Pix Writer and Picture It
Innovation
BY: SHARON STEVENS
KELSIE THOMPSON
MARCIE BYNUM
Introduction to Pix Writer and Picture It
 About:
 Pix
Writer/Picture It is by Slater Software, Inc.
 Ability Level: Grades 2-4
 Interest Level: Grades 2-5
 What Pix Writer/Picture It can do:
 Build early literacy skills
 Increase word mastery for non-readers
 Speech feedback facilitates independent learning
 Costs anywhere from $199-$700
Introduction to Pix Writer and
Picture It (Continued)
 Pix Writer is the easy-to-use tool that will let your
students have successful early writing experiences.
Young students write by selecting pictures and
word buttons while built-in speech gives them
immediate feedback on their selections. To create
picture keyboards, teachers simply type words and
pictures are automatically inserted. Teachers can
also create talking documents for early reading
experiences. Pix Writer includes more than 1800
age-appropriate symbol/word pairings, (Don, 1).
Benefits
 Great for students who:
 Are non-readers
 Need text supported with pictures
 Are developing early literacy skills
 Motivates students to write by pairing words with
pictures
 Built-in speech ability gives students immediate
feedback
 Allows students to write whole words, sentences,
stories and express original thought
Benefits
 Built-in Spanish capacity
 Helps teach phonemic awareness and boosts
vocabulary, reasoning, and comprehension levels
 Can save and print documents that are exactly
what you see on the computer
 Easy accessibility for all including an adapted
keyboard and mouse
 Teachers and parents can setup a PixWriter
vocabulary to prepare lessons
Benefits
 Simple display options let teachers keep up with
students' needs as they grow from beginning skills
to more word choices
 Flexible enough so that it is appropriate for
preschoolers with or without disabilities as well as
adults who have developmental delays, or have
suffered traumatic brain injury or stroke
 Can make picture cue cards, picture directions, and
there is a shopping list generator
Students with Disabilities
 Allows the user to compose written materials even
if his/her knowledge of spelling skills, soundsymbol relationships, or the alphabet is not fully
developed
 You can easily customize and organize the setup to
fit a student's ability, IEP objectives, language and
writing levels
 Students with disabilities may lack beginning
writing experiences because they can't hold a
pencil, draw pictures or make letters
(Slater, 1)
How to Use Pix Writer
 Type a word into the large, white box.
 The word you just you typed will be accompanied
with a picture.
 For example, if you type in the word “cat,” a picture
of a cat will appear above it.
 The merlin (or whoever you have chosen to be the
voice), will appear and speak the word you have just
typed.
 Under options, you can change the font, language,
number of buttons and the gender of the voice
speaking to you.
How to Use Picture It
 Type a word or a sentence into the story text box.
 Then click on the “tree” icon in the left sidebar.
 This will add an appropriate picture above each word
that you typed.
 For example, the word “horse” would have a picture
of a horse above it and the word “run” would have a
picture of a person running.
 Just like with Pix Writer, Picture It has multiple
options.
For Example…
Now, with My Apps in ASU we
will show how to use both
programs.
https://webapp3.asu.edu/myap
ps/Default.aspx
Teacher and Student Uses
 While researching, we found that teacher uses and
student uses are one in the same.
 Teachers can use the program in their everyday lessons
to help students with the following…
 Helps students with…
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Cognitive delays
Speech/language disorders
Hearing impairment
Learning disabilities
Visual disabilities
Autism
English as a second language
 Helps students improve their literacy skills.
Resources
 http://www.iser.com/special-needs-software.html
 http://www.digitalscrapbooking.com/UserFiles/File/beg
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innerhybri139_pdf.pdf
http://www.rjcooper.com/
http://www.vjrussolaw.com/resources/special-needsresources.htmlhis one is for teacher resources
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/specialeducation/teacher-resources/6640.html
http://www.sandiegofamily.com/index.php?option=com
_content&view=article&id=51:special-needs-resourcelist&catid=67:special-needs-resources&Itemid=92
Resources
 http://www.synapseadaptive.com/donjohnston/picture_p
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ower_pack.htm
http://assistivetech.sf.k12.sd.us/pixwriter.htm
http://www.softtouch.com/pixwriter30macintosh.aspx
http://www.turningpointtechnology.com/software/SL/Pix
Writer.htm
http://www.educate-me.net/educate/category.
cfm?Category=236
http://www.acciinc.com/Test/test/Slater_Picture_It_Pix_
Writer.htm
http://www.dinf.ne.jp/doc/english/Us_Eu/conf/csun_99/
session0123.html
References

Don Johnston Incorporated. (2009). PixWriter. In Don
Johnston. Retrieved October 5, 2009, from
Imaginary Landscape, LLC website:
http://www.donjohnston.com/products/access
_solutions/software/pixwriter/index.html

Slater Software, Inc. (2008). PixWriter v.3.0. In Picture
Assisted Literacy. Retrieved October 5,
2009, from
http://www.slatersoftware.com/index.html