SBIR-STTR Award

The objective of this proposed effort is to establish the feasibility of merging the capabilities of handwriting recognition algorithms with user interactive tutorial software. Present handwriting recognition programs are effective in conversion of human writing into text based information immediately usable by computer applications. In addition, recent studies indicate that the use of advanced computer technologies in instruction can have significant educational and economic advantages over conventional approaches. However, the application of computer based training to the teaching of handwriting will require the evaluation and ranking of handwritten characters and words subsequent to their recognition. The Phase I effort will discover the optimal fashion with which these technologies can be synergistically combined to construct a "personal penmanship tutor" - custom tailored to the individual child's needs. This effort entails both hardware adaptation and software development specifically for individuals with learning/motor disabilities. The capabilities and proven track record of Mandala personnel in developing both handwriting recognition programs and education related software will result in efficient generation of a proof-of-feasibility software demonstration and a report addressing the scope, design, and implementation issues and benefits of the overall system.Anticipated Results/

Potential Commercial Applications:
The anticipated results for Phase I will be discovery of the best methods for determining the deficiencies in handwritten characters and words. This will culminate in the design and prototype of a pen-based computer entry device merged with handwriting recognition and user interactive tutorial software. In Phase II, a system will be fully implemented for the teaching of penmanship to learning/motor disabled children in kindergarten through the primary grades. This system, once developed can be used in both public and private institutions to address the problem of inadequate handwriting skills in all children.

Mandala Sciences, Inc. (MSI) is developing personal computer-based education tools for use by elementary school students to learn and practice handwriting skills. The MSI approach uses a proprietary methodology which has the innovative ability to evaluate handwriting based on criteria established by the widespread D'Nealian handwriting pedagogics. Phase II development will construct a "personal penmanship tutor" which can be custom tailored to the individual needs of a child with a leanung/motor disability and support both self-paced and home-based study. MSI collaborated with Mr. Donald Neal Thurber, creator of D'Nealian, during Phase I to discover the optimal means to synergistically combine the handwriting recognition technology of Dr. M. Shridhar with user interactive tutorial software. Evaluation of the Phase I system by teachers at Mary Immaculate School showed the power of this multimedia system to attract and hold the attention of learning disabled students, and that their learning does carry over into daily work. Phase II research will generalize the product by expanding coverage to upper and lower case letters and whole words for both manuscript and cursive. MSI will also build on the sound and video power of the system by incorporating text-to-speech features to teach spelling and phonics.

Anticipated Results/Potential Commercial Applications of Research:
:Successful performance during Phase I resulted in a fully working prototype Pen-Based Interactive Teaching of Handwriting (PITH) system. PITH instructs a student in the correct posture and hand position for writing, teaches a student how to grip their pen, and provides demonstrations on how to correctly write the first 7 letters of the D'Nealian handwriting system. Encouragement or positive feedback is provided by specific computer generated comments about letter quality. Incentive for diligent progress is provided via direct reward with audio sound effects. By building on these results in Phase II, the PITH system will have the ability to teach D'Nealian penmanship for all manuscript and cursive upper and lower case alphabets and numerals. While PITH was originally developed for learning/motor disabled children in K-3, recent apperception of inadequate handwriting skills in all children make the entirety of public and private primary schools a receptive market towards adoption of the future PITH system.