December 3, 2009
jgronneberg@cast.org
40 Harvard Mills Square, Suite 3
Wakefield, MA 01880
Tel: 781-245-2212 ext. 275
Free Online Tool Helps Students with Scientific Writing
Wakefield, MA, December 3, 2009 — CAST today announced the release of the CAST Science Writer (http://sciencewriter.cast.org), a free online tool to guide middle and high school students in writing effective science reports. The project builds on research showing that many students, including those with disabilities, benefit from explicit writing strategy instruction.
“We are delighted to be able to release a free student version of the Science Writer and are extremely grateful to the NEC Foundation of America for their financial support,” notes Tracey Hall, Senior Research Scientist on the project. “Many students struggle when faced with a blank white page — this tool breaks down the scientific writing process into manageable steps and offers just-in-time supports that allow students to communicate their understanding of scientific concepts.”
Highlights of Features
A report structure — All parts of a science or lab report are broken into small steps so students can concentrate on one part of the report at a time.
A process for writing — Science Writer takes students through the steps of the writing process: draft, revise, edit.
Writing supports — Text, audio, video, activities, and links to additional web resources allow students multiple ways to engage with the content.
Checklists — Content and grammar checklists are available to students as they revise and edit their work.
Journal — Students can write notes, reflect, make comments, and keep track of data.
Text to speech, translations, dictionary — A SpeechStream toolbar by TextHelp™ allows students to hear any text read aloud, translate text, and access an online dictionary.
Like many of CAST’s learning tools, the inspiration for Science Writer came directly from classroom teachers who noted that even students who understand science concepts and can gather data may have trouble organizing and communicating their findings in writing. Beginning in 2003 with multiyear funding from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), CAST research scientists and instructional designers developed and tested what was to become Science Writer, a web-based writing environment based on the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework.
CAST will be releasing results shortly from a multi-state experimental study of Science Writer with over 650 students (grades 6-10) to determine its efficacy to improve science report writing for students with and without high-incidence disabilities.
CAST Science Writer is 508- compliant and joins a suite of free powerful online learning tools also available on CAST’s website at http://www.cast.org/learningtools/index.html.
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About CAST
Founded in 1984 as the Center for Applied Special Technology, CAST has earned international recognition for its development of innovative learning resources and for articulating the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), a framework for creating inclusive educational environments. For more information, go to www.cast.org.
