Diagnostic system and method for phonological awareness, phonological processing, and reading skill testing

• US 20040175679A1
• Filed: 11/14/2003
• Published: 09/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cognitive Concepts, Inc. (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Co. (Private Equity))
• Original Assignee: Cognitive Concepts, Inc. (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Co. (Private Equity))
• Inventors: Morrison, Andrew, Lai, Feng-Qi, Wasowicz, Janet
• Application Number:
  US10/713,695
• Publication Number:
  US 20040175679A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/178
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 17/006 with audible presentation of the material to be studied audio and audio-visual teaching apparatus in general G09B5/04, G09B5/06
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/04 with audible presentation of the material to be studied sound recording or reproducing G11B

Abstract

A diagnostic system and method for evaluating one or more phonological awareness, phonological processing and reading skills of an individual to detect phonological awareness, phonological processing and reading skill deficiencies in the individual so that the risk of developing a reading deficiency is reduced and existing reading deficiencies are remediated. The system may use graphical games to test the individual'"'"'s ability in a plurality of different phonological awareness, phonological processing and reading skills. The system may use speech recognition technology to interact with the games. The system may include a module for providing motivation to a user of the system being tested.

Claims

1. A computer implemented system for testing one or more skills associated with the reading skills of an individual, comprising:

a portable media disk storing instructions for one or more tests for determining deficiencies in one or more reading and pre-reading skills and for a scorer for determining a score for each test;

a teacher station into which the portable media is inserted wherein the teacher station executes the instructions on the portable media to test one or more skills; and

a student computer comprising means for displaying at least one of a graphical image and audio associated with each test based on the instructions on the portable media, means for receiving a user response to one of the graphical images and audio presented by each test and means for communicating the responses for each test back to the teacher station.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the teacher station further comprises a recommender for recommending, based on the scores of the one or more tests, one or more training modules for improving a reading or pre-reading skill of the individual as indicated by the score of the tests.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the teacher station further comprises a questionnaire having one or more questions for eliciting information about risk factors associated with language-based learning disabilities.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the information comprises historical data about reading-related risk factors including one or more of medical conditions including chronic otitis media, family history data including history of dyslexia, environmental data including socioeconomic status and exposure to literacy at home and observational data about an individual'"'"'s behaviors reflecting competencies in speech sound awareness.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the user input device of the one or more client computers comprise a speech recognition device for receiving a verbal response from the user to the one or more tests.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more tests comprise a rhyme recognition test for testing the ability to recognize rhymes, a rhyme generation test for testing the ability to generate rhymes, a beginning and ending sound recognizer for testing the ability to recognize the beginning and ending sounds of a word, a word decoder test for testing the ability to read by sounding out a written word, a sound blender test for testing the ability to blend sound units together to form words, a sound segmenting test for testing the ability to segment a sound unit into smaller sound units, a sound manipulator test for testing the ability to manipulate sound units to form a new unit, a sequential verbal recall test for testing the ability to recall a sequence of spoken items, a rapid naming test for testing the ability to rapidly name one or more items, a letter naming and symbol/sound association test for testing the ability to name letters and identify the association between a symbol and an associated sound, and a fluent reader test for testing the ability to read fluently.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the tests further comprise a rhyme recognition test further comprising means for providing at least two stimuli to the user and means for receiving user input in response to the at least two stimuli to determine the user'"'"'s ability to recognize rhyming words.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the tests further comprise a test for recognizing the beginning sound of a stimulus, the test comprising means for generating at least one stimulus having at least an initial phoneme and means for receiving a response to the stimulus that indicates an ability of the test taker to recognize the initial phoneme of the stimulus.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the tests further comprise a test for recognizing the ending sound of a stimulus, the test comprising means for generating at least one stimulus having at least an ending phoneme and means for receiving a response to the stimulus that indicates an ability of the test taker to recognize the ending phoneme of the stimulus.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the tests further comprise a rhyme generation test comprising means for generating a stimulus and means for receiving a response from the user identifying a sound unit that rhymes with the stimulus.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the tests further comprise a sound blender test comprising means for generating at least two sound stimuli and means for receiving a user response to the at least two sound stimuli, the response indicating an ability to blend the at least two sound stimuli into a larger sound unit.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the tests further comprise a sound segmentation test comprising means for generating at least one stimulus and means for receiving a response to the stimulus comprising means for segmenting the stimulus into smaller units in order to test the ability to segment the stimulus into smaller units.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the tests comprise a sound manipulation test comprising means for generating a sound stimulus having one or more sound units and means, in response to the sound stimulus, for manipulating the sound units of the sound stimulus to test the ability to manipulate sound units.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the tests further comprise a verbal recall test comprising means for generating at least one sound stimulus and means, in response to the at least one sound stimulus, for receiving a user response indicating the recalling of the at least one sound stimulus.

15. The system of claim 5 further comprising means for speaking a verbal response into the speech recognition device for receiving a verbal response from the user.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the tests further comprise a naming test comprising means for generating at least one visual stimulus and means, in response to the display of the visual stimulus, for speaking the name of or the sound associated with the visual stimulus using the speech recognition device.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the tests further comprise a word decoder test comprising means for displaying a visual stimulus to the user and means, in response to the visual stimulus, for receiving a response from the user to determine the ability to read the visual stimulus.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the tests further comprise a fluency test comprising means for generating a plurality of visual stimuli and means for receiving a user'"'"'s response to the visual stimuli within a predetermined time interval to determine the user'"'"'s ability to read and understand the visual stimuli.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein the instructions on the portable media further comprises means for motivating the user to complete the tests.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the motivation means further comprises means for generating a graphical image and an associated sound to motivate the user to complete the tests.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the motivation means further comprises means for generating the graphical image and associated sound after a first predetermined number of tests are completed and means for generating another graphical image and associated sound after a second predetermined number of tests are completed.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the generating means further comprises means for generating a graphical image indicating the number of tests remaining to be completed.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the motivation means further comprises means for generating the graphical image and associated sound after a third predetermined number of tests.

24. The system of claim 2, wherein the recommender further comprises means for downloading the recommended training module from the teacher station to the student computer.

25. The system of claim 2, wherein the recommender further comprises means for storing the incorrect responses to the one or more tests and means for generating a training module recommendation based on the incorrect responses.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the recommender further comprises means for comparing each incorrect response to one or more error measures to identify an error associated with each incorrect response and means for generating a training module recommendation based on the identified error.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the comparing means further comprises means for identifying one or more errors for each incorrect response.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the recommender further comprises means for identifying a deficient skill by comparing the identified error to a deficient skill rule and means for generating a training module recommendation based on the identified deficient skill.

29. The system of claim 1, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for dynamically generating one or more data reports that illustrate the data associated with the one or more tests.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the data reports further comprises means for displaying the test results simultaneously for one or more students.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the displaying means further comprises means for displaying the percentage of correct responses for a test.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the displaying means further comprises means for displaying the results for one or more different tests for each user wherein the results for each test are displayed in a different color.

33. The system of claim 29, wherein the data report generator further comprises a user interface for browsing other test data for a user.

34. The system of claim 29, wherein the data report generator further comprises means for determining the number of user test results shown.

35. The system of claim 29, wherein the data report generator further comprises means for permitting the user to select a data report print format.

36. The system of claim 29, wherein the data report generator further comprises means for permitting the user to select a data report display format.

37. The system of claim 29, wherein the data report generator further comprises means for generating a data report for one or more students in a class, means for generating a data report for one or more classes each having one or more students and means for generating a data report for a school having one or more classes.

38. The system of claim 1, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for communicating the response for each test for each student back to the server computer.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for detecting a break in the communication between the teacher station and the server computer and means for resending any test data that was not sent due to the communications break.

40. The system of claim 1, wherein each student computer further comprises means for connecting to the teacher station and means for downloading the resources necessary to execute the current test when the test is started.

41. The system of claim 1, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for generating a classroom layout showing an icon for each student computer.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for monitoring each student'"'"'s test progress and controlling each student computer.

43. The system of claim 41, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for collecting student test data.

44. The system of claim 41, wherein generating the layout further comprises means for coloring each icon depending on the state of testing for the particular student computer.

45. The system of claim 1, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for generating one or more separate accounts for the diagnostic system, wherein the accounts include a lead teacher for managing the use of the diagnostic system by one or more classroom teachers in a particular school and one or more classroom teachers who each administer the diagnostic testing for a particular class of students.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for each lead teacher to register one or more classroom teachers who administer the test and means for each classroom teacher to register one or more students who are taking the test.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the lead teacher has access to testing data for the entire school and each classroom teacher has access to testing data for the students in the class of the classroom teacher.

48. A portable media product having one or more instructions for implementing a computer implemented system for testing one or more skills associated with the reading skills of an individual, the portable media product comprising:

instructions for one or more tests for determining deficiencies in one or more reading and pre-reading skills;

instructions for determining a score for each test;

instructions that cause a student computer to display at least one of a graphical image and audio associated with each test;

instructions that receive a user response to one of the graphical images and audio presented by each test; and

instructions that communicate the test data to a computer that is executing the instructions of the portable media product.

49. The portable media product of claim 48 further comprising instructions for recommending, based on the scores of the one or more tests, one or more training modules for improving a reading or pre-reading skill of the individual as indicated by the score of the tests.

50. The portable media product of claim 48 further comprising instructions for generating a questionnaire having one or more questions for eliciting information about risk factors associated with language-based learning disabilities.

51. The portable media product of claim 50, wherein the information comprises historical data about reading-related risk factors including one or more of medical conditions including chronic otitis media, family history data including history of dyslexia, environmental data including socioeconomic status and exposure to literacy at home and observational data about an individual'"'"'s behaviors reflecting competencies in speech sound awareness.

52. The portable media product of claim 48 further comprising instructions for receiving a verbal response from the user to the one or more tests using speed recognition.

53. The portable media product of claim 48 further comprising instructions to generate one or more tests comprising a rhyme recognition test for testing the ability to recognize rhymes, a rhyme generation test for testing the ability to generate rhymes, a beginning and ending sound recognizer for testing the ability to recognize the beginning and ending sounds of a word, a word decoder test for testing the ability to read by sounding out a written word, a sound blender test for testing the ability to blend sound units together to form words, a sound segmenting test for testing the ability to segment a sound unit into smaller sound units, a sound manipulator test for testing the ability to manipulate sound units to form a new unit, a sequential verbal recall test for testing the ability to recall a sequence of spoken items, a rapid naming test for testing the ability to rapidly name one or more items, a letter naming and symbol/sound association test for testing the ability to name letters and identify the association between a symbol and an associated sound, and a fluent reader test for testing the ability to read fluently.

54. The portable media product of claim 48, wherein the tests further comprise a rhyme recognition test further comprising instructions for providing at least two stimuli to the user and instructions for receiving user input in response to the at least two stimuli to determine the user'"'"'s ability to recognize rhyming words.

55. The portable media product of claim 48, wherein the tests further comprise a test for recognizing the beginning sound of a stimulus, the test comprising instructions for generating at least one stimulus having at least an initial phoneme and instructions for receiving a response to the stimulus that indicates an ability of the test taker to recognize the initial phoneme of the stimulus.

56. The portable media product of claim 48, wherein the tests further comprise a test for recognizing the ending sound of a stimulus, the test comprising instructions for generating at least one stimulus having at least an ending phoneme and instructions for receiving a response to the stimulus that indicates an ability of the test taker to recognize the ending phoneme of the stimulus.

57. The portable media product of claim 48, wherein the tests further comprise a rhyme generation test comprising instructions for generating a stimulus and instructions for receiving a response from the user identifying a sound unit that rhymes with the stimulus.

58. The portable media product of claim 48, wherein the tests further comprise a sound blender test comprising instructions for generating at least two sound stimuli and instructions for receiving a user response to the at least two sound stimuli, the response indicating an ability to blend the at least two sound stimuli into a larger sound unit.

59. The portable media product of claim 48, wherein the tests further comprise a sound segmentation test comprising instructions for generating at least one stimulus and instructions for receiving a response to the stimulus comprising instructions for segmenting the stimulus into smaller units in order to test the ability to segment the stimulus into smaller units.

60. The portable media product of claim 48, wherein the tests comprise a sound manipulation test comprising instructions for generating a sound stimulus having one or more sound units and instructions, in response to the sound stimulus, for manipulating the sound units of the sound stimulus to test the ability to manipulate sound units.

61. The portable media product of claim 48, wherein the tests further comprise a verbal recall test comprising instructions for generating at least one sound stimulus and instructions, in response to the at least one sound stimulus, for receiving a user response indicating the recalling of the at least one sound stimulus.

62. The portable media product of claim 52 further comprising instructions for receiving a verbal response from the user into the speech recognition device for receiving a verbal response from the user.

63. The portable media product of claim 48, wherein the tests further comprise a naming test comprising instructions for generating at least one visual stimulus and instructions, in response to the display of the visual stimulus, for speaking the name of or the sound associated with the visual stimulus using the speech recognition device.

64. The portable media product of claim 48, wherein the tests further comprise a word decoder test comprising instructions for displaying a visual stimulus to the user and instructions, in response to the visual stimulus, for receiving a response from the user to determine the ability to read the visual stimulus.

65. The portable media product of claim 48, wherein the tests further comprise a fluency test comprising instructions for generating a plurality of visual stimuli and instructions for receiving a user'"'"'s response to the visual stimuli within a predetermined time interval to determine the user'"'"'s ability to read and understand the visual stimuli.

66. The portable media product of claim 48 further comprising instructions for motivating the user to complete the tests.

67. The portable media product of claim 66, wherein the motivation instructions further comprises instructions for generating a graphical image and an associated sound to motivate the user to complete the tests.

68. The portable media product of claim 67, wherein the motivation instructions further comprises instructions for generating the graphical image and associated sound after a first predetermined number of tests are completed and instructions for generating another graphical image and associated sound after a second predetermined number of tests are completed.

69. The portable media product of claim 68, wherein the generating instructions further comprises instructions for generating a graphical image indicating the number of tests remaining to be completed.

70. The portable media product of claim 68, wherein the motivation instructions further comprises instructions for generating the graphical image and associated sound after a third predetermined number of tests.

71. The portable media product of claim 49, wherein the recommending instructions further comprises instructions for downloading the recommended training module from the teacher station to the student computer.

72. The portable media product of claim 49, wherein the recommender further comprises instructions for storing the incorrect responses to the one or more tests and instructions for generating a training module recommendation based on the incorrect responses.

73. The portable media product of claim 72, wherein the recommender further comprises instructions for comparing each incorrect response to one or more error measures to identify an error associated with each incorrect response and instructions for generating a training module recommendation based on the identified error.

74. The portable media product of claim 73, wherein the comparing instructions further comprises instructions for identifying one or more errors for each incorrect response.

75. The portable media product of claim 73, wherein the recommender further comprises instructions for identifying a deficient skill by comparing the identified error to a deficient skill rule and instructions for generating a training module recommendation based on the identified deficient skill.

76. The portable media product of claim 48, wherein the teacher station further comprises instructions for dynamically generating one or more data reports that illustrate the data associated with the one or more tests.

77. The portable media product of claim 76, wherein the data reports further comprises instructions for displaying the test results simultaneously for one or more students.

78. The portable media product of claim 77, wherein the displaying instructions further comprises instructions for displaying the percentage of correct responses for a test.

79. The portable media product of claim 77, wherein the displaying instructions further comprises instructions for displaying the results for one or more different tests for each user wherein the results for each test are displayed in a different color.

80. The portable media product of claim 76, wherein the data report generator further comprises instructions that generate a user interface for browsing other test data for a user.

81. The portable media product of claim 76, wherein the data report generator further comprises instructions for determining the number of user test results shown.

82. The portable media product of claim 76, wherein the data report generator further comprises instructions for permitting the user to select a data report print format.

83. The portable media product of claim 76, wherein the data report generator further comprises instructions for permitting the user to select a data report display format.

84. The portable media product of claim 76, wherein the data report generator further comprises instructions for generating a data report for one or more students in a class, instructions for generating a data report for one or more classes each having one or more students and instructions for generating a data report for a school having one or more classes.

85. The portable media product of claim 48 further comprises instructions for communicating the response for each test for each student back to the server computer.

86. The portable media product of claim 85 further comprises instructions for detecting a break in the communication between the teacher station and the server computer and instructions for resending any test data that was not sent due to the communications break.

87. The portable media product of claim 48, wherein each student computer further comprises instructions for connecting to the teacher station and instructions for downloading the resources necessary to execute the current test when the test is started.

88. The portable media product of claim 48, wherein the teacher station further comprises instructions for generating a classroom layout showing an icon for each student computer.

89. The portable media product of claim 88, wherein the teacher station further comprises instructions for monitoring each student'"'"'s test progress and controlling each student computer.

90. The portable media product of claim 88, wherein the teacher station further comprises instructions for collecting student test data.

91. The portable media product of claim 88, wherein generating the layout further comprises instructions for coloring each icon depending on the state of testing for the particular student computer.

92. The portable media product of claim 48, wherein the teacher station further comprises instructions for generating one or more separate accounts for the diagnostic system, wherein the accounts include a lead teacher for managing the use of the diagnostic system by one or more classroom teachers in a particular school and one or more classroom teachers who each administer the diagnostic testing for a particular class of students.

93. The portable media product of claim 92, wherein the teacher station further comprises instructions for each lead teacher to register one or more classroom teachers who administer the test and instructions for each classroom teacher to register one or more students who are taking the test.

94. The portable media product of claim 93, wherein the lead teacher has access to testing data for the entire school and each classroom teacher has access to testing data for the students in the class of the classroom teacher.

95. A system for testing one or more skills associated with the reading skills of an individual, comprising:

a server computer comprising one or more tests for determining deficiencies in one or more reading and pre-reading skills, a scorer for determining a score for each test; and

one or more client computers that establish a communications session with the server computer to download the one or more tests from the server computer, each client computer comprising means for displaying at least one of a graphical image and audio associated with each test located on the server, means for receiving a user response to one of the graphical images and audio presented by each test, means for communicating the responses for each test back to the server computer, and means for motivating the user to complete the tests.

96. The system of claim 95, wherein the server computer further comprises a recommender for recommending, based on the scores of the one or more tests, one or more training modules for improving a reading or pre-reading skill of the individual as indicated by the score of the tests.

97. The system of claim 95, wherein the server further comprises a questionnaire having one or more questions for eliciting information about risk factors associated with language-based learning disabilities.

98. The system of claim 97, wherein the information comprises historical data about reading-related risk factors including one or more of medical conditions including chronic otitis media, family history data including history of dyslexia, environmental data including socioeconomic status and exposure to literacy at home and observational data about an individual'"'"'s behaviors reflecting competencies in speech sound awareness.

99. The system of claim 95, wherein the user input device of the one or more client computers comprise a speech recognition device for receiving a verbal response from the user to the one or more tests.

100. The system of claim 95, wherein the one or more tests comprise a rhyme recognition test for testing the ability to recognize rhymes, a rhyme generation test for testing the ability to generate rhymes, a beginning and ending sound recognizer for testing the ability to recognize the beginning and ending sounds of a word, a word decoder test for testing the ability to read by sounding out a written word, a sound blender test for testing the ability to blend sound units together to form words, a sound segmenting test for testing the ability to segment a sound unit into smaller sound units, a sound manipulator test for testing the ability to manipulate sound units to form a new unit, a sequential verbal recall test for testing the ability to recall a sequence of spoken items, a rapid naming test for testing the ability to rapidly name one or more items, a letter naming and symbol/sound association test for testing the ability to name letters and identify the association between a symbol and an associated sound, and a fluent reader test for testing the ability to read fluently.

101. The system of claim 95, wherein the tests further comprise a rhyme recognition test further comprising means for providing at least two stimuli to the user and means for receiving user input in response to the at least two stimuli to determine the user'"'"'s ability to recognize rhyming words.

102. The system of claim 95, wherein the tests further comprise a test for recognizing the beginning sound of a stimulus, the test comprising means for generating at least one stimulus having at least an initial phoneme and means for receiving a response to the stimulus that indicates an ability of the test taker to recognize the initial phoneme of the stimulus.

103. The system of claim 95, wherein the tests further comprise a test for recognizing the ending sound of a stimulus, the test comprising means for generating at least one stimulus having at least an ending phoneme and means for receiving a response to the stimulus that indicates an ability of the test taker to recognize the ending phoneme of the stimulus.

104. The system of claim 95, wherein the tests further comprise a rhyme generation test comprising means for generating a stimulus and means for receiving a response from the user identifying a sound unit that rhymes with the stimulus.

105. The system of claim 95, wherein the tests further comprise a sound blender test comprising means for generating at least two sound stimuli and means for receiving a user response to the at least two sound stimuli, the response indicating an ability to blend the at least two sound stimuli into a larger sound unit.

106. The system of claim 95, wherein the tests further comprise a sound segmentation test comprising means for generating at least one stimulus and means for receiving a response to the stimulus comprising means for segmenting the stimulus into smaller units in order to test the ability to segment the stimulus into smaller units.

107. The system of claim 95, wherein the tests comprise a sound manipulation test comprising means for generating a sound stimulus having one or more sound units and means, in response to the sound stimulus, for manipulating the sound units of the sound stimulus to test the ability to manipulate sound units.

108. The system of claim 95, wherein the tests further comprise a verbal recall test comprising means for generating at least one sound stimulus and means, in response to the at least one sound stimulus, for receiving a user response indicating the recalling of the at least one sound stimulus.

109. The system of claim 99 further comprising means for speaking a verbal response into the speech recognition device for receiving a verbal response from the user.

110. The system of claim 95, wherein the tests further comprise a naming test comprising means for generating at least one visual stimulus and means, in response to the display of the visual stimulus, for speaking the name of or the sound associated with the visual stimulus using the speech recognition device.

111. The system of claim 95, wherein the tests further comprise a word decoder test comprising means for displaying a visual stimulus to the user and means, in response to the visual stimulus, for receiving a response from the user to determine the ability to read the visual stimulus.

112. The system of claim 95, wherein the tests further comprise a fluency test comprising means for generating a plurality of visual stimuli and means for receiving a user'"'"'s response to the visual stimuli within a predetermined time interval to determine the user'"'"'s ability to read and understand the visual stimuli.

113. The system of claim 95, wherein the motivation means further comprises means for generating a graphical image and an associated sound to motivate the user to complete the tests.

114. The system of claim 113, wherein the motivation means further comprises means for generating the graphical image and associated sound after a first predetermined number of tests are completed and means for generating another graphical image and associated sound after a second predetermined number of tests are completed.

115. The system of claim 114, wherein the generating means further comprises means for generating a graphical image indicating the number of tests remaining to be completed.

116. The system of claim 114, wherein the motivation means further comprises means for generating the graphical image and associated sound after a third predetermined number of tests.

117. The system of claim 96, wherein the recommender further comprises means for downloading the recommended training module to the client computer.

118. The system of claim 96, wherein the recommender further comprises means for storing the incorrect responses to the one or more tests and means for generating a training module recommendation based on the incorrect responses.

119. The system of claim 118, wherein the recommender further comprises means for comparing each incorrect response to one or more error measures to identify an error associated with each incorrect response and means for generating a training module recommendation based on the identified error.

120. The system of claim 119, wherein the comparing means further comprises means for identifying one or more errors for each incorrect response.

121. The system of claim 119, wherein the recommender further comprises means for identifying a deficient skill by comparing the identified error to a deficient skill rule and means for generating a training module recommendation based on the identified deficient skill.

122. The system of claim 95, wherein the server further comprises means for dynamically generating one or more data reports that illustrate the data associated with the one or more tests.

123. The system of claim 122, wherein the data reports further comprises means for displaying the test results simultaneously for one or more students.

124. The system of claim 123, wherein the displaying means further comprises means for displaying the percentage of correct responses for a test.

125. The system of claim 123, wherein the displaying means further comprises means for displaying the results for one or more different tests for each user wherein the results for each test are displayed in a different color.

126. The system of claim 122, wherein the data report generator further comprises a user interface for browsing other test data for a user.

127. The system of claim 122, wherein the data report generator further comprises means for determining the number of user test results shown.

128. The system of claim 122, wherein the data report generator further comprises means for permitting the user to select a data report print format.

129. The system of claim 122, wherein the data report generator further comprises means for permitting the user to select a data report display format.

130. The system of claim 122, wherein the data report generator further comprises means for generating a data report for one or more students in a class, means for generating a data report for one or more classes each having one or more students and means for generating a data report for a school having one or more classes.

131. The system of claim 95, wherein the client computer further comprises a teacher station that downloads the tests from the server and one or more student computers connected to the teacher station by a network, each student computer further comprising means for displaying at least one of a graphical image and audio associated with each test located on the server, means for receiving a user response to one of the graphical images and audio presented by each test and means for communicating the responses for each test back to the teacher station.

132. The system of claim 131, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for communicating the response for each test for each student back to the server computer.

133. The system of claim 132, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for detecting a break in the communication between the teacher station and the server computer and means for resending any test data that was not sent due to the communications break.

134. The system of claim 131, wherein each student computer further comprises means for connecting to the server computer and means for downloading the resources necessary to execute the current test when the test is started.

135. The system of claim 131, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for generating a classroom layout showing an icon for each student computer.

136. The system of claim 135, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for monitoring each student'"'"'s test progress and controlling each student computer.

137. The system of claim 135, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for collecting student test data.

138. The system of claim 135, wherein generating the layout further comprises means for coloring each icon depending on the state of testing for the particular student computer.

139. The system of claim 131, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for generating one or more separate accounts for the diagnostic system, wherein the accounts include an account manager for managing an entire school or district of users of the diagnostic system, a lead teacher for managing the use of the diagnostic system by one or more classroom teachers in a particular school and one or more classroom teachers who each administer the diagnostic testing for a particular class of students.

140. The system of claim 139, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for the account manager to register one or more lead teachers and means for each lead teacher to register one or more classroom teachers who administer the test.

141. The system of claim 140, wherein the account manager has access to testing data for the entire district, wherein the lead teacher has access to testing data for the entire school and each classroom teacher has access to testing data for the class of the classroom teacher.

142. A method for testing one or more skills associated with the reading skills of an individual, comprising:

storing instructions corresponding to one or more tests on a server for determining deficiencies in one or more reading and pre-reading skills and a scorer for determining a score for each test;

downloading the one or more tests from the server computer by a client computer;

displaying at least one of a graphical image and audio associated with each test located on the server at the client computer;

receiving a user response to one of the graphical images and audio presented by each test at the client computer;

communicating the responses for each test back to the server computer; and

motivating the user to complete the tests.

143. The method of claim 142 further comprising recommending at the server, based on the scores of the one or more tests, one or more training modules for improving a reading or pre-reading skill of the individual as indicated by the score of the tests.

144. The method of claim 142 further comprising generating a questionnaire having one or more questions for eliciting information about risk factors associated with language-based learning disabilities.

145. The method of claim 144, wherein the information comprises historical data about reading-related risk factors including one or more of medical conditions including chronic otitis media, family history data including history of dyslexia, environmental data including socioeconomic status and exposure to literacy at home and observational data about an individual'"'"'s behaviors reflecting competencies in speech sound awareness.

146. The method of claim 142 further comprising receiving a verbal response from a user to one or more tests using a speech recognition device.

147. The method of claim 142, wherein the one or more tests comprise a rhyme recognition test for testing the ability to recognize rhymes, a rhyme generation test for testing the ability to generate rhymes, a beginning and ending sound recognizer for testing the ability to recognize the beginning and ending sounds of a word, a word decoder test for testing the ability to read by sounding out a written word, a sound blender test for testing the ability to blend sound units together to form words, a sound segmenting test for testing the ability to segment a sound unit into smaller sound units, a sound manipulator test for testing the ability to manipulate sound units to form a new unit, a sequential verbal recall test for testing the ability to recall a sequence of spoken items, a rapid naming test for testing the ability to rapidly name one or more items, a letter naming and symbol/sound association test for testing the ability to name letters and identify the association between a symbol and an associated sound, and a fluent reader test for testing the ability to read fluently.

148. The method of claim 142, wherein the tests further comprise a rhyme recognition test further comprising providing at least two stimuli to the user and receiving user input in response to the at least two stimuli to determine the user'"'"'s ability to recognize rhyming words.

149. The method of claim 142, wherein the tests further comprise a test for recognizing the beginning sound of a stimulus, the test comprising generating at least one stimulus having at least an initial phoneme and receiving a response to the stimulus that indicates an ability of the test taker to recognize the initial phoneme of the stimulus.

150. The method of claim 142, wherein the tests further comprise a test for recognizing the ending sound of a stimulus, the test comprising generating at least one stimulus having at least an ending phoneme and receiving a response to the stimulus that indicates an ability of the test taker to recognize the ending phoneme of the stimulus.

151. The method of claim 142, wherein the tests further comprise a rhyme generation test comprising generating a stimulus and receiving a response from the user identifying a sound unit that rhymes with the stimulus.

152. The method of claim 142, wherein the tests further comprise a sound blender test comprising generating at least two sound stimuli and receiving a user response to the at least two sound stimuli, the response indicating an ability to blend the at least two sound stimuli into a larger sound unit.

153. The method of claim 142, wherein the tests further comprise a sound segmentation test comprising generating at least one stimulus and receiving a response to the stimulus comprising means for segmenting the stimulus into smaller units in order to test the ability to segment the stimulus into smaller units.

154. The method of claim 142, wherein the tests comprise a sound manipulation test comprising generating a sound stimulus having one or more sound units and, in response to the sound stimulus, manipulating the sound units of the sound stimulus to test the ability to manipulate sound units.

155. The method of claim 142, wherein the tests further comprise a verbal recall test comprising generating at least one sound stimulus and, in response to the at least one sound stimulus, receiving a user response indicating the recalling of the at least one sound stimulus.

156. The method of claim 146 further comprising speaking a verbal response into the speech recognition device for receiving a verbal response from the user.

157. The method of claim 142, wherein the tests further comprise a naming test comprising generating at least one visual stimulus and, in response to the display of the visual stimulus, speaking the name of or the sound associated with the visual stimulus using the speech recognition device.

158. The method of claim 142, wherein the tests further comprise a word decoder test comprising displaying a visual stimulus to the user and, in response to the visual stimulus, receiving a response from the user to determine the ability to read the visual stimulus.

159. The method of claim 142, wherein the tests further comprise a fluency test comprising generating a plurality of visual stimuli and receiving a user'"'"'s response to the visual stimuli within a predetermined time interval to determine the user'"'"'s ability to read and understand the visual stimuli.

160. The method of claim 142, wherein the motivation further comprises generating a graphical image and an associated sound to motivate the user to complete the tests.

161. The method of claim 160, wherein the motivation further comprises generating the graphical image and associated sound after a first predetermined number of tests are completed and generating another graphical image and associated sound after a second predetermined number of tests are completed.

162. The method of claim 161, wherein the generating further comprises generating a graphical image indicating the number of tests remaining to be completed.

163. The method of claim 161, wherein the motivation further comprises generating the graphical image and associated sound after a third predetermined number of tests.

164. The method of claim 143, wherein the recommender further comprises downloading the recommended training module to the client computer.

165. The method of claim 143, wherein the recommender further comprises storing the incorrect responses to the one or more tests and generating a training module recommendation based on the incorrect responses.

166. The method of claim 165, wherein the recommender further comprises comparing each incorrect response to one or more error measures to identify an error associated with each incorrect response and generating a training module recommendation based on the identified error.

167. The method of claim 166, wherein the comparing further comprises identifying one or more errors for each incorrect response.

168. The method of claim 166, wherein the recommender further comprises identifying a deficient skill by comparing the identified error to a deficient skill rule and generating a training module recommendation based on the identified deficient skill.

169. The method of claim 142 further comprising dynamically generating one or more data reports that illustrate the data associated with the one or more tests.

170. The method of claim 169, wherein the data reports further comprises displaying the test results simultaneously for one or more students.

171. The method of claim 170, wherein the displaying further comprises displaying the percentage of correct responses for a test.

172. The method of claim 170, wherein the displaying further comprises displaying the results for one or more different tests for each user wherein the results for each test are displayed in a different color.

173. The method of claim 169, wherein the data report generator further comprises a user interface for browsing other test data for a user.

174. The method of claim 169, wherein the data report generator further comprises determining the number of user test results shown.

175. The method of claim 169, wherein the data report generator further comprises permitting the user to select a data report print format.

176. The method of claim 169, wherein the data report generator further comprises permitting the user to select a data report display format.

177. The method of claim 169, wherein the data report generator further comprises generating a data report for one or more students in a class, generating a data report for one or more classes each having one or more students, generating a data report for a school having one or more classes, and generating a data

178. The method of claim 142, wherein the client computer further comprises a teacher station that downloads the tests from the server and one or more student computers connected to the teacher station by a network, each student computer further comprising displaying at least one of a graphical image and audio associated with each test located on the server, receiving a user response to one of the graphical images and audio presented by each test and communicating the responses for each test back to the teacher station.

179. The method of claim 178, wherein the teacher station further comprises communicating the response for each test for each student back to the server computer.

180. The method of claim 179, wherein the teacher station further comprises detecting a break in the communication between the teacher station and the server computer and resending any test data that was not sent due to the communications break.

181. The method of claim 178, wherein each student computer further comprises connecting to the server computer and downloading the resources necessary to execute the current test when the test is started.

182. The method of claim 178, wherein the teacher station further comprises generating a classroom layout showing an icon for each student computer.

183. The method of claim 182, wherein the teacher station further comprises monitoring each student'"'"'s test progress and controlling each student computer.

184. The method of claim 182, wherein the teacher station further comprises collecting student test data.

185. The method of claim 182, wherein generating the layout further comprises coloring each icon depending on the state of testing for the particular student computer.

186. The method of claim 178, wherein the teacher station further comprises generating one or more separate accounts for the diagnostic system, wherein the accounts include an account manager for managing an entire school or district of users of the diagnostic system, a lead teacher for managing the use of the diagnostic system by one or more classroom teachers in a particular school and one or more classroom teachers who each administer the diagnostic testing for a particular class of students.

187. The method of claim 186, wherein the teacher station further comprises a user interface for the account manager to register one or more lead teachers and a user interface for each lead teacher to register one or more classroom teachers who administer the test.

188. The method of claim 187, wherein the account manager has access to testing data for the entire district, wherein the lead teacher has access to testing data for the entire school and each classroom teacher has access to testing data for the class of the classroom teacher.

189. A system for testing one or more skills associated with the reading skills of an individual, comprising:

a server computer comprising one or more tests for determining deficiencies in one or more reading and pre-reading skills, a scorer for determining a score for each test; and

one or more client computers that establish a communications session with the server computer to download the one or more tests from the server computer, each client computer comprising means for displaying at least one of a graphical image and audio associated with each test located on the server, means for receiving a user response to one of the graphical images and audio presented by each test, means for communicating the responses for each test back to the server computer, and a recommender for recommending, based on the scores of the one or more tests, one or more training modules for improving a reading or pre-reading skill of the individual as indicated by the score of the tests.

190. The system of claim 189, wherein each client computer further comprises means for motivating the user to complete the tests.

191. The system of claim 189, wherein the server further comprises a questionnaire having one or more questions for eliciting information about risk factors associated with language-based learning disabilities.

192. The system of claim 191, wherein the information comprises historical data about reading-related risk factors including one or more of medical conditions including chronic otitis media, family history data including history of dyslexia, environmental data including socioeconomic status and exposure to literacy at home and observational data about an individual'"'"'s behaviors reflecting competencies in speech sound awareness.

193. The system of claim 189, wherein the user input device of the one or more client computers comprise a speech recognition device for receiving a verbal response from the user to the one or more tests.

194. The system of claim 189, wherein the one or more tests comprise a rhyme recognition test for testing the ability to recognize rhymes, a rhyme generation test for testing the ability to generate rhymes, a beginning and ending sound recognizer for testing the ability to recognize the beginning and ending sounds of a word, a word decoder test for testing the ability to read by sounding out a written word, a sound blender test for testing the ability to blend sound units together to form words, a sound segmenting test for testing the ability to segment a sound unit into smaller sound units, a sound manipulator test for testing the ability to manipulate sound units to form a new unit, a sequential verbal recall test for testing the ability to recall a sequence of spoken items, a rapid naming test for testing the ability to rapidly name one or more items, a letter naming and symbol/sound association test for testing the ability to name letters and identify the association between a symbol and an associated sound, and a fluent reader test for testing the ability to read fluently.

195. The system of claim 189, wherein the tests further comprise a rhyme recognition test further comprising means for providing at least two stimuli to the user and means for receiving user input in response to the at least two stimuli to determine the user'"'"'s ability to recognize rhyming words.

196. The system of claim 189, wherein the tests further comprise a test for recognizing the beginning sound of a stimulus, the test comprising means for generating at least one stimulus having at least an initial phoneme and means for receiving a response to the stimulus that indicates an ability of the test taker to recognize the initial phoneme of the stimulus.

197. The system of claim 189, wherein the tests further comprise a test for recognizing the ending sound of a stimulus, the test comprising means for generating at least one stimulus having at least an ending phoneme and means for receiving a response to the stimulus that indicates an ability of the test taker to recognize the ending phoneme of the stimulus.

198. The system of claim 189, wherein the tests further comprise a rhyme generation test comprising means for generating a stimulus and means for receiving a response from the user identifying a sound unit that rhymes with the stimulus.

199. The system of claim 189, wherein the tests further comprise a sound blender test comprising means for generating at least two sound stimuli and means for receiving a user response to the at least two sound stimuli, the response indicating an ability to blend the at least two sound stimuli into a larger sound unit.

200. The system of claim 189, wherein the tests further comprise a sound segmentation test comprising means for generating at least one stimulus and means for receiving a response to the stimulus comprising means for segmenting the stimulus into smaller units in order to test the ability to segment the stimulus into smaller units.

201. The system of claim 189, wherein the tests comprise a sound manipulation test comprising means for generating a sound stimulus having one or more sound units and means, in response to the sound stimulus, for manipulating the sound units of the sound stimulus to test the ability to manipulate sound units.

202. The system of claim 189, wherein the tests further comprise a verbal recall test comprising means for generating at least one sound stimulus and means, in response to the at least one sound stimulus, for receiving a user response indicating the recalling of the at least one sound stimulus.

203. The system of claim 193 further comprising means for speaking a verbal response into the speech recognition device for receiving a verbal response from the user.

204. The system of claim 189, wherein the tests further comprise a naming test comprising means for generating at least one visual stimulus and means, in response to the display of the visual stimulus, for speaking the name of or the sound associated with the visual stimulus using the speech recognition device.

205. The system of claim 189, wherein the tests further comprise a word decoder test comprising means for displaying a visual stimulus to the user and means, in response to the visual stimulus, for receiving a response from the user to determine the ability to read the visual stimulus.

206. The system of claim 189, wherein the tests further comprise a fluency test comprising means for generating a plurality of visual stimuli and means for receiving a user'"'"'s response to the visual stimuli within a predetermined time interval to determine the user'"'"'s ability to read and understand the visual stimuli.

207. The system of claim 190, wherein the motivation means further comprises means for generating a graphical image and an associated sound to motivate the user to complete the tests.

208. The system of claim 207, wherein the motivation means further comprises means for generating the graphical image and associated sound after a first predetermined number of tests are completed and means for generating another graphical image and associated sound after a second predetermined number of tests are completed.

209. The system of claim 208, wherein the generating means further comprises means for generating a graphical image indicating the number of tests remaining to be completed.

210. The system of claim 208, wherein the motivation means further comprises means for generating the graphical image and associated sound after a third predetermined number of tests.

211. The system of claim 189, wherein the recommender further comprises means for downloading the recommended training module to the client computer.

212. The system of claim 189, wherein the recommender further comprises means for storing the incorrect responses to the one or more tests and means for generating a training module recommendation based on the incorrect responses.

213. The system of claim 212, wherein the recommender further comprises means for comparing each incorrect response to one or more error measures to identify an error associated with each incorrect response and means for generating a training module recommendation based on the identified error.

214. The system of claim 213, wherein the comparing means further comprises means for identifying one or more errors for each incorrect response.

215. The system of claim 213, wherein the recommender further comprises means for identifying a deficient skill by comparing the identified error to a deficient skill rule and means for generating a training module recommendation based on the identified deficient skill.

216. The system of claim 189, wherein the server further comprises means for dynamically generating one or more data reports that illustrate the data associated with the one or more tests.

217. The system of claim 216, wherein the data reports further comprises means for displaying the test results simultaneously for one or more students.

218. The system of claim 217, wherein the displaying means further comprises means for displaying the percentage of correct responses for a test.

219. The system of claim 217, wherein the displaying means further comprises means for displaying the results for one or more different tests for each user wherein the results for each test are displayed in a different color.

220. The system of claim 216, wherein the data report generator further comprises a user interface for browsing other test data for a user.

221. The system of claim 216, wherein the data report generator further comprises means for determining the number of user test results shown.

222. The system of claim 216, wherein the data report generator further comprises means for permitting the user to select a data report print format.

223. The system of claim 216, wherein the data report generator further comprises means for permitting the user to select a data report display format.

224. The system of claim 216, wherein the data report generator further comprises means for generating a data report for one or more students in a class, means for generating a data report for one or more classes each having one or more students and means for generating a data report for a school having one or more classes.

225. The system of claim 189, wherein the client computer further comprises a teacher station that downloads the tests from the server and one or more student computers connected to the teacher station by a network, each student computer further comprising means for displaying at least one of a graphical image and audio associated with each test located on the server, means for receiving a user response to one of the graphical images and audio presented by each test and means for communicating the responses for each test back to the teacher station.

226. The system of claim 225, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for communicating the response for each test for each student back to the server computer.

227. The system of claim 226, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for detecting a break in the communication between the teacher station and the server computer and means for resending any test data that was not sent due to the communications break.

228. The system of claim 225, wherein each student computer further comprises means for connecting to the server computer and means for downloading the resources necessary to execute the current test when the test is started.

229. The system of claim 225, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for controlling each student computer.

230. The system of claim 225, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for generating a classroom layout showing an icon for each student computer.

231. The system of claim 230, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for monitoring each student'"'"'s test progress and controlling each student computer.

232. The system of claim 230, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for collecting student test data.

233. The system of claim 230, wherein generating the layout further comprises means for coloring each icon depending on the state of testing for the particular student computer.

234. The system of claim 189, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for generating one or more separate accounts for the diagnostic system, wherein the accounts include an account manager for managing an entire school or district of users of the diagnostic system, a lead teacher for managing the use of the diagnostic system by one or more classroom teachers in a particular school and one or more classroom teachers who each administer the diagnostic testing for a particular class of students.

235. The system of claim 234, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for the account manager to register one or more lead teachers and means for each lead teacher to register one or more classroom teachers who administer the test.

236. The system of claim 235, wherein the account manager has access to testing data for the entire district, wherein the lead teacher has access to testing data for the entire school and each classroom teacher has access to testing data for the class of the classroom teacher.

237. A method for testing one or more skills associated with the reading skills of an individual, comprising:

storing instructions corresponding to one or more tests on a server for determining deficiencies in one or more reading and pre-reading skills and a scorer for determining a score for each test;

downloading the one or more tests from the server computer by a client computer;

displaying at least one of a graphical image and audio associated with each test located on the server at the client computer;

receiving a user response to one of the graphical images and audio presented by each test at the client computer;

communicating the responses for each test back to the server computer; and

recommending at the server, based on the scores of the one or more tests, one or more training modules for improving a reading or pre-reading skill of the individual as indicated by the score of the tests.

238. The method of claim 237 further comprising motivating the user to complete the tests.

239. The method of claim 237 further comprising generating a questionnaire having one or more questions for eliciting information about risk factors associated with language-based learning disabilities.

240. The method of claim 239, wherein the information comprises historical data about reading-related risk factors including one or more of medical conditions including chronic otitis media, family history data including history of dyslexia, environmental data including socioeconomic status and exposure to literacy at home and observational data about an individual'"'"'s behaviors reflecting competencies in speech sound awareness.

241. The method of claim 237 further comprising receiving a verbal response from a user to one or more tests using a speech recognition device.

242. The method of claim 237, wherein the one or more tests comprise a rhyme recognition test for testing the ability to recognize rhymes, a rhyme generation test for testing the ability to generate rhymes, a beginning and ending sound recognizer for testing the ability to recognize the beginning and ending sounds of a word, a word decoder test for testing the ability to read by sounding out a written word, a sound blender test for testing the ability to blend sound units together to form words, a sound segmenting test for testing the ability to segment a sound unit into smaller sound units, a sound manipulator test for testing the ability to manipulate sound units to form a new unit, a sequential verbal recall test for testing the ability to recall a sequence of spoken items, a rapid naming test for testing the ability to rapidly name one or more items, a letter naming and symbol/sound association test for testing the ability to name letters and identify the association between a symbol and an associated sound, and a fluent reader test for testing the ability to read fluently.

243. The method of claim 237, wherein the tests further comprise a rhyme recognition test further comprising providing at least two stimuli to the user and receiving user input in response to the at least two stimuli to determine the user'"'"'s ability to recognize rhyming words.

244. The method of claim 237, wherein the tests further comprise a test for recognizing the beginning sound of a stimulus, the test comprising generating at least one stimulus having at least an initial phoneme and receiving a response to the stimulus that indicates an ability of the test taker to recognize the initial phoneme of the stimulus.

245. The method of claim 237, wherein the tests further comprise a test for recognizing the ending sound of a stimulus, the test comprising generating at least one stimulus having at least an ending phoneme and receiving a response to the stimulus that indicates an ability of the test taker to recognize the ending phoneme of the stimulus.

246. The method of claim 237, wherein the tests further comprise a rhyme generation test comprising generating a stimulus and receiving a response from the user identifying a sound unit that rhymes with the stimulus.

247. The method of claim 237, wherein the tests further comprise a sound blender test comprising generating at least two sound stimuli and receiving a user response to the at least two sound stimuli, the response indicating an ability to blend the at least two sound stimuli into a larger sound unit.

248. The method of claim 237, wherein the tests further comprise a sound segmentation test comprising generating at least one stimulus and receiving a response to the stimulus comprising means for segmenting the stimulus into smaller units in order to test the ability to segment the stimulus into smaller units.

249. The method of claim 237, wherein the tests comprise a sound manipulation test comprising generating a sound stimulus having one or more sound units and, in response to the sound stimulus, manipulating the sound units of the sound stimulus to test the ability to manipulate sound units.

250. The method of claim 237, wherein the tests further comprise a verbal recall test comprising generating at least one sound stimulus and, in response to the at least one sound stimulus, receiving a user response indicating the recalling of the at least one sound stimulus.

251. The method of claim 241 further comprising speaking a verbal response into the speech recognition device for receiving a verbal response from the user.

252. The method of claim 237, wherein the tests further comprise a naming test comprising generating at least one visual stimulus and, in response to the display of the visual stimulus, speaking the name of or the sound associated with the visual stimulus using the speech recognition device.

253. The method of claim 237, wherein the tests further comprise a word decoder test comprising displaying a visual stimulus to the user and, in response to the visual stimulus, receiving a response from the user to determine the ability to read the visual stimulus.

254. The method of claim 237, wherein the tests further comprise a fluency test comprising generating a plurality of visual stimuli and receiving a user'"'"'s response to the visual stimuli within a predetermined time interval to determine the user'"'"'s ability to read and understand the visual stimuli.

255. The method of claim 237, wherein the motivation further comprises generating a graphical image and an associated sound to motivate the user to complete the tests.

256. The method of claim 255, wherein the motivation further comprises generating the graphical image and associated sound after a first predetermined number of tests are completed and generating another graphical image and associated sound after a second predetermined number of tests are completed.

257. The method of claim 256, wherein the generating further comprises generating a graphical image indicating the number of tests remaining to be completed.

258. The method of claim 256, wherein the motivation further comprises generating the graphical image and associated sound after a third predetermined number of tests.

259. The method of claim 238, wherein the recommender further comprises downloading the recommended training module to the client computer.

260. The method of claim 238, wherein the recommender further comprises storing the incorrect responses to the one or more tests and generating a training module recommendation based on the incorrect responses.

261. The method of claim 260, wherein the recommender further comprises comparing each incorrect response to one or more error measures to identify an error associated with each incorrect response and generating a training module recommendation based on the identified error.

262. The method of claim 261, wherein the comparing further comprises identifying one or more errors for each incorrect response.

263. The method of claim 261, wherein the recommender further comprises identifying a deficient skill by comparing the identified error to a deficient skill rule and generating a training module recommendation based on the identified deficient skill.

264. The method of claim 237 further comprising dynamically generating one or more data reports that illustrate the data associated with the one or more tests.

265. The method of claim 264, wherein the data reports further comprises displaying the test results simultaneously for one or more students.

266. The method of claim 265, wherein the displaying further comprises displaying the percentage of correct responses for a test.

267. The method of claim 265, wherein the displaying further comprises displaying the results for one or more different tests for each user wherein the results for each test are displayed in a different color.

268. The method of claim 264, wherein the data report generator further comprises a user interface for browsing other test data for a user.

269. The method of claim 264, wherein the data report generator further comprises determining the number of user test results shown.

270. The method of claim 264, wherein the data report generator further comprises permitting the user to select a data report print format.

271. The method of claim 264, wherein the data report generator further comprises permitting the user to select a data report display format.

272. The method of claim 264, wherein the data report generator further comprises generating a data report for one or more students in a class, generating a data report for one or more classes each having one or more students and generating a data report for a school having one or more classes.

273. The method of claim 237, wherein the client computer further comprises a teacher station that downloads the tests from the server and one or more student computers connected to the teacher station by a network, each student computer further comprising displaying at least one of a graphical image and audio associated with each test located on the server, receiving a user response to one of the graphical images and audio presented by each test and communicating the responses for each test back to the teacher station.

274. The method of claim 273, wherein the teacher station further comprises communicating the response for each test for each student back to the server computer.

275. The method of claim 274, wherein the teacher station further comprises detecting a break in the communication between the teacher station and the server computer and resending any test data that was not sent due to the communications break.

276. The method of claim 273, wherein each student computer further comprises connecting to the server computer and downloading the resources necessary to execute the current test when the test is started.

277. The method of claim 273, wherein the teacher station further comprises generating a classroom layout showing an icon for each student computer.

278. The method of claim 277, wherein the teacher station further comprises monitoring each student'"'"'s test progress and controlling each student computer.

279. The method of claim 277, wherein the teacher station further comprises collecting student test data.

280. The method of claim 277, wherein generating the layout further comprises coloring each icon depending on the state of testing for the particular student computer.

281. The method of claim 273, wherein the teacher station further comprises generating one or more separate accounts for the diagnostic system, wherein the accounts include an account manager for managing an entire school or district of users of the diagnostic system, a lead teacher for managing the use of the diagnostic system by one or more classroom teachers in a particular school and one or more classroom teachers who each administer the diagnostic testing for a particular class of students.

282. The method of claim 281, wherein the teacher station further comprises a user interface for the account manager to register one or more lead teachers and a user interface for each lead teacher to register one or more classroom teachers who administer the test.

283. The method of claim 282, wherein the account manager has access to testing data for the entire district, wherein the lead teacher has access to testing data for the entire school and each classroom teacher has access to testing data for the class of the classroom teacher.

284. A server for testing one or more skills associated with the reading skills of an individual, comprising:

one or more tests for determining deficiencies in one or more reading and pre-reading skills;

a scorer for determining a score for each test; and

means for establishing a communications session with a client computer to download the one or more tests to the client computer wherein each client computer displays at least one of a graphical image and audio associated with each test located on the server, receiving a user response to one of the graphical images and audio presented by each test and communicates the responses for each test back to the server computer;

a recommender for recommending, based on the scores of the one or more tests, one or more training modules for improving a reading or pre-reading skill of the individual as indicated by the score of the tests.

285. The server of claim 284 further comprising a client computer, wherein each client computer further comprises means for motivating the user to complete the tests.

286. The server of claim 284 further comprising a questionnaire having one or more questions for eliciting information about risk factors associated with language-based learning disabilities.

287. The server of claim 286, wherein the information comprises historical data about reading-related risk factors including one or more of medical conditions including chronic otitis media, family history data including history of dyslexia, environmental data including socioeconomic status and exposure to literacy at home and observational data about an individual'"'"'s behaviors reflecting competencies in speech sound awareness.

288. The server of claim 285, wherein the user input device of the one or more client computers comprise a speech recognition device for receiving a verbal response from the user to the one or more tests.

289. The server of claim 284, wherein the one or more tests comprise a rhyme recognition test for testing the ability to recognize rhymes, a rhyme generation test for testing the ability to generate rhymes, a beginning and ending sound recognizer for testing the ability to recognize the beginning and ending sounds of a word, a word decoder test for testing the ability to read by sounding out a written word, a sound blender test for testing the ability to blend sound units together to form words, a sound segmenting test for testing the ability to segment a sound unit into smaller sound units, a sound manipulator test for testing the ability to manipulate sound units to form a new unit, a sequential verbal recall test for testing the ability to recall a sequence of spoken items, a rapid naming test for testing the ability to rapidly name one or more items, a letter naming and symbol/sound association test for testing the ability to name letters and identify the association between a symbol and an associated sound, and a fluent reader test for testing the ability to read fluently.

290. The server of claim 284, wherein the tests further comprise a rhyme recognition test further comprising means for providing at least two stimuli to the user and means for receiving user input in response to the at least two stimuli to determine the user'"'"'s ability to recognize rhyming words.

291. The server of claim 284, wherein the tests further comprise a test for recognizing the beginning sound of a stimulus, the test comprising means for generating at least one stimulus having at least an initial phoneme and means for receiving a response to the stimulus that indicates an ability of the test taker to recognize the initial phoneme of the stimulus.

292. The server of claim 284, wherein the tests further comprise a test for recognizing the ending sound of a stimulus, the test comprising means for generating at least one stimulus having at least an ending phoneme and means for receiving a response to the stimulus that indicates an ability of the test taker to recognize the ending phoneme of the stimulus.

293. The server of claim 284, wherein the tests further comprise a rhyme generation test comprising means for generating a stimulus and means for receiving a response from the user identifying a sound unit that rhymes with the stimulus.

294. The server of claim 284, wherein the tests further comprise a sound blender test comprising means for generating at least two sound stimuli and means for receiving a user response to the at least two sound stimuli, the response indicating an ability to blend the at least two sound stimuli into a larger sound unit.

295. The server of claim 284, wherein the tests further comprise a sound segmentation test comprising means for generating at least one stimulus and means for receiving a response to the stimulus comprising means for segmenting the stimulus into smaller units in order to test the ability to segment the stimulus into smaller units.

296. The server of claim 284, wherein the tests comprise a sound manipulation test comprising means for generating a sound stimulus having one or more sound units and means, in response to the sound stimulus, for manipulating the sound units of the sound stimulus to test the ability to manipulate sound units.

297. The server of claim 284, wherein the tests further comprise a verbal recall test comprising means for generating at least one sound stimulus and means, in response to the at least one sound stimulus, for receiving a user response indicating the recalling of the at least one sound stimulus.

298. The server of claim 288 further comprising means for speaking a verbal response into the speech recognition device for receiving a verbal response from the user.

299. The server of claim 284, wherein the tests further comprise a naming test comprising means for generating at least one visual stimulus and means, in response to the display of the visual stimulus, for speaking the name of or the sound associated with the visual stimulus using the speech recognition device.

300. The server of claim 284, wherein the tests further comprise a word decoder test comprising means for displaying a visual stimulus to the user and means, in response to the visual stimulus, for receiving a response from the user to determine the ability to read the visual stimulus.

301. The server of claim 284, wherein the tests further comprise a fluency test comprising means for generating a plurality of visual stimuli and means for receiving a user'"'"'s response to the visual stimuli within a predetermined time interval to determine the user'"'"'s ability to read and understand the visual stimuli.

302. The server of claim 285, wherein the motivation means further comprises means for generating a graphical image and an associated sound to motivate the user to complete the tests.

303. The server of claim 302, wherein the motivation means further comprises means for generating the graphical image and associated sound after a first predetermined number of tests are completed and means for generating another graphical image and associated sound after a second predetermined number of tests are completed.

304. The server of claim 303, wherein the generating means further comprises means for generating a graphical image indicating the number of tests remaining to be completed.

305. The server of claim 303, wherein the motivation means further comprises means for generating the graphical image and associated sound after a third predetermined number of tests.

306. The server of claim 284, wherein the recommender further comprises means for downloading the recommended training module to the client computer.

307. The server of claim 284, wherein the recommender further comprises means for storing the incorrect responses to the one or more tests and means for generating a training module recommendation based on the incorrect responses.

308. The server of claim 307, wherein the recommender further comprises means for comparing each incorrect response to one or more error measures to identify an error associated with each incorrect response and means for generating a training module recommendation based on the identified error.

309. The server of claim 308, wherein the comparing means further comprises means for identifying one or more errors for each incorrect response.

310. The server of claim 308, wherein the recommender further comprises means for identifying a deficient skill by comparing the identified error to a deficient skill rule and means for generating a training module recommendation based on the identified deficient skill.

311. The server of claim 284 further comprising means for dynamically generating one or more data reports that illustrate the data associated with the one or more tests.

312. The server of claim 311, wherein the data reports further comprises means for displaying the test results simultaneously for one or more students.

313. The server of claim 312, wherein the displaying means further comprises means for displaying the percentage of correct responses for a test.

314. The server of claim 312, wherein the displaying means further comprises means for displaying the results for one or more different tests for each user wherein the results for each test are displayed in a different color.

315. The server of claim 311, wherein the data report generator further comprises a user interface for browsing other test data for a user.

316. The server of claim 311, wherein the data report generator further comprises means for determining the number of user test results shown.

317. The server of claim 311, wherein the data report generator further comprises means for permitting the user to select a data report print format.

318. The server of claim 311, wherein the data report generator further comprises means for permitting the user to select a data report display format.

319. The server of claim 311, wherein the data report generator further comprises means for generating a data report for one or more students in a class, means for generating a data report for one or more classes each having one or more students and means for generating a data report for a school having one or more classes.

320. The server of claim 285 further comprising a teacher station that downloads the tests from the server and one or more student computers connected to the teacher station by a network, each student computer further comprising means for displaying at least one of a graphical image and audio associated with each test located on the server, means for receiving a user response to one of the graphical images and audio presented by each test and means for communicating the responses for each test back to the teacher station.

321. The server of claim 320, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for communicating the response for each test for each student back to the server computer.

322. The server of claim 321, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for detecting a break in the communication between the teacher station and the server computer and means for resending any test data that was not sent due to the communications break.

323. The server of claim 320, wherein each student computer further comprises means for connecting to the server computer and means for downloading the resources necessary to execute the current test when the test is started.

324. The server of claim 320, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for controlling each student computer.

325. The server of claim 320, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for generating a classroom layout showing an icon for each student computer.

326. The server of claim 325, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for monitoring each student'"'"'s test progress and controlling each student computer.

327. The server of claim 325, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for collecting student test data.

328. The server of claim 325, wherein generating the layout further comprises means for coloring each icon depending on the state of testing for the particular student computer.

329. The server of claim 284, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for generating one or more separate accounts for the diagnostic system, wherein the accounts include an account manager for managing an entire school or district of users of the diagnostic system, a lead teacher for managing the use of the diagnostic system by one or more classroom teachers in a particular school and one or more classroom teachers who each administer the diagnostic testing for a particular class of students.

330. The server of claim 329, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for the account manager to register one or more lead teachers and means for each lead teacher to register one or more classroom teachers who administer the test.

331. The server of claim 330, wherein the account manager has access to testing data for the entire district, wherein the lead teacher has access to testing data for the entire school and each classroom teacher has access to testing data for the class of the classroom teacher.

332. A system for recommending a training module based on one or more tests, comprising:

means for determining the incorrect responses to one or more tests wherein the incorrect responses indicate a reading skill deficiency; and

means for recommending a training module that improves a particular reading skill based on the incorrect responses.

333. The system of claim 332, wherein the recommender further comprises means for comparing each incorrect response to one or more error measures to generate an error measure associated with each incorrect response and means for generating a training module recommendation based on the error measures.

334. The system of claim 333, wherein the comparing means further comprises means for generating one or more error measures for each incorrect response.

335. The system of claim 333, wherein the recommender further comprises means for identifying a deficient skill by comparing the error measure to a deficient skill rule and means for generating a training module recommendation based on the identified deficient skill.

336. A method for recommending a training module based on one or more tests, comprising:

determining the incorrect responses to one or more tests wherein the incorrect responses indicate a reading skill deficiency; and

recommending a training module that improves a particular reading skill based on the incorrect responses.

337. The method of claim 336, wherein the recommender further comprises comparing each incorrect response to one or more error measures to generate an error measure associated with each incorrect response and generating a training module recommendation based on the error measures.

338. The method of claim 337, wherein the comparing further comprises generating one or more error measures for each incorrect response.

The method of claim 337, wherein the recommender further comprises identifying a deficient skill by comparing the error measure to a deficient skill rule and generating a training module recommendation based on the identified deficient skill.

339. The system of claim F, wherein each client computer further comprises means for motivating the user to complete the tests.

340. A system for testing one or more skills associated with the reading skills of an individual, comprising:

a server computer comprising one or more tests for determining deficiencies in one or more reading and pre-reading skills, a scorer for determining a score for each test;

a teacher station for downloading the tests from the server computer; and

one or more student computers that establish a communications session with the teacher station over a computer network, each student computer comprising means for displaying at least one of a graphical image and audio associated with each test located on the server, means for receiving a user response to one of the graphical images and audio presented by each test, and means for communicating the responses for each test back to the server computer.

341. The system of claim 340, wherein each client computer further comprises means for motivating the user to complete the tests.

342. The system of claim 340, wherein the server further comprises a questionnaire having one or more questions for eliciting information about risk factors associated with language-based learning disabilities.

343. The system of claim 342, wherein the information comprises historical data about reading-related risk factors including one or more of medical conditions including chronic otitis media, family history data including history of dyslexia, environmental data including socioeconomic status and exposure to literacy at home and observational data about an individual'"'"'s behaviors reflecting competencies in speech sound awareness.

344. The system of claim 340, wherein the user input device of the one or more client computers comprise a speech recognition device for receiving a verbal response from the user to the one or more tests.

345. The system of claim 340, wherein the one or more tests comprise a rhyme recognition test for testing the ability to recognize rhymes, a rhyme generation test for testing the ability to generate rhymes, a beginning and ending sound recognizer for testing the ability to recognize the beginning and ending sounds of a word, a word decoder test for testing the ability to read by sounding out a written word, a sound blender test for testing the ability to blend sound units together to form words, a sound segmenting test for testing the ability to segment a sound unit into smaller sound units, a sound manipulator test for testing the ability to manipulate sound units to form a new unit, a sequential verbal recall test for testing the ability to recall a sequence of spoken items, a rapid naming test for testing the ability to rapidly name one or more items, a letter naming and symbol/sound association test for testing the ability to name letters and identify the association between a symbol and an associated sound, and a fluent reader test for testing the ability to read fluently.

346. The system of claim 340, wherein the tests further comprise a rhyme recognition test further comprising means for providing at least two stimuli to the user and means for receiving user input in response to the at least two stimuli to determine the user'"'"'s ability to recognize rhyming words.

347. The system of claim 340, wherein the tests further comprise a test for recognizing the beginning sound of a stimulus, the test comprising means for generating at least one stimulus having at least an initial phoneme and means for receiving a response to the stimulus that indicates an ability of the test taker to recognize the initial phoneme of the stimulus.

348. The system of claim 340, wherein the tests further comprise a test for recognizing the ending sound of a stimulus, the test comprising means for generating at least one stimulus having at least an ending phoneme and means for receiving a response to the stimulus that indicates an ability of the test taker to recognize the ending phoneme of the stimulus.

349. The system of claim 340, wherein the tests further comprise a rhyme generation test comprising means for generating a stimulus and means for receiving a response from the user identifying a sound unit that rhymes with the stimulus.

350. The system of claim 340, wherein the tests further comprise a sound blender test comprising means for generating at least two sound stimuli and means for receiving a user response to the at least two sound stimuli, the response indicating an ability to blend the at least two sound stimuli into a larger sound unit.

351. The system of claim 340, wherein the tests further comprise a sound segmentation test comprising means for generating at least one stimulus and means for receiving a response to the stimulus comprising means for segmenting the stimulus into smaller units in order to test the ability to segment the stimulus into smaller units.

352. The system of claim 340, wherein the tests comprise a sound manipulation test comprising means for generating a sound stimulus having one or more sound units and means, in response to the sound stimulus, for manipulating the sound units of the sound stimulus to test the ability to manipulate sound units.

353. The system of claim 340, wherein the tests further comprise a verbal recall test comprising means for generating at least one sound stimulus and means, in response to the at least one sound stimulus, for receiving a user response indicating the recalling of the at least one sound stimulus.

354. The system of claim 344 further comprising means for speaking a verbal response into the speech recognition device for receiving a verbal response from the user.

355. The system of claim 340, wherein the tests further comprise a naming test comprising means for generating at least one visual stimulus and means, in response to the display of the visual stimulus, for speaking the name of or the sound associated with the visual stimulus using the speech recognition device.

356. The system of claim 340, wherein the tests further comprise a word decoder test comprising means for displaying a visual stimulus to the user and means, in response to the visual stimulus, for receiving a response from the user to determine the ability to read the visual stimulus.

357. The system of claim 340, wherein the tests further comprise a fluency test comprising means for generating a plurality of visual stimuli and means for receiving a user'"'"'s response to the visual stimuli within a predetermined time interval to determine the user'"'"'s ability to read and understand the visual stimuli.

358. The system of claim 341, wherein the motivation means further comprises means for generating a graphical image and an associated sound to motivate the user to complete the tests.

359. The system of claim 358, wherein the motivation means further comprises means for generating the graphical image and associated sound after a first predetermined number of tests are completed and means for generating another graphical image and associated sound after a second predetermined number of tests are completed.

360. The system of claim 359, wherein the generating means further comprises means for generating a graphical image indicating the number of tests remaining to be completed.

361. The system of claim 359, wherein the motivation means further comprises means for generating the graphical image and associated sound after a third predetermined number of tests.

377. The system of claim 340, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for communicating the response for each test for each student back to the server computer.

378. The system of claim 377, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for detecting a break in the communication between the teacher station and the server computer and means for resending any test data that was not sent due to the communications break.

379. The system of claim 340, wherein each student computer further comprises means for connecting to the server computer and means for downloading the resources necessary to execute the current test when the test is started.

380. The system of claim 340, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for generating a classroom layout showing an icon for each student computer.

381. The system of claim 380, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for monitoring each student'"'"'s test progress and controlling each student computer.

382. The system of claim 380, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for collecting student test data.

383. The system of claim 380, wherein generating the layout further comprises means for coloring each icon depending on the state of testing for the particular student computer.

362. The system of 340 her comprising a recommender for recommending, based on the scores of the one or more tests, one or more training modules for improving a reading or pre-reading skill of the individual as indicated by the score of the tests.

363. The system of claim 362, wherein the recommender further comprises means for downloading the recommended training module to the student computer.

364. The system of claim 362, wherein the recommender further comprises means for storing the incorrect responses to the one or more tests and means for generating a training module recommendation based on the incorrect responses.

365. The system of claim 364, wherein the recommender further comprises means for comparing each incorrect response to one or more error measures to identify an error associated with each incorrect response and means for generating a training module recommendation based on the identified error.

366. The system of claim 365, wherein the comparing means further comprises means for identifying one or more errors for each incorrect response.

367. The system of claim 365, wherein the recommender further comprises means for identifying a deficient skill by comparing the identified error to a deficient skill rule and means for generating a training module recommendation based on the identified deficient skill.

368. The system of 340, wherein the server further comprises means for dynamically generating one or more data reports that illustrate the data associated with the one or more tests.

369. The system of claim 368, wherein the data reports further comprises means for displaying the test results simultaneously for one or more students.

370. The system of claim 369, wherein the displaying means further comprises means for displaying the percentage of correct responses for a test.

371. The system of claim 369, wherein the displaying means further comprises means for displaying the results for one or more different tests for each user wherein the results for each test are displayed in a different color.

372. The system of claim 368, wherein the data report generator further comprises a user interface for browsing other test data for a user.

373. The system of claim 368, wherein the data report generator further comprises means for determining the number of user test results shown.

374. The system of claim 368, wherein the data report generator further comprises means for permitting the user to select a data report print format.

375. The system of claim 368, wherein the data report generator further comprises means for permitting the user to select a data report display format.

376. The system of claim 368, wherein the data report generator further comprises means for generating a data report for one or more students in a class, means for generating a data report for one or more classes each having one or more students and means for generating a data report for a school having one or more classes.

384. The system of claim F, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for generating one or more separate accounts for the diagnostic system, wherein the accounts include an account manager for managing an entire school or district of users of the diagnostic system, a lead teacher for managing the use of the diagnostic system by one or more classroom teachers in a particular school and one or more classroom teachers who each administer the diagnostic testing for a particular class of students.

385. The system of claim F+40, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for the account manager to register one or more lead teachers and means for each lead teacher to register one or more classroom teachers who administer the test.

386. The system of claim F+41, wherein the account manager has access to testing data for the entire district, wherein the lead teacher has access to testing data for the entire school and each classroom teacher has access to testing data for the class of the classroom teacher.

387. A method for testing one or more skills associated with the reading skills of an individual, comprising:

storing instructions corresponding to one or more tests on a server for determining deficiencies in one or more reading and pre-reading skills and a scorer for determining a score for each test;

downloading the one or more tests from the server computer to a teacher station;

displaying at least one of a graphical image and audio associated with each test located on the server at the client computer connected to the teacher station;

receiving a user response to one of the graphical images and audio presented by each test at the client computer connected to the teacher station;

communicating the responses for each test back to the teacher station; and

388. The method of claim F further comprising motivating the user to complete the tests.

389. The method of claim F further comprising generating a questionnaire having one or more questions for eliciting information about risk factors associated with language-based learning disabilities.

390. The method of claim F+2, wherein the information comprises historical data about reading-related risk factors including one or more of medical conditions including chronic otitis media, family history data including history of dyslexia, environmental data including socioeconomic status and exposure to literacy at home and observational data about an individual'"'"'s behaviors reflecting competencies in speech sound awareness.

391. The method of claim F further comprising receiving a verbal response from a user to one or more tests using a speech recognition device.

392. The method of claim F, wherein the one or more tests comprise a rhyme recognition test for testing the ability to recognize rhymes, a rhyme generation test for testing the ability to generate rhymes, a beginning and ending sound recognizer for testing the ability to recognize the beginning and ending sounds of a word, a word decoder test for testing the ability to read by sounding out a written word, a sound blender test for testing the ability to blend sound units together to form words, a sound segmenting test for testing the ability to segment a sound unit into smaller sound units, a sound manipulator test for testing the ability to manipulate sound units to form a new unit, a sequential verbal recall test for testing the ability to recall a sequence of spoken items, a rapid naming test for testing the ability to rapidly name one or more items, a letter naming and symbol/sound association test for testing the ability to name letters and identify the association between a symbol and an associated sound, and a fluent reader test for testing the ability to read fluently.

393. The method of claim F, wherein the tests further comprise a rhyme recognition test further comprising providing at least two stimuli to the user and receiving user input in response to the at least two stimuli to determine the user'"'"'s ability to recognize rhyming words.

394. The method of claim F, wherein the tests further comprise a test for recognizing the beginning sound of a stimulus, the test comprising generating at least one stimulus having at least an initial phoneme and receiving a response to the stimulus that indicates an ability of the test taker to recognize the initial phoneme of the stimulus.

395. The method of claim F, wherein the tests further comprise a test for recognizing the ending sound of a stimulus, the test comprising generating at least one stimulus having at least an ending phoneme and receiving a response to the stimulus that indicates an ability of the test taker to recognize the ending phoneme of the stimulus.

396. The method of claim F, wherein the tests further comprise a rhyme generation test comprising generating a stimulus and receiving a response from the user identifying a sound unit that rhymes with the stimulus.

397. The method of claim F, wherein the tests further comprise a sound blender test comprising generating at least two sound stimuli and receiving a user response to the at least two sound stimuli, the response indicating an ability to blend the at least two sound stimuli into a larger sound unit.

398. The method of claim F, wherein the tests further comprise a sound segmentation test comprising generating at least one stimulus and receiving a response to the stimulus comprising means for segmenting the stimulus into smaller units in order to test the ability to segment the stimulus into smaller units.

399. The method of claim F, wherein the tests comprise a sound manipulation test comprising generating a sound stimulus having one or more sound units and, in response to the sound stimulus, manipulating the sound units of the sound stimulus to test the ability to manipulate sound units.

400. The method of claim F, wherein the tests further comprise a verbal recall test comprising generating at least one sound stimulus and, in response to the at least one sound stimulus, receiving a user response indicating the recalling of the at least one sound stimulus.

401. The method of claim F+4 further comprising speaking a verbal response into the speech recognition device for receiving a verbal response from the user.

402. The method of claim F, wherein the tests further comprise a naming test comprising generating at least one visual stimulus and, in response to the display of the visual stimulus, speaking the name of or the sound associated with the visual stimulus using the speech recognition device.

403. The method of claim F, wherein the tests further comprise a word decoder test comprising displaying a visual stimulus to the user and, in response to the visual stimulus, receiving a response from the user to determine the ability to read the visual stimulus.

404. The method of claim F, wherein the tests further comprise a fluency test comprising generating a plurality of visual stimuli and receiving a user'"'"'s response to the visual stimuli within a predetermined time interval to determine the user'"'"'s ability to read and understand the visual stimuli.

405. The method of claim F, wherein the motivation further comprises generating a graphical image and an associated sound to motivate the user to complete the tests.

406. The method of claim F+19, wherein the motivation further comprises generating the graphical image and associated sound after a first predetermined number of tests are completed and generating another graphical image and associated sound after a second predetermined number of tests are completed.

407. The method of claim F+20, wherein the generating further comprises generating a graphical image indicating the number of tests remaining to be completed.

408. The method of claim F+20, wherein the motivation further comprises generating the graphical image and associated sound after a third predetermined number of tests.

409. The method of claim F further compring, based on the test scores, recommending a training module to improve the skill of a user.

410. The method of claim F+1, wherein the recommender further comprises downloading the recommended training module to the client computer.

411. The method of claim F+1, wherein the recommender further comprises storing the incorrect responses to the one or more tests and generating a training module recommendation based on the incorrect responses.

412. The method of claim F+23, wherein the recommender further comprises comparing each incorrect response to one or more error measures to identify an error associated with each incorrect response and generating a training module recommendation based on the identified error.

413. The method of claim F+24, wherein the comparing further comprises identifying one or more errors for each incorrect response.

414. The method of claim F+24, wherein the recommender further comprises identifying a deficient skill by comparing the identified error to a deficient skill rule and generating a training module recommendation based on the identified deficient skill.

415. The method of claim F further comprising dynamically generating one or more data reports that illustrate the data associated with the one or more tests.

416. The method of claim F+27, wherein the data reports further comprises displaying the test results simultaneously for one or more students.

417. The method of claim F+28, wherein the displaying further comprises displaying the percentage of correct responses for a test.

418. The method of claim F+28, wherein the displaying further comprises displaying the results for one or more different tests for each user wherein the results for each test are displayed in a different color.

419. The method of claim F+27, wherein the data report generator further comprises a user interface for browsing other test data for a user.

420. The method of claim F+27, wherein the data report generator further comprises determining the number of user test results shown.

421. The method of claim F+27, wherein the data report generator further comprises permitting the user to select a data report print format.

422. The method of claim F+27, wherein the data report generator further comprises permitting the user to select a data report display format.

423. The method of claim F+27, wherein the data report generator further comprises generating a data report for one or more students in a class, generating a data report for one or more classes each having one or more students and generating a data report for a school having one or more classes.

424. The method of claim F, wherein the client computer further comprises a teacher station that downloads the tests from the server and one or more student computers connected to the teacher station by a network, each student computer further comprising displaying at least one of a graphical image and audio associated with each test located on the server, receiving a user response to one of the graphical images and audio presented by each test and communicating the responses for each test back to the teacher station.

432. The method of claim 424, wherein the teacher station further comprises generating one or more separate accounts for the diagnostic system, wherein the accounts include an account manager for managing an entire school or district of users of the diagnostic system, a lead teacher for managing the use of the diagnostic system by one or more classroom teachers in a particular school and one or more classroom teachers who each administer the diagnostic testing for a particular class of students.

433. The method of claim 432, wherein the teacher station further comprises a user interface for the account manager to register one or more lead teachers and a user interface for each lead teacher to register one or more classroom teachers who administer the test.

434. The method of claim 433, wherein the account manager has access to testing data for the entire district, wherein the lead teacher has access to testing data for the entire school and each classroom teacher has access to testing data for the class of the classroom teacher.

425. The method of claim F+33, wherein the teacher station further comprises communicating the response for each test for each student back to the server computer.

426. The method of claim F+34, wherein the teacher station further comprises detecting a break in the communication between the teacher station and the server computer and resending any test data that was not sent due to the communications break.

427. The method of claim F+33, wherein each student computer further comprises connecting to the server computer and downloading the resources necessary to execute the current test when the test is started.

428. The method of claim F+33, wherein the teacher station further comprises generating a classroom layout showing an icon for each student computer.

429. The method of claim 428, wherein the teacher station further comprises monitoring each student'"'"'s test progress and controlling each student computer.

430. The method of claim 428, wherein the teacher station further comprises collecting student test data.

431. The method of claim 428, wherein generating the layout further comprises coloring each icon depending on the state of testing for the particular student computer.

435. A dual server system for testing one or more skills associated with the reading skills of an individual, comprising:

a server computer comprising one or more tests for determining deficiencies in one or more reading and pre-reading skills, a scorer for determining a score for each test;

a teacher station for downloading the tests from the server computer; and

wherein the teacher station is connected to one or more student computer over a computer network, the teacher station further comprising means for establishing a communications session with each student computer so that each student computer displays at least one of a graphical image and audio associated with each test located on the server, receives a user response to one of the graphical images and audio presented by each test, and communicates the responses for each test back to the teacher station.

436. The system of claim 435, wherein each client computer further comprises means for motivating the user to complete the tests.

437. The system of claim 435, wherein the server further comprises a questionnaire having one or more questions for eliciting information about risk factors associated with language-based learning disabilities.

438. The system of claim 437, wherein the information comprises historical data about reading-related risk factors including one or more of medical conditions including chronic otitis media, family history data including history of dyslexia, environmental data including socioeconomic status and exposure to literacy at home and observational data about an individual'"'"'s behaviors reflecting competencies in speech sound awareness.

439. The system of claim 435, wherein the user input device of the one or more client computers comprise a speech recognition device for receiving a verbal response from the user to the one or more tests.

440. The system of claim 435, wherein the one or more tests comprise a rhyme recognition test for testing the ability to recognize rhymes, a rhyme generation test for testing the ability to generate rhymes, a beginning and ending sound recognizer for testing the ability to recognize the beginning and ending sounds of a word, a word decoder test for testing the ability to read by sounding out a written word, a sound blender test for testing the ability to blend sound units together to form words, a sound segmenting test for testing the ability to segment a sound unit into smaller sound units, a sound manipulator test for testing the ability to manipulate sound units to form a new unit, a sequential verbal recall test for testing the ability to recall a sequence of spoken items, a rapid naming test for testing the ability to rapidly name one or more items, a letter naming and symbol/sound association test for testing the ability to name letters and identify the association between a symbol and an associated sound, and a fluent reader test for testing the ability to read fluently.

441. The system of claim 435, wherein the tests further comprise a rhyme recognition test further comprising means for providing at least two stimuli to the user and means for receiving user input in response to the at least two stimuli to determine the user'"'"'s ability to recognize rhyming words.

442. The system of claim 435, wherein the tests further comprise a test for recognizing the beginning sound of a stimulus, the test comprising means for generating at least one stimulus having at least an initial phoneme and means for receiving a response to the stimulus that indicates an ability of the test taker to recognize the initial phoneme of the stimulus.

443. The system of claim 435, wherein the tests further comprise a test for recognizing the ending sound of a stimulus, the test comprising means for generating at least one stimulus having at least an ending phoneme and means for receiving a response to the stimulus that indicates an ability of the test taker to recognize the ending phoneme of the stimulus.

444. The system of claim 435, wherein the tests further comprise a rhyme generation test comprising means for generating a stimulus and means for receiving a response from the user identifying a sound unit that rhymes with the stimulus.

445. The system of claim 435, wherein the tests further comprise a sound blender test comprising means for generating at least two sound stimuli and means for receiving a user response to the at least two sound stimuli, the response indicating an ability to blend the at least two sound stimuli into a larger sound unit.

446. The system of claim 435, wherein the tests further comprise a sound segmentation test comprising means for generating at least one stimulus and means for receiving a response to the stimulus comprising means for segmenting the stimulus into smaller units in order to test the ability to segment the stimulus into smaller units.

447. The system of claim 435, wherein the tests comprise a sound manipulation test comprising means for generating a sound stimulus having one or more sound units and means, in response to the sound stimulus, for manipulating the sound units of the sound stimulus to test the ability to manipulate sound units.

448. The system of claim 435, wherein the tests further comprise a verbal recall test comprising means for generating at least one sound stimulus and means, in response to the at least one sound stimulus, for receiving a user response indicating the recalling of the at least one sound stimulus.

449. The system of claim 439 further comprising means for speaking a verbal response into the speech recognition device for receiving a verbal response from the user.

450. The system of claim 435, wherein the tests further comprise a naming test comprising means for generating at least one visual stimulus and means, in response to the display of the visual stimulus, for speaking the name of or the sound associated with the visual stimulus using the speech recognition device.

451. The system of claim 435, wherein the tests further comprise a word decoder test comprising means for displaying a visual stimulus to the user and means, in response to the visual stimulus, for receiving a response from the user to determine the ability to read the visual stimulus.

452. The system of claim 435, wherein the tests further comprise a fluency test comprising means for generating a plurality of visual stimuli and means for receiving a user'"'"'s response to the visual stimuli within a predetermined time interval to determine the user'"'"'s ability to read and understand the visual stimuli.

453. The system of claim 436, wherein the motivation means further comprises means for generating a graphical image and an associated sound to motivate the user to complete the tests.

454. The system of claim 453, wherein the motivation means further comprises means for generating the graphical image and associated sound after a first predetermined number of tests are completed and means for generating another graphical image and associated sound after a second predetermined number of tests are completed.

455. The system of claim 454, wherein the generating means further comprises means for generating a graphical image indicating the number of tests remaining to be completed.

456. The system of claim 454, wherein the motivation means further comprises means for generating the graphical image and associated sound after a third predetermined number of tests.

457. The system of claim 435 further comprising a recommender for recommending, based on the scores of the one or more tests, one or more training modules for improving a reading or pre-reading skill of the individual as indicated by the score of the tests.

458. The system of claim 457, wherein the recommender further comprises means for downloading the recommended training module to the student computer.

459. The system of claim 457, wherein the recommender further comprises means for storing the incorrect responses to the one or more tests and means for generating a training module recommendation based on the incorrect responses.

460. The system of claim 459, wherein the recommender further comprises means for comparing each incorrect response to one or more error measures to identify an error associated with each incorrect response and means for generating a training module recommendation based on the identified error.

461. The system of claim 460, wherein the comparing means further comprises means for identifying one or more errors for each incorrect response.

462. The system of claim 460 wherein the recommender further comprises means for identifying a deficient skill by comparing the identified error to a deficient skill rule and means for generating a training module recommendation based on the identified deficient skill.

463. The system of claim 435, wherein the server further comprises means for dynamically generating one or more data reports that illustrate the data associated with the one or more tests.

464. The system of claim 463, wherein the data reports further comprises means for displaying the test results simultaneously for one or more students.

465. The system of claim 464, wherein the displaying means further comprises means for displaying the percentage of correct responses for a test.

466. The system of claim 464, wherein the displaying means further comprises means for displaying the results for one or more different tests for each user wherein the results for each test are displayed in a different color.

467. The system of claim 463, wherein the data report generator further comprises a user interface for browsing other test data for a user.

468. The system of claim 463, wherein the data report generator further comprises means for determining the number of user test results shown.

469. The system of claim 463, wherein the data report generator further comprises means for permitting the user to select a data report print format.

470. The system of claim 463, wherein the data report generator further comprises means for permitting the user to select a data report display format.

471. The system of claim 463, wherein the data report generator further comprises means for generating a data report for one or more students in a class, means for generating a data report for one or more classes each having one or more students and means for generating a data report for a school having one or more classes.

472. The system of claim 435, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for communicating the response for each test for each student back to the server computer.

473. The system of claim 472, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for detecting a break in the communication between the teacher station and the server computer and means for resending any test data that was not sent due to the communications break.

474. The system of claim 435, wherein each student computer further comprises means for connecting to the server computer and means for downloading the resources necessary to execute the current test when the test is started.

475. The system of claim 435, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for generating a classroom layout showing an icon for each student computer.

476. The system of claim 475, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for monitoring each student'"'"'s test progress and controlling each student computer.

477. The system of claim 475, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for collecting student test data.

478. The system of claim 475, wherein generating the layout further comprises means for coloring each icon depending on the state of testing for the particular student computer.

479. The system of claim 435, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for generating one or more separate accounts for the diagnostic system, wherein the accounts include an account manager for managing an entire school or district of users of the diagnostic system, a lead teacher for managing the use of the diagnostic system by one or more classroom teachers in a particular school and one or more classroom teachers who each administer the diagnostic testing for a particular class of students.

480. The system of claim 479, wherein the teacher station further comprises means for the account manager to register one or more lead teachers and means for each lead teacher to register one or more classroom teachers who administer the test.

481. The system of claim 480, wherein the account manager has access to testing data for the entire district, wherein the lead teacher has access to testing data for the entire school and each classroom teacher has access to testing data for the class of the classroom teacher.