Celebrity: Whoopi Goldberg Disability: DyslexiaAssistive Device used: Wizcom Reading Pen

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Whoopi Goldberg Background History Whoopi Goldberg was born in the Chelsea section of Manhattan in 1955 as

Caryn Elaine Johnson. She worked in a funeral parlor and as a bricklayer while taking small parts on Broadway. She moved to California and worked with improv groups, including Spontaneous Combustion, and developed her skills as a stand-up comedienne. She came to prominence doing an HBO special and a one-woman show as Moms Mabley. She has been known in her prosperous career as a unique and socially conscious talent with articulately liberal views. Among her boyfriends were Ted Danson and Frank Langella. She was married three times and was once addicted to drugs.

Whoopi Goldberg first came to prominence with her starring role in The Color Purple (1985). She received much critical acclaim, and an Oscar nomination for her role and became a major star as a result. Subsequent efforts in the late 1980s were, at best, marginal hits. These movies mostly were off-beat to formulaic comedies like Burglar (1987), The Telephone (1988), and Jumping' Jack Flash (1986). Goldberg made her mark as a household name and a mainstay in Hollywood for her Oscar-winning role in the box office smash Ghost (1990). Whoopi Goldberg was at her most famous in the early 1990s, making regular appearances on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987). MORE

Whoopi Goldberg Continuation Goldberg received another smash hit role in Sister Act (1992). Her fish-out-of-water

with some flash seemed to resonate with audiences and was a box office smash. Whoopi starred in some highly publicized and moderately successful comedies of this time, including Made in America (1993) and Soapdish (1991). Goldberg followed up to her success with Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993), which was well-received but didn't seem to match up to the first.

As the late 1990s approached, Goldberg seemed to alternate between lead roles in straight comedies such as Eddie (1996) and The Associate (1996), and took supporting parts in more independent minded movies such as The Deep End of the Ocean (1999) and How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998). Goldberg never forgot where she came from, hosting many tributes to other legendary entertainment figures. Her most recent movies include Rat Race (2001) and the quietly received Kingdom Come (2001/I). Goldberg contributes her voice to many cartoons, including The Pagemaster (1994) and "Captain Planet and the Planeteers" (1990), as Gaia, the voice of the earth. Alternating between big-budget movies, independent movies, tributes, documentaries, and even TV movies (including Theodore Rex (1995)).

Whoopi Goldberg is accredited as a truly unique and visible talent in Hollywood. Perhaps she will always be remembered as well for Comic Relief, playing an integral part in almost every benefit concert they had. Currently Whoopi Goldberg is the center square in "Hollywood Squares" (1998) and frequently hosts the Academy Awards. She also is an author, with the book "Book."

Whoopi Goldberg’s Disability Dyslexia is a learning disability that impacts a person's

ability to read. It can cause a great deal of difficulty in school. Many people, however, have dyslexia but have created extremely successful lives for themselves. Whoopi Goldberg is one of those people.

Whoopi had a lot of difficulty in school, but it was not until she was an adult she was diagnosed with dyslexia and actually learned about. When Whoopi was growing up, she remembers being called dumb and stupid because she had a lot of problems reading. It was clear to her teachers and family that she was neither slow nor dumb, but had some problem that had not yet been well defined.

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Whoopi Goldberg’s Disability Cont’. Despite Whoopi Goldberg’s dyslexia, she has gone on

to have a successful film and television career.

Whoopi’s perseverance and determination are an indication that dyslexia, while certainly troublesome, is certainly not a deterrent or a reason to believe you cannot be successful. Whoopi, along with many other famous and successful people are living proof that dyslexia (and other learning disabilities) is a bump in the road and can be difficult to live with. Success, however, comes from determination, perseverance and hard work.

Assistive Technology for Dyslexia used by Whoopi Goldberg

*Wizcom Reading Pen* This assistive technology device for Dyslexia can help users read more independently. The

Reading pen by Wizcom Technologies is a well made scanning device that converts text into voice output. With practice, the pen is a helpful assistive technology device for people with dyslexia and other learning disabilities in reading.

The reading pen is a hand-held scanning device measuring 6.4" x 1.5" x 1" and weighing 3 ounces without batteries.

The product is UL listed and is an FCC class B device with 192KB RAM and 8MB ROM.

The display is a monochromatic image with 122 x 32 pixel resolution. The device has a digital voice output and can read words, phrases, and

sentences. The Reading pen comes in k-12 and advanced editions. The device comes with ear buds for privacy. The Reading pen can be programmed for left or right-handed

users. The pen reads words and sentences in an electronically

generated voice. The Reading pen and ear buds are well made. MORE

Assistive Technology for Dyslexia used by Whoopi Goldberg *Wizcom Reading Pen

Cont’* This assistive technology device for Dyslexia is a good resource to help

children and adults access reading materials they might not otherwise be able to read. The Reading pen scans text and converts it into voice output. The Reading pen and accompanying ear buds are well made. With practice, this assistive technology device works very well. The pen comes in a K-12 version and an advanced version suitable for high school, post-secondary, career, or leisure reading. The Reading pen gives users unlimited access to reading materials at home, school, and on the job. With this product, users no longer need to wait for audio or digital versions of books and can access practically any book in any library, newspapers, and magazines.

The Reading pen uses two standard AAA batteries and comes with a protective case. The device has a built in speaker or may be used with the ear buds. The pen has a digital display that allows the user to choose what function to use and displays text being read. The pen includes digital dictionary, thesaurus, functions and can:

Read whole words and phrases; Spell words; Give readers the definition of words; Provide synonyms for words; and Translate words to from Spanish to English or English to Spanish, making it a

helpful tool for Spanish-speaking English as a Second Language students.

Project 4 - Pick a Celebrity

Erica WhiteNovember 8, 2009

EDUC 674Professor Klein