Hurrah Saraw

For many adults with physical disabilities who are unable to hold a pencil or turn pages in a book, access to literacy education has been an unfulfilled dream. And since many of these adults do not speak clearly, lacking the literacy skills to read and write effectively has further isolated these learners from the rest of society.

Speech Assisted Reading and Writing (SARAW) is a talking computer program developed to respond to the needs of functionally illiterate adults with physical disabilities. The software can be used by students even if their physical disabilities make it impossible for them to use a standard computer keyboard.

SARAW was developed by the Neil Squire Foundation and Capilano College, both of North Vancouver, BC. SARAW was co-authored by Don Bentley, a computer programmer with the foundation, and Pat Hodgson, a literacy instructor with the college.

Over a one-year period beginning in September 1994, $300,000 worth of computer equipment donated from Digital Equipment of Canada will in turn be donated to literacy groups, college literacy programs and disability organizations across Canada.

The inclusion of SARAW software, software donated by Microsoft Canada, and adaptive equipment (for those students who cannot use a standard computer keyboard) will result in 75 SARAW computer systems (each worth about $5,000) being made available for donation.

A $280,000 grant from the government of Canada through the National Literacy Secretariat will enable the delivery of a series of workshops across Canada at which recipients will receive instruction in using a SARAW computer, and guidance in teaching and establishing literacy programs for learners with severe physical disabilities.

Through previous donations, the project sponsors distributed 56 systems to college literacy programs, literacy groups and disability organizations throughout British Columbia. In addition, the Neil Squire Foundation maintains a national loan pool of 25 computers. Capilano College uses 12 computers in a SARAW lab at the college and provides each of 12 students with the loan of a SARAW computer at home so that he or she will have the necessary means to do homework. There are currently waiting lists for both the Neil Squire Foundation’s loan pool and admission to the SARAW program at Capilano College.

The completion of the national implementation of SARAW in August 1995 will see a total of 181 computer systems (valued at about $800,000) donated by Digital Equipment of Canada over their four-year involvement with SARAW. Donations from the Vancouver Foundation, the Woodward’s Foundation, Mason’s Lodge #91 and Microsoft Canada will raise the total dollar value of donations to the SARAW program in excess of one million.

(For more information about the SARAW program, contact Crystal Bolduc at the Neil Squire Foundation, (604) 929-2414, or Marleen Morris at Capilano College, (604) 984-4903.)