Amazing Writing Machine, Riverdeep (Macintosh), Grades K-6
This program inspires children to write and illustrate their own stories, journals, essays, letters, and poems. They can design pages from scratch or use predesigned templates. The program has a built-in spelling checker and a rebus tool that transforms words into pictures.
Clicker 4, Crick Software (Macintosh, Windows), Grades K-6
Clicker 4 is a unique writing program with a fully integrated talking word processor. Using this program, you can write with pictures as well as words. You can use all kinds of sound, photographs and video to create material for all curriculum areas. The program is perfect for the early writer or the child with learning disabilities.
Easy Book Deluxe, Sunburst (Macintosh), Grades 3-8
With Easy Book Deluxe, children create real books with a minimum of effort. They write their stories and then illustrate them with simple paint tools. The program determines the page layout and is even able to print on both sides of the paper.
Imagination! Express, Riverdeep (Macintosh, Windows), Grades 1-6
Students create interactive books and print out beautifully illustrated stories with this program. The program features a multitude of illustrated backgrounds, hundreds of character and prop "stickers," a text-placement feature, a sound recording option, and music capabilities.
Kid Works Deluxe, Knowledge Adventure (Macintosh, DOS/Windows), Grades K-4
Kid Works Deluxe, is a combination word processor, text-to-speech program, and paint program in a simple-to-use package. Students learn to express themselves in Spanish or English, and they can listen to the computer read their own stories.
Microsoft Publisher, Microsoft (Windows), Grade 5-Adult
Microsoft Publisher performs a variety of functions from creating a business card or flyer to producing a newspaper. The program requires less learning time than QuarkXPress or PageMaker, but it is more complicated than Imagination! Express. You can work from scratch or work through a series of questions posed by the program to determine how to build your publication.
PageMaker, Adobe (Macintosh, Windows), Grade 11-Adult
The publishing package that launched the desktop publishing revolution, PageMaker gives advanced users the ability to produce professional documents quickly. The program uses an intuitive electronic pasteboard that enables you to lay out and view text and graphics easily on a page. Several templates and predesigned publications come with it.
QuarkXPress, XTensions (Macintosh, Windows), Grade 10-Adult
This program is becoming the standard for desktop publishing, offering a full range of features for the sophisticated user.
Storybook Weaver Deluxe, Riverdeep (Macintosh, Windows), Grades 1-4
Storybook Weaver Deluxe gives young students a simple interface with which to create elaborate storybooks that combine graphics, sounds, and text. The easy-to-use word processor has a spelling checker, a thesaurus, and text-to-speech capabilities. This program operates in both English and Spanish and has drawing tools and an excellent collection of graphics.
Student Writing Center, Riverdeep (Macintosh, Windows), Grades 4-10
Student Writing Center is a quality word processor and desktop publishing program. This program comes packed with features, including a spelling checker, a bibliography maker, a thesaurus, process writing capabilities, and grammar tips. Included in this package are 30 predesigned letterheads and borders and more than 150 clip art pictures.
Ultimate Writing & Creativity Center, Riverdeep (Macintosh, Windows), Grades 2-6
Students create reports, signs, journals, storybooks, and newsletters. This program has the ability to read documents aloud. It also features animation.
Writing Trek, Sunburst (Macintosh, Windows), Grades 4-10
Students participate in 12 structured real-world learning projects. They develop an understanding of writing, experience literary examples, answer questions, and complete their own writing projects.
Writer's Companion, Visions Technology in Education (Macintosh, Windows), Grade 3-Adult
Writer's Companion is a combination graphic organizer, word processor, and desktop publishing program. Students brainstorm, organize, and sequence their work. When they are satisfied, they can produce a rough draft.
