SymWriter 2 - AAC Communication Software for Special Needs | Assistive Technology for Autism & Speech Disabilities | Home & Classroom Use

The new free Widgit update is live now.  to learn more about the changes.

Canadian Communicate: SymWriter 2 is a word processor with an over 40,000 word symbol vocabulary that activates, inspires, and guides reluctant writers. 

Fully English/French bilingual, SymWriter is a proven writing tool for:

• English and or French language learners
• Reluctant or struggling intermediate writers
• Students on the Autism spectrum or with cognitive or physical challenges
• French immersion programs
• Primary writers

Free Upgrade

Do you have Communicate: SymWriter Canadian Edition? If you do, you can .

If you don't, for upgrade Pricing.

En français

Écriture avec symbole facile pour tout le monde!

Communicate: SymWriter 2, version Canadienne, est un traitement de texte avec plus de 40.000 mots de vocabulaire avec symbole qui active, inspire et guide les écrivains réticents. Entièrement bilingues français/anglais.

SymWriter est un outil d'écriture prouvée pour:

• Les étudiants de langue française ou anglaise
• Les écrivains intermédiaires réticents ou en difficulté 
• Les étudiants sur le spectre de l'autisme ou ayant des difficultés cognitives ou physiques 
• Les étudiants des programmes d'immersion en français

Caractéristiques

• Écrire librement avec des symboles ou du texte
• Symbolisation intelligente basée sur des parties du discours
• Vérificateur orthographique avec symboles
• Environnements d'écriture structurées synthèse vocale, balayage d'accès adapté

Français et en anglais

• SymWriter passe du français à l'anglais avec aise
• Symbolisation complète dans les deux langues
• Synthèse vocale française et anglaise de haute qualité
• L'appui du vérificateur d'orthographe en français et en anglais

Symbolisation intelligente

• Utilise la structure et le contexte d'une phrase pour déterminer les symboles les plus appropriés.
• Permets aux utilisateurs de glisser et déposer des graphiques et des images aux documents à partir de pages Web ou importées à partir de votre ordinateur.
• Symbolisation de mots composés

Product Overview

Symbol Word Processor for Language Development 

Simply type your sentences and SymWriter will convert your text into symbols. SymWriter uses natural language processing to present the best symbol match. High quality speech feedback reinforces the connections between words and symbols while guiding students in English or French.

SymWriter 2 is now packed with Canadian curricular symbols, place names and cultural references. Switch instantly from English to French and back for an ideal tool for teaching French in the primary grades or French Immersion Schools. SymWriter 2 is the ideal way to get your students writing in English or French.

Symbols Supporting Language Learning 

Struggling writers can't get better without practice. With instant symbolizing to motivate and confirm meaning, no matter what the writing challenge is -- physical, cognitive, language unfamiliarity, learning disability ASD etc. -- SymWriter creates writers.

• Cognitively or physically challenged children: scribbling is a key step to writing, you'll be amazed how accessible writing grids with SymWriter's symbol and speech reinforcement can build on the earliest emerging literacy skills. 
• Beginning writers and second language learners have help with small words, confusables, and new vocabulary.
• Junior and Intermediate writers at any age will find the science, geography, math and other symbols, clarify and solidify new curricular vocabulary.  

 Writing 

• Write with symbols or text
• Environments supports new and emergent writers
• Create your own or use pre-made environments
• Download free and low-cost environments
• Show symbol choices, even in text mode
• Adjustable text and symbol size
• Import graphics to support specific words

Images

• The Widgit Symbol Set in colour and black white
• Easily import photographs and pictures
• Recolour symbols and change skin tones
• Copy and paste to and from other applications (Ctrl+Alt+C and Ctrl+Alt+V)

Support

• Smart Symbolising based on parts of speech
• Spell checking with symbols
• Full speech support
• Full access for one or two switches and switch scanning

Canadian Symbols

Canadianized by Bridges, SymWriter 2 is the ideal writing tool for teaching French in Junior/intermediate level.

SymWriter 2 switches from English to French and back with the click of a mouse: Full context symbolizing in both Canadian English and French.

• High quality French and English voices
• Canadian English and French Symbolized Spellchecker
• Paste in Canadian English or French text for instant symbolizing.
• Canadian specific cultural and social studies specific symbols in French and English and more coming -- for free!

SymWriter 2 reinforces Canadian curricular vocabulary with hundreds of Canada-specific symbols. 

New Features

Format Painter

• Copy and paste formatting properties across Documents and Environments. 
• The Format Painter is a new tool that can be used to copy the formatting properties (font, colours, symbol size, text size etc,.) from any content in your Document or Environment. 
• Using the Format Painter, you can easily ensure consistent formatting throughout your writing and grids.

More Freedom when Editing Grids

• You can quickly customize the size of specific Cells in Grids while designing an Environment. 
• Just highlight a Cell (or Cells) and then use the drag points around the border of the selection. 
• A real time saver when you want a Grid featuring sentence starters in the first column of cells followed by single word sentence closers.

More Control Over Symbols

• Apply Cell actions across as many items as you like
• You can copy the assigned actions from any cell or button and add them to others. 
• When you have a whole bunch of cells and buttons you want to do the same thing, it takes seconds to set it up

Copy Actions Across Multiple Cells

• Apply Cell actions across as many items as you like
• You can copy the assigned actions from any cell or button and add them to others. 
• When you have a whole bunch of cells and buttons you want to do the same thing, it takes seconds to set it up

New Switch Scanning Features 

• Set up a personalized configuration for Switch users.
• Directional scan mode 
• The ability to use the mouse as a switch 
• Customization settings for auditory scans
• Automatic scan speeds and coloured indicators.

For Teachers 

Communicate: SymWriter is an easy-to-use symbol writing program. Symbols appear above the words as you type and ‚¬˜smart symbolising' analyses the text to help select the correct symbols. You can drop in photos and images to illustrate your document, or add them to a word to replace a symbol for more specific meaning.

SymWriter's flexibility allows you to create documents with just the level of graphic support you need. SymWriter is perfect for teachers who want to produce straightforward symbol-supported materials that are easily understood by learner

For Beginning Writers

When typing in text mode, students can see the meaning of the words in the symbol chooser. Symbols give the writer visual assistance, reinforcing meaning and improving confidence. SymWriter features text-to-speech and a spell checker with symbol support.

For Students Writing With Grids 

SymWriter 2's interactive environments use on-screen grids to make writing accessible to users that need additional help. Users can select items from the grids (using a mouse, keyboard, touch screen or switches) to be automatically added to their document, switch to another grid, or to perform a range of actions.

The environment editor makes it easy for teachers to create their own activities or to adapt an existing environment. Environments can be as simple or as complex as you like, from enabling users to build basic sentences and play simple games to creating whole documents, acting as an on-screen keyboard or a powerful teaching aid for whiteboards.

Specifications and Technical Support 

Recommended Running Specification

• XP (service pack 3), Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10
• Pentium processor (800MHz min, Pentium 4 or above at 1Ghz min preferred) 
• 256Mb RAM min, preferably 512MB or above and Sound Card 
• 1GB hard disk space. 
• Minimum resolution of 1024x768. 
• Supports widescreen resolutions.

Video Tutorials 

Help Sheets

Manuals and Guides