KidsVoyager Online Is A Sophisticated Program, With A Combination Of Features (Below) That Allows Your Pre-Reading Or Early Reading Child To Easily And Safely Explore Topics Of Interest, Gain Expansive Knowledge, And Learn To Read And Spell In The Process.

• Phonic Engine Technology - KidsVoyager Online incorporates patented Phonic Engine Technology. Through the use of Talking Phonics Icons (Talking Letters, Talking Phonemes, Talking Words) any one of over 10,000 root words can be "spelled" in as little as 5 mouse clicks. The words can be used for searching, story writing, and other activities. Phonic Engine Technology merges research-proven methods to teach reading and spelling, namely: phonemic awareness training, phonics training and vocabulary enrichment. In combination with KidsVoyager Online's other talking features, these methods may be utilized in the combination best suited for a particular individual. Children as young as 4 or 5 are able to use Phonic Engine Technology.
• Hands-On Learning - Unlike other methods, learning is completely hands-on. For example, you don't simply learn that C can make the sound /k/ and then look at words that begin with C. Instead, you click on the letter C, and see and hear all the sounds it can make. And you don't simply learn the sounds it can make, you use the sounds it can make as automated tools to spell words. And then, you don't just simply learn the words, but you use the words as tools to conduct a search, write a story, and more. So your child is not just learning phonics abstractly, for example, but actually "playing" with it to build things.
• Sound Enabled Application - Every single button, icon, caption, and all textual information in KidsVoyager speaks when the mouse is placed over it. And stops when the mouse is moved away. Text that relates to the pronunciations of letters of the alphabet and phonemes (the sounds made by letters) employ human voice. Other text employs text-to-speech.
• Web Navigation By Ear
  • When the mouse is placed over text on a Web page, it is spoken. KidsVoyager is able to distinguish between paragraphs, bold text, italicized text, links, etc., and speak only what is expected.
  • When the mouse is moved away from text, speaking immediately stops. This mimics the adult behavior of looking at text, and looking away from it.
  • If the mouse is inadvertently moved away, clicking on the Web page background causes it to resume where it left off.
  • When the mouse is clicked on a word, the word is pronounced.
  • KidsVoyager Online may be set so that when the mouse is double clicked on a word, a dictionary, kids' search engine, or other Web page opens in a new KidsVoyager browser window, with the double-clicked word already filled in the search box.
  • Any desired selection of text can be spoken by simply dragging the mouse over it, which highlights it. When the mouse button is released, the text is spoken.
  • An entire Web page may be spoken by pressing a "Speak" button.
• Profiles - Up to 5 profiles may be set up for each KidsVoyager Account. A profile consists of a user name, password, special greeting to be spoken on program launch (if desired), and parental controls. The profiles are stored on your computer, so the user name may be any name you choose, such as your child's name or nickname.
• Parental Controls - KidsVoyager parental controls allow you to "fence off" any piece of the Web you choose. In essence, you can create your own private Web. For example, you may set up a trusted kids' search engine as your child's home page. Most kids' search engines use human screening for sites to which they link. Depending on your preference, you may set a "browse boundary" around the home page. This boundary can include only the home page; Web sites to which the home page links, etc. A visual indicator shows the distance from this boundary. Beyond the boundary, access will be denied.
• Animated StoryWriter - The KidsVoyager Animated StoryWriter is a Web-based activity designed to be used with KidsVoyager Online. It allows your child to create animated talking stories, which can then be played back. The stories may be composed using Phonic Engine Spelling, conventional spelling, or special word buttons.
• Animated LessonPlanner - The KidsVoyager Animated LessonPlanner may be used for setting up KidsVoyager Animated StoryWriter to achieve specific goals. There are a number of lessons provided, and you may also input your own. Examples of skills taught by the ones provided include:
  • categories
  • comprehension of where things go
  • different verb forms
  • irregular past tense
  • multiple meanings (looking at context to understand a word's meaning)
  • past tense
  • phonemic awareness
  • prepositions
  • semantics (i.e. what makes sense and what doesn't make sense)
  • sentence structure
  • sequencing events/sequencing vocabulary
  • spacial concepts
  • syntax
  • vocabulary (and vocabulary subsets)