Twenty-five years of building technology that puts people in control of their own words
Quillsoft is a Canadian-founded, Canadian-owned company built on a deep, collective understanding of the challenges people face with reading and writing.
Quillsoft's roots go back to the early 1980s, inside the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital in Toronto, where rehabilitation engineer Dr. Fraser Shein assembled the first team of its kind in Canada united by a belief that technology could empower the lives of children with disabilities.
Early breakthroughs included software that let non-speaking children with cerebral palsy communicate and draw on a computer using just one or a few switches. The team's first major public success came in 1991 with WiViK, now recognized as the first commercial onscreen keyboard for Windows technology so foundational that similar functionality is now standard.
The original version of WordQ was finalized in 1999. After a difficult search for a commercial partner, Dr. Fraser Shein founded Quillsoft in late 2000 in partnership with Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, specifically to develop and promote WordQ. Today Quillsoft calls Berkeley Castle in the St. Lawrence neighbourhood of Toronto home.
Our Mission
Quillsoft is committed to developing assistive technologies that help individuals unlock their full potential, and to making written communication accessible for everyone in the classroom, the workplace, and everyday life.
Our values:
Inclusion — Literacy tools that work for learners of every ability, language, and background
Confidence — Support that builds a learner's belief in their own voice
Achievement — Measurable, evidence-based outcomes in reading, writing, and communication.
What Makes Us Different
WordQ was created through close, ongoing collaboration with academic and clinical experts, and its development remains evidence-based, shaped by continuous input from educators, clinicians, and long-serving developers, some of whom have been with Quillsoft for more than 20 years.
Every product Quillsoft builds reflects the same philosophy: intelligent assistance, not artificial intelligence. Our tools actively support you in reading and writing tasks and strengthen your independence, but you remain in control and the words are always yours.
Growing Globally, Together
In late 2022, Quillsoft entered a new chapter through a partnership with the Nisai Group, which acquired a majority shareholding in the Toronto-based assistive technology developer. Through this partnership, Quillsoft is expanding globally, evolving from a leading assistive technology provider into a comprehensive education partner, combining more than 50 years of combined experience to improve academic, personal, and employment outcomes for learners worldwide.
Our Senior Leadership Team
Fraser Shein
CEO
Fraser Shein is the founder of Quillsoft and as CEO he is responsible for the overall operations of the company, including product development, marketing, communications, and logistics. Dr. Shein is also Chair of the Board of Directors.
As VP, R&D, Dr. Shein is responsible for the day-to-day operations relating to R&D. Specific responsibilities include directing and contributing to both research and commercial development; developing and managing academic partnerships; and seeking new R&D funding opportunities.
After earning his PHD at UofT, Dr. Shein founded Quillsoft in 2000. He worked as a rehabilitation engineer and scientist at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital from 1979 – 2010 where he became an internationally recognized expert in computer accessibility for individuals with disabilities. Since 2011, Dr. Shein has managed Quillsoft full-time.
In his spare time, Dr. Shein is an avid photographer, musician and advocate.
Dhruv Patel
Chairman
Dhruv Patel is the CEO of the Nisai Group, an organization dedicated to making education accessible to students around the world. For the past 27 years, Nisai has dedicated itself to providing services that support and achieve outcomes for young people around the world.
Dhruv started his career as an accountant before recognising a need for high-quality training services and eventually education for young people. His work today focuses on accessible education to learners who would otherwise miss out through the use of technology and qualified teaching staff, thereby helping to achieve SDG2030 goals.
Dhruv Patel was recognized as a Fellow Doctor of the Royal Institute of Education by The Royal Institute of Singapore and listed in the Financial Times Top 100 BAME Leaders in Technology.
Today, Dhruv serves as the Chairman of Quillsoft.
David Lester
Vice-President Sales
David Lester plays a key role in supporting the Nisai Learning and Quillsoft sales teams and partners globally, while also championing inclusive and equitable education for learners of all ages. Dividing his time between the UK and Canada, he leads the growth of Quillsoft Ltd, an assistive technology company within the Nisai Group dedicated to enhancing reading and writing standards. Since joining Nisai in 2012, David has been passionate about making a meaningful difference.
With over 25 years in service industries,15 in education, he has supported parents, schools, higher education, and government teams worldwide. As a parent, he values education’s importance and advocates for accessible learning for all, especially those with special needs.
David has spoken at events across the UK and Asia, including UNESCO’s Global Inclusion Schools Forum in Paris. In 2025, he and his team received two Global Inclusion Awards for advancing inclusive education.