Tenbury Wells Advertiser, 29 November 2007 by Sophie Bignall
Communication is the key for the Tenbury charity set to offer a ray of hope by offering the latest voice recognition technology to young people with dyslexia and those with limited literacy.

Speaks Volumes held a successful seminar this month in the town with guest speaker Tom West, Director of the Krasnow Institute, Washing, a dyslexia specialist who showed a DVD of successful people who have overcome dyslexia to become millionaires and billionaires.

Chairman Iris Harrison said: 'I heard that the voice recognition technology was being used by the MoD so I rang them to get more information.

'They claimed that it would not be any good for people with literacy problems but there has since been a number of cases where young people who previously could not read are now successfully studying at university with the aid of the technology.'

Treasurer Joyce Lawson explained that the technology enabled young people to speak into a microphone attached to their computer.

It would be read back to them so they could complete their coursework without having to take notes.

'Already, Speaks Volumes has made a positive impact and the more funds that we can get, the more we can help. We want to make the technology available for people who could not otherwise afford it,' said Mrs Lawson.

The founders, who have all had countless personal experiences via family and friends, were prompted to take action and form the charity.

The organisation also offers telephone information and advice to people disadvantaged by literacy problems, including asphasia, dysphasia, autism or Asperger's Syndrome and communication impairment, using a wide variety of technology including voice recognition systems.

Mrs Harrison, from Tenbury, is a long term campaigner for better facilities and education for those with literacy problems. She also founded Education Otherwise nearly three decades ago.

The UK based membership organisation provides support and information for families whose children are being educed outside school, and for those who wish to uphold the freedom of families to take proper responsibility for the education of their children.

For more details on Speaks Volumes, contact Iris or Joyce here or here

On 7 November 2007, Thomas G West, author of In the Mind's Eye and Thinking Like Einstein gave a presentation to the trustees and supporters of Speaks Volumes which was also attended by some of those that Speaks Volumes has already helped and some who we hope to help in the future. He was in England giving presentations at the Symposium on Dyslexia at Salford University.

His presentation to us included reminiscences of how he had helped

visual thinkers, of the experiences and achievements of visual thinkers as well as discussion on how we might all help those who have difficulty, for whatever reason, in reading and writing.

The presentation also included presentations from Geoff Harrison on some of the technology available to those who have difficulty with literacy.

The organisers of the presentation from left to right: Geoff Harrison, Amanda Salmon, Tom West, Iris Harrison, Jacqui Houlding and Joyce Lawson.