Writing with Symbols: The Effects on Language and Literacy Abilities of Children with Special Needs

Writing with symbols (WWS), a program developed for enhancing literacy, language, and communication skills by Widgit®, was created to assist children with writing and communication difficulties in using graphic and orthographic symbols, for assisting in learning to read and write. The Hebrew version of the program was developed by the Center of Education Technology (CET). The purpose of this evaluation study was to investigate the effects of incorporating "Writing with Symbols®" into schools on its use by teachers and students. Six schools for children with disabilities participated in the project, of which three received intensive intervention for two years, one received intervention for one year, and two received only basic instruction with limited support. Eighty children with different AAC needs were tested to investigate verbal language and communication abilities. Results indicated significant gains in student language and communication abilities over time. Teachers reported an increase in program use by children and teachers.