e-Spindle Learning Wins Parents' Choice Award for Online Spelling Tutor

eSpindle Learning , a Wizzard customer, received a Parents' Choice Award for its customized spelling and vocabulary tutoring Web site, www.eSpindle.org.  eSpindle uses Wizzard's offering of AT&T Natural Voices as the text-to-speech engine behind their educational tool. 

The award was presented by the Parents' Choice Foundation (PCF), a not-for-profit evaluator of children's media and toys. Panels of educators, scientists, performing artists, librarians, parents and, yes, kids themselves, identify the very best products for inclusion in the selective award program of the 28-year-old foundation.  Fewer than 15 percent of those items submitted to the Parents' Choice Awards program receive a commendation.

Based in Sebastopol, Calif., eSpindle Learning is an educational nonprofit organization providing tutoring support in English spelling through online technology. Described by the PCF as a "spelling universe," eSpindle.org offers a database of more than 95,000 words. eSpindle.org allows users to specify personal goals and skill levels to achieve results by building their spelling and vocabulary skills.  The Web site also offers a custom module that allows members to prepare for the National Spelling Bee.

Powered by AT&T's Natural Voices speech engine, each word is presented with an audio file, providing definition and sample sentences in a voice with links to online resources. Each member has a database profile that monitors which words are already mastered and repeats those that need practice until they are reliably learned, all the while tracking work accomplished.

"eSpindle's online spelling tutor was only possible with the cost-effective licensing and generous technical support offered by Wizzard Software," said Rosevita Warda, president and founder of eSpindle Learning. "Using TTS technology was key to creating a program that is based on a 95,000-word database, and to enhancing many of these entries with spoken-sample sentences. From our very beginnings, the knowledgeable team at Wizzard Software has shared our vision and been an exemplary technology provider."