School students in the Port Macquarie-Hastings area are among the first in Australia to benefit from technology which helps overcome learning difficulties such as dyslexia and attention deficit disorder.

The Westport Club and ClubsNSW have jointly funded $55,000 worth of adaptive technology, called WYNN, for 11 schools in the Port Macquarie-Hastings region, through an initiative called ‘The Write To Read’ which is aimed at assisting children at school with learning difficulties such as dyslexia.

As many as 10% of school children in Australia suffer from dyslexia or a similar learning difficulty. Fifty two percent of 15 to 19 year olds have a literacy level that is considered insufficient to meet the complex demands of everyday life and work.

The Westport Club’s General Manager, Anthony Westman, said speaking with local teachers had opened his eyes to the literacy challenge facing local schools.

“Our aim is to make a significant contribution to the quality of life in our local community. To really live our vision, we felt we needed to make a contribution that would have a positive impact on the future of our community. We see that future in the hands of our children”, said Mr Westman.

“This technology has the potential to make a tremendous impact on the lives of so many children in our region”, he said.

The Westport Club’s Write To Read initiative also has the endorsement of ClubsNSW who themselves have financially contributed to the implementation of the software and teacher training in the local region.

CEO of ClubsNSW David Costello said ClubsNSW was introduced to the technology by The Westport Club in February.

“We immediately recognised its potential to be life changing for students who suffer a learning disability. By endorsing and helping fund the program, we hope to encourage other clubs to fund the installation of the technology into schools across NSW,” he said.

The technology has been designed by Quantum Technology. It automatically converts text into speech, enabling students to listen to their books, assignments and tests; and as each word is spoken it is also highlighted on screen so students can follow along, improving both their reading and listening skills.

The launch of “The Write To Read” program will take place at The Westport Club, at 10am on Monday 7 June 2010. The launch will be followed by visits from 11am to Westport High School to view the technology and meet the students who will benefit from this initiative.