positive.  For example, students tested scored significantly higher on word recognition and comprehension tasks.  For adults, the software not only improved reading skills but also helped improve their English pronunciation. It also provided adults with an opportunity to learn in a new way by combining visual and auditory methods.

This web-based solution allows the student to log into the web from any device in the world that has a high speed internet connection and continue reading exactly where he/she left off.  Because the data models for the student are stored on a server and not on the client device, the software updates the record of that student's achievements no matter what the student uses for access. The reader/learner will be able to access the software from school, a library, a not for profit organisation or at home, thus enabling practice outside of class hours. The only requirement is access to the web on a web browser such as Internet Explorer.  The web-based version will also support the creation and sharing of new books using a straightforward software template. Teachers can check books out of the virtual library for their class, as well as create or read reviews on the books in the library.

A web based tutor uses information to model the student’s achievement level against a set of key sound spellings and the teacher is able to access a report which can be used to inform future learning activities. The tutor does not replace the teacher but works in support since it can make suggestions for appropriate books and automatically adjust how much the student reads and how much the software reads to the student if the teacher chooses this option.

Reading Companion is a $2 million international grant programme that involves more than 400 schools and not for profit organisations around the world.  There are two distinct sections on the site, one for adults and one for children. There are currently 242 ebooks available : 157 for adults and 85 for children. More are added on a quarterly basis. The programme launched in Ireland Q4 2007 and 8 Adult Literacy Organisations have since been awarded Reading Companion Grant donations.

The programme was extended to primary schools in September 2008 and 4 schools have been awarded grants to date with new schools being added each month. A complementary programme, ‘Book Builder’ allows people to create and submit their own books to suit their country context.  A flash demo of Reading Companion can be viewed at www.readingcompanion.org.

How to be considered
In order for your school to be considered, you will need to complete an application form setting out how you propose to use the programme to enhance your literacy work, the support that staff will be able to provide and confirming that you have adequate internet and PC access in the school.
Application forms are available from Deirdre Kennedy, Corporate Citizenship & Corporate Affairs Manager, IBM – kennedyd@ie.ibm.com.