Teachers' Institute for Special Education

At Teacher’s Institute for Special Education, we direct our focus on helping those with disabilities learn keyboarding and typing.  More than ever, today’s world places an emphasis on keyboarding skills.  From the classroom to the job market, knowing one’s way around a keyboard is generally an expected skill.

Our programs are specific and targeted. For example, for individuals who have difficulty in reading, the Dyslexic Edition speaks with a REAL HUMAN VOICE on all the instructions and typing lessons.  The Visually Limited program has voice as well as extra large fonts, making reading easier for those who cannot see as well.  Every one of our programs carries features that are specific to the circumstance being taught.

Our lessons are interactive, and build upon what is already learned. This greatly reduces frustration levels, while ensuring maximum retention of the information.  We’re also very sensitive to a student’s dignity – you won’t find “TYPING FOR THE LEARNING DISABLED” (or similar) on the package for the student to read.

Lastly, we’d like to mention that we listen to the needs of our clients.  Our programs are not limited by what you see here.  We can develop a touch-typing program for any special circumstance you need addressed.  In fact, many of the programs we now offer came about because someone asked for it once.

In the early 1960’s, Jack Heller (B.S., M.S.), a special education teacher with 35 years experience, saw the need for a course that would teach touch-typing to students with physical handicaps.  His research and development led to his book, “Typing for the Physically Handicapped,” previously published by McGraw-Hill.

In 1984, Mr. Heller’s nephew, Gary Byowitz, joined his uncle and began writing software programs that would allow students to interactively learn the lessons using computer keyboards.  The software program he developed is known today as “Keyboarding for the Physically Handicapped” – and includes lessons for 20 different hand abilities.

The two continued their work together and soon modified and improved the programs to include children who have dyslexia or other learning challenges.  The course, “Keyboarding for Individual Achievement” was adapted from “Typing for Individual Achievement” and includes versions for the learning disabled, the dyslexic, and the visually limited.

Recently, Mr. Byowitz wrote a keyboarding software program especially for bilingual (Spanish/English) students adapted from "How to Master Touch Typing Step-by-Step".

Each keyboarding software program is designed to honor Jack Heller’s commitment to maintain a student’s dignity.  All programs can be customized for individual needs.