Type to Learn 4: Agents of Information (Home Version)

We were using another highly rated typing program, and my kids, who used to be in a public school, requested that I research and purchase this one. They had previously used it while in public school, and this is the only item from public school that they wished to replicate while at home. I have two very different types of learners to work with, and they have different needs; it is rare that I can find one product that works well for both. I have one older (logic stage/middle school) child who is ready to be a little more independent and from whom I can expect more in terms of editing and reworking his writing assignment, and one younger, grammar stage/elementary age child with dysgraphia, who will benefit from being able to type so that he can get his thoughts out more efficiently when writing, without the dysgraphia barrier barring his thoughts from making it to paper.I read about this program quite a bit, and decided to give it a try. It is available in several formats, including web-based; I am reviewing the CD version that is licensed for one computer, one household, multiple users, and we are using it on a PC with Windows 7. Unlike other reviewers, we have had zero problems with installation or crashing.We love this program at our house, and I am very glad I listened when my kids asked me to check it out. A fast typist myself, I have even used it to improve my accuracy and precision, and found a level where the program can challenge me, yet my younger, elementary son can also use it as well. My logic-stage child just adores it. The games and drills make typing practice really fun, but they aren't "fluff," they are legitimate typing drills, and the reminders that pop up remind the user of correct ergonomics and posture that affect both typing and long-term back and wrist health when using keyboards. When succeeding at a drill, the student is rewarded with interesting "did you know" type facts instead of dancing bears and video clips. The kids can customize some of the environment by changing the coaches' voice, the color of their badge, etc. The parent can input some custom content (think spelling words, history or science lesson keywords . . .).The pre-test does a decent job at starting the student at an appropriate level of difficulty and knowledge. Younger students may find the pre-test a bit long to get through at first, and will probably benefit from adult support, as well as some supervision to ensure they are truly using the home keys properly instead of hunting and pecking-- no computer can adequately supplant human supervision!Judging from my kids' reactions, the program does a good job at being motivational, increasing difficulty levels at an appropriate pace, and remaining interesting. I do mix it up-- I alternate program days with days of having them retype short passages of their own writing and learning to edit using standard word processing software. I think the key to any typing program is frequency of use.Yes, there are free typing programs available, but given the overall quality of the different elements of this program, I have to rate this one a definite buy. This is also an item where the Amazon implementation and pricing of the program are an excellent choice. Unlike other purchasing options, this one does not require extra licenses to be purchased in order to use it with more than once child, however it is limited to one computer installation.

We purchased Type to Learn, despite its non-competitive home pricing, because my 12 year old daughter really liked the TTL product she had used at school and insisted that she would use this voluntarily all summer. In the end, we have made little progress because both of my kids have come to loathe the program, for good reasons. Overall, the product seems to be an overpriced afterthought by a company that caters primarily to the large-scale educational market, and is not particularly interested in serving home users.See below for the detailed comments I submitted to TTL product support:Things the kids dislike: 1) All or nothing structure that makes it easy to get stuck on a particular game or test. 2) Forced repeat from the beginning with single errors in some of the games/tests. 3) Inability to advance without completing all the games. I have been typing them through sticking points, just to ease the frustration. Both my 9 year old boy and my mature 12 year old girl have been repeatedly reduced to tears by the unforgiving structure. 4) They find the plot and narration annoying and anxiety provoking, rather than fun. We have turned off the audio component to reduce the stress.Things I dislike: 1) In Mac OSX.6, we were unable to run TTL4 in the children's non-admin profiles. Tech support offered to help with this, but it was not worth the time it would take to sort it out. I worked around the issue by creating multiple users under my own admin profile, and logging them in each time. (So much for the fantasy of this being a game they would play on their own initiative, w/out my intervention.) 2) TTL4 takes over the desktop in a way that circumvents autoswitching between programs or automatic sleep settings. 3) Reviews of this product suggested that it gave instruction in and structurally encouraged good ergonomic practices. We have found no such thing so far, unless it is buried deep within the annoying, superfluous narration that my children now just skip. 4) All of the things my children dislike. While there's not a lot that can be done about the plot, it should be easy to introduce settings that allow different standards for progressing through the game. I understand the skill-building reasoning behind the structure of this game, but it is very poorly executed. Minor lapses amount to "failures" that are convincing my kids that typing is impossible. The program does not allow for developmental issues that mean some people will necessarily fudge some aspects of keyboarding. My children both have lax joints in their hands, which makes both writing and keyboard work painful -- thus my interest in the reputed ergonomic superiority of Type to Learn. The program instead punishes them for attempting to work around their issues. After a month of fighting to make this work, we are giving up and trying a different program. I would like a refund.