Educational Software

Disclaimer: CAST does not necessarily endorse these products or consider them all to be fully universally designed. CAST applauds the inclusion of universally designed features in these products and wishes to illustrate some of those features for educational purposes.

Although no curriculum or software program yet exists that is totally universally designed, some programs demonstrate incremental steps towards that goal. Currently available resources include supported learning tools and instructional software with some Universal Design for Learning (UDL) features. Below is what we believe will be an ever-expanding list. Follow the links for:

• an in-depth description of each program
• links to publishers' Web sites
• links to examples of the program's UD features and customization tips in the Teaching Strategies section of this Web site

Programs are listed alphabetically.

Bailey's Book House
An early language arts CD-ROM program that supports students as they learn to read and write.

CAST eReader
An updated and enhanced new release of a product formerly titled ULTimate Reader: Literacy support software developed by CAST that can combine electronic text from any source with reading supports (such as spoken text and visual highlighting) to make the information accessible to users of all abilities.

IntelliTalk
A word processor that provides auditory feedback for students with visual or learning disabilities or for whom English is a second language.

Let's Go Read! An Island Adventure and Let's Go Read! An Ocean Adventure
Programs that combines whole-language reading instruction with phonics, offering self-guided and directed exercises to develop language skills.

Talking Walls
An interactive software version of the book, Talking Walls by Margy Burns Knight

Unifix® Software
A flexible, versatile program that develops mathematical skills with both manipulative and computer tools based on Unifix manipulative mathematics materials.

WiggleWorks® Scholastic Beginning Literacy System
A CD-ROM and print-based, inclusive, early literacy curriculum codeveloped by CAST and Scholastic Inc. that provides 72 books and a variety of scaffolded reading and writing activities within each book.

Write:OutLoud
A word processor that lets users see and hear what they type.