RE: Cognition

Bruce wrote:

>There are no representative pictures for the links to the various
>picture books!  This omission is tragic!  This means that non-readers who
>find their way to a book they like will have a heck of time finding their
>way there again (on another day)!  (Assuming that they have this IPL
>picture book page indexed in some usable way.)

Regarding: http://www.ipl.org/cgi-bin/youth/youth.out.pl?sub=rzn2000


I didn't suggest that website for the purpose of providing an exemplar for the
use of images to strongly support meaning or to replace text.  I understood
that Anne was looking for kid appropriate stories and content for a home
schooling task.  One of the great features of a web page is that it can be
saved then altered for one's own purposes when used for learning.  Educators
are catching on to the fact that the web page content is malleable.

You still need to buy a book or CD-ROM to get the very best of children's
literature with images that strongly support meaning and intended affect.  I
expect that will be true till there is full agreement on issues of commerce,
security and content preparation by the eBook standards group.  Then, the most
current and high quality content will have to be paid for by the consumer.

By the way, images are just one alternative form of information for
non-readers.  Talking browsers with synchronized highlighting provide support
for children and adults who cannot read as well.  The hard work is ahead.  How
do you provide support that will encourage kids to read on their own when they
can but provide text-to-speech support when they cannot?  We have been working
on this problem but have much to do to accomplish what Al Gilman described as
"even strain".

Chuck

Received on Tuesday, 3 August 1999 14:38:35 UTC