Using the

Flexible

Features of

Kurzweil 3000

Software to

Support

Learning

dhbebert/2014

If you are not already familiar with Kurzweil 3000,

click on the link below for a brief overview before

proceeding with the 20+ Cool Tips presentation.

• video overview of Kurzweil 3000

Some students require a text to

speech environment in order to

gain meaning from text.

Other students may benefit from

the auditory support of text to

speech to enhance meaning,

increase speed of reading,

reduce fatigue or decrease

distractions.

Another group of students may

benefit from the features to

support language translation,

reference tools and study skills

features with Kurzweil.

Kurzweil 3000

• Is a powerful literacy learning tool

• Provides reading, writing, study skills, and test-taking

support within one single program and user interface

Kurzweil 3000

• Reflects the principles of Universal Design for Learning

• Addresses the diverse needs of students within an RTI

model with its flexible range of tools and supports that can

be utilized across all grade levels and content.

Kurzweil 3000

• Makes print and electronic material available to a broad spectrum of students.

• Utilizes a multisensory approach

• Incorporates dynamic features which adapt to individual learner styles

• Promotes active learning

• Permits alternative means of access by students with disabilities

Kurzweil 3000 in Humble ISD

• Educational Support Services provides access to version 14 of Kurzweil 3000, to every Humble ISD campus, through a web managed version that can be installed on any district or home computer.

• Beginning with the 2015-16 School year, access to Kurzweil 3000 software is available for every teacher and student in Humble ISD. In addition to the desktop software, a companion iOS app (K3000 Firefly) is available free to Humble ISD students from the Apple iOS store. Each student account has unlimited cloud storage where students can store digital books and documents, with the ability to access them from any internet connected device.

Kurzweil 3000 in Humble ISD

• Students may request a username and password for Kurzweil access from the student’s language arts teacher, student’s case manager, or campus assessment specialists.

• Use of copyrighted text in Kurzweil requires compliance with copyright laws.

• Links for downloading Kurzweil 3000 and user manuals, are provided on the last slide of this presentation.

20+ Cool Tips

Using the

Flexible

Learning

Features of

Kurzweil 3000

Tip #1

Use Kurzweil to

open paper

and digital

curriculum

materials in a

flexible digital

environment.

Page from

Science

Textbook

scanned into

Kurzweil

Tip #2

Hear text read

aloud while

visually following

the highlighted

text as it is read.

Reading Toolbar (yellow) includes settings for voice and speed

Tip #3

Use zoom and

“magnify spoken

word” features

to customize for

visual needs.

Tip #4

Utilize reference tools while reading - including dictionaries,

thesaurus, and pronunciation tools.

Look up a

definition and

hear it read

aloud.

Improve

understanding

with

synonyms

Tip #5

Select content

and student

specific

dictionaries to

support

understanding

of text.

Tip #6

Translate documents to other languages

Tip # 7

Personalize

instruction to

address

student

learning

styles using

voice notes,

sticky notes

and

footnotes.

Tip # 8

Embed

comprehension

supports and

gauge

understanding

using Bubble

Notes that

students

complete as

they read.

Save answers

for studying or

grading

Tip # 9

Read Text Aloud on Websites

Read the

Web

Toolbar

Tip #10

Search for

books and

reference

articles online

from within

Kurzweil.

Tip #11

Customize

highlighters

for various

learning

tasks. Keep

students

engaged

with the text.

Tip #12

Highlight text in

documents and

extract

highlights for

studying or use

as an outline

for a writing

assignment.

You can have

Kurzweil read

just the

highlighted

portions of text.

Highlighted text

can be extracted

to an outline

Tip #13

Take Cornell

notes or

create

column notes

by extracting

highlights or

by dragging

text into

columns.

Highlights

can also be

extracted to

column

notes

Cool Tip #14

Convert Column Notes to an Outline

Highlights can

also be extracted

to column notes..

..and notes can

become an

outline for

writing

Cool Tip #15

Utilize Brainstorm and Outline Views for

Pre-writing Support.

Cool Tip #16

Utilize a split screen layout in order to view the outline

while writing.

Monitor writing

by listening to

what you’ve

written.

Cool Tip #17

Use word lists and word prediction to support writing.

Let’s give it a try!

Tip #18

Utilize Kurzweil

3000 with an

interactive

whiteboard for

whole class

instruction and

demonstration

of strategies

with curriculum

content.

Click to view video.

Tip #19

Convert

digital files

in other

formats to

.kes files to

utilize

interactive

tools and

have text

read aloud.

Online .pdf

converted to

.Kes file…now

it’s flexible!

Tip 20

Convert a

test created

in MS Word,

to a .kes

format that

Kurzweil can

read aloud.

Quickly convert

this test

document to hear

it read out loud.

Tip #21

Provide

tests in

digital

formats for

independent

test- taking

with reading

support.

Hear test read

aloud and

answer

questions

directly on the

test.

Tip #22

Provide flexible

ways for students

to demonstrate

knowledge on

tests, such as

making voice

recordings,

highlighting

answers, or

dragging and

dropping text.

Empty

placeholders

can accept

text or voice

notes.

Tip #23

Customize toolbars for test taking, reading, and

other tasks.

Lock out

certain

features for

independent

test taking.

Tip #24

Customize toolbars for test taking, reading, and

other tasks.

Classic toolbar

Test taking toolbar

Tip #25

Create

mp3 audio

files from

text for

listening

access

from

mobile

devices.

Tip #26

Combine

Kurzweil with 3rd

party tools to

support access

by students who

require

alternative

access methods.

Use keyboard

shortcuts to access

menu items for

students who have

difficulty with mouse

access.

Getting Kurzweil 3000/Firefly

on Your Windows Computer

• Kurzweil 3000 for Windows • Download the Web License version. This version includes several

speech voices. If asked for an organization, leave blank.

• Download any additional speech voices you would like to have.

• Getting Started with Kurzweil 3000-firefly for Windows

• Kurzweil 3000 for Windows Reference Guide (vs 14)

•

Getting Kurzweil 3000/Firefly on Your Mac

• Kurzweil 3000 for Mac • Download the Web License version. This version includes several

speech voices. If asked for an organization, leave blank.

• Download any additional speech voices you would like to have.

• At this time, the Mac version does not contain all the

features of the Windows version.

• Getting Started with Kurzweil 3000-firefly for Mac

•

Getting Kurzweil 3000/Firefly on Your iOS Device

• The Firefly app can be downloaded from the Apple App

store. Search “Firefly K3000” in the App store.

• The Firefly app is a companion app to Kurzweil desktop

software and does not contain all the features of the

desktop version.

• Using Firefly on an iPAD (reference guide)

•

Using the Universal Library (cloud storage)

• Using the Universal Library (manual)

For more

information

Kurzweil Video Gallery

Kurzweil and UDL

Kurzweil Training Modules

Digital Text and Ebook Sources