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Specific disabilities related information.
A new language tool, where users can find words and phrases they could otherwise not write. Text is spoken by synthetic speech, in different languages. Personal items can be made searchable. Menus, dialogs, online guides can be displayed in a user preferred language. Etc.
The program does not require any previous knowledge of computers. Nor that the user can read a manual. One can start to use the program right away. It can start up automatically.
Yak-Yak is amazingly good at finding words which the user does not know how to spell. It can also assist with writing, reading, and pronunciation.
The program is useful as a training device for anyone learning a language. In particular English as a Second Language (ESL).
The new search technology behind the Wordfinder in Yak-Yak makes it possible to find words, or phrases, given very little to go on. No other technology exists, which in any way approaches the efficiency of Yak-Yak in performing this task.
The Wordfinder was originally developed, applying newly discovered principles, in order to assist users challenged by a language disability.
In synthetic speech the computer generates a sound pattern which closely resembles text being spoken by a human.
Excellent American English speech is provided with the current versions of the Mac OS. Other languages exist, for instance Mexican Spanish. Various European languages are also available, including Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Icelandic, German, French, British English, Spanish, Italian, and Dutch.
More info on speech.
The user can choose to have each item presented in the Wordfinder menu spoken by a synthetic voice. The writing process can therefore rely on auditive, and inherent language abilities. This works well, even if the user cannot read.
To practice pronunciation, one can write down the text beforehand. Then the words and sentences can be repeated as often as required.
Entire books can be read aloud to you. Yak-Yak comes with tools to make any kind of text into an electronic book.
You can also enter all sorts of printed material by electronic scanning. A scanner will take a copy of a page from a book, and turn it into text which the computer can work with.
In Yak-Yak you may create 'books' containing expressions that may be particularly hard to remember, and therefore find. For example, names in a foreign language.
A user can have his entire personal 'language universe' made searchable: names, addresses, phrases. This, of course, also includes the words and expressions of his professional language.
Yak-Yak has all the tools required to adapt any kind of text material for this purpose.
There are now Yak-Yak language modules in a number of languages. They allow the user to switch to his preferred language in all menus, dialogs, help-text, etc.
If a user wishes to write in English, say, but has his abilities in another language, then he may work with all of Yak-Yak's functions in that language, while writing in English.
An English speaking user may just as well use Yak-Yak to write in a foreign language. It requires that the special Yak-Yak libraries exist for that language, or can be made. Translation dictionaries between two different languages can also be used, provided they are adapted for use with Yak-Yak.
Yak-Yak can speak directly to the user, making it easy to navigate in the environment. There is a speaking online guide, which comes with the language module. It is based on synthetic speech, and one may need to aquire the voices for the language in question separately.
The possibilities for customization are extensive. Each of 5 users can have a personal desk within Yak-Yak with their own setup, including books, language, voice and so forth.
You can arrange training sessions, exercises, etc. for reading, speaking, or writing. All of this work with one language can take place while the user communicates with Yak-Yak in another.
Yak-Yak is developed for Macintosh. The Internet Wordfinder is accessible to anyone. (And so, of course, are Macintosh computers.)
The program works on even 10 year old models - or older.
The English language voices are provided by Apple Computer, Inc. as a part the current versions of the operating system. They speak very well, and are easily adapted to the user's personal needs.
Sound board is always included with the computer. It is recommended that the user wears headphones, or uses external speakers.
