When I was younger I barely read at all. I did not learn to read on my own until the late age of ten. Reading was so difficult that the only way I could finish a book for school or for fun was if my mom were to read it to me or if she could find the book on tape. I was extremely lucky to have such a patient and supportive mother. If we could not a find a certain book, my mom would sometimes stay up all night reading the book into a tape recorder so that she could make me my own book on tape.  Listening to books on tape was the only time that I really enjoyed reading. As I got older, the books I needed to read were no longer on tape and my mother was too old to stay up all night to record them.  She tried to get me to use Kurzweil. When this did not work she got me the PlexTalk. I found neither of these technologies very helpful and for a while I stopped reading all together.

It was not until I got the ClassMate that my faith was restored in assistive technology. The ClassMate gives me the same sense of freedom that I used get from my books recorded on tape. It makes reading almost enjoyable. Reading will never be easy for me but at least now it is doable. I now read to relax instead of watching TV. I even read every night before I go to bed, which is something I have never done in my entire life.

 

Christina Rosetti

October 18, 2008