AT for Struggling Readers

Skill Areas  Phonemic Awareness: the ability to focus on and manipulate phonemes in spoken words  Phonics: the ability to associate sounds with letters and use these sounds to form words  Vocabulary: identifying the meanings of words and using those words appropriately within context

Skill Areas (continued)  Comprehension: the complex cognitive process involving the intentional interaction between reader and text to convey meaning  Fluency: the effortless, automatic ability to read words in connected text

Technology Supports for Reading  Remediation tools for drill and practice to build reading and related skills  Compensatory tools to enhance access to and success in completing instructional tasks which require students to read and comprehend instructional materials

Compensatory Tools  A range of assistive tools used by students to compensate for reading difficulties that they are experiencing

Positioning Aids  Allows for optimal positioning of text Notebooks PortaBook Stand (Onion Mountain Technology) Slant Boards (Pocketful of Therapy, Sammons Preston Rolyon)

Tracking Aids  Enables students with visual tracking difficulties to maintain their place in the text Reading Window (Teacher Made) Bar Magnifier (Independent Living Aids) EZC Reader/ Colored Reading Helper (Really Good Stuff, Onion Mountain Technology) Click for Demo

Contrast Aids  Alters the foreground- background contrast to promote visual access to text Highlighters Highlighting Tape Acetate Report Covers Colored Overlays (National Reading Styles Institute, Onion Mountain Technology ) Colored reading helpers (Onion Mountain Technology or Really Good Stuff)

Word Identification Aids  Offers portable solution for reading difficult words Electronic Dictionaries (Franklin Electronic Publishers) Reading Pens (Wizcom)

Standalone Magnification Aids  Allows for controlled enlargement of text to magnification level needed Bar, page, pocket and stand magnifiers (Maxi-Aids, Independent Living Aids, LS&S) Binocular and monocular telescopes (Maxi-Aids) Closed Circuit Television Systems (Telesensory)

Alternative Format Books  Symbolized Text Provides access to text using graphics to support understanding and independence  News-2-You (  News-4-You (Mayer Johnson)  Graphic word processors (refer to graphic word processors)

Alternative Format Books  Computer Books Provides electronic books for older struggling readers needing age appropriate topics in controlled environments  Start to Finish Literacy (Don Johnston)  Start to Finish Books (Don Johnston)  Thinking Reader (Tom Snyder )

Alternative Format Books  Large Type Books Provides standard materials presented in larger type  Local Libraries and bookstores  Georgia Instructional Materials Center (GIMC)  American Printing House for the Blind-Louis Database

Alternative Format Books  Braille Provides standard materials presented in braille  Georgia Instructional Materials Center (GIMC)  American Printing House for the Blind-Louis Database

Alternative Format Books  Electronic Text Provides access to printed leisure materials in electronic format such as text files or PDF Material may be free or through subscription  Project Gutenberg  BookShare  Accessible Book Collection Accessible Book Collection

Alternative Format Books  Auditory Text Provides access to leisure and curriculum materials in audio format on CD or cassette Use may require membership and an adapted player  Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFD&D)  Georgia Library for Accessible Services (GLASS)  National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS)  Commercial sources

Text Readers  Auditory only Material is presented in auditory format only Some access audio-cassettes, other CDs, using standard or adapted formats Can provide a highly portable solution  Handi-Cassette II (American Printing House for the Blind)  Victor Reader Series and Software (HumanWare)  MP3 player ( commercial)   Etext Reader Etext Reader

Text Readers  Visual and auditory ─ Text-reading computer applications that provide a bimodal presentation of the document being read aloud ─ Some are text only, some provide text and graphics  Talking Buddy (Amazing Software Products, Inc.)  ReadPlease Free (ReadPlease)  Hiptalk text to speech software (Handango) on Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) running OS5 (Palm)

Standard Word Processors  Microsoft Word: a powerful standard word processor with built-in study support features − Visual accommodation - font, background, spacing − Text to speech in Microsoft Office 2002 and later − AutoSummarize, Readability statistics, Word count − Highlight text and colored fonts − Outlining feature − Dictionary and Thesaurus − Comment

Graphic Word Processors  Supplements printed text with picture symbols for beginning readers Writing with Symbols (Mayer Johnson) Clicker (Crick Software) PixWriter (Slater Software) IntelliTalk (IntelliTools)

Talking Word Processors  Speaks selected text by letter, word, sentence, or paragraph with optional simultaneous highlighting  Text may be created in the application, imported from another source, or scanned Talking Word Processor (Premier Assistive Technology) Writing with Symbols (Mayer Johnson) Text-edit Plus (Trans Tex Software) Write:OutLoud (Don Johnston) IntelliTalk (IntelliTools) CAST eReader (CAST) Clicker (Crick Software)

Text Readers with Study Supports  These text-reading computer applications provide a bimodal presentation of the document being read aloud.  Study supports such as reading the web, highlighters and dictionaries are included. − Read:OutLoud SOLO (Don Johnston) − Read & Write (TextHelp)

Reading Pen II  TTS technology  Reads aloud a word or phrase passed over printed text.  Words are heard through a small, built-in speaker or through earphones.  Pen’s software dictionary has definition 200,000 words.  Useful for library research.

InfoScan Electronic Note Taker  Mobile device takes notes from almost any printed document, creating fully editable MS Word documents on the PC, PDA or any Windows application.  User scans and transfer printed text directly into a PC or scan (up to 500 pages)  Scan and put in TTS software

Advanced Reading Aids  Provides auditory reading support as well as visual enhancement features  May offer study aids as well as writing support Kurzweil 3000 (Kurzweil Educational Systems) WYNN (Freedom Scientific) Read & Write Gold (Text Help)

Screen Enlargement Technology  Allows for controlled enlargement of text to the magnification level needed ZoomText (AI Squared) MAGic (Freedom Scientific)

Screen Readers  Will read all text on the computer screen  Support is provided across applications and the Internet JAWS (Freedom Scientific) Window Eyes (GW Micro)

Determining The Optimal Tool(s)  Student abilities and needs  Required tasks  Available supports

Things to Keep in Mind  Technology is no substitute for good instruction  Technology should be used in conjunction with other available supports  Technology use should be monitored and changes made as needed

Assistive Technology for Writing and Spelling

Technology Supports for Writing Struggling writers often have difficulty in one or more of the following areas: Handwriting Written Expression Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar To provide appropriate supports, we must determine the types of difficulties the student is experiencing.

Handwriting  Dysgraphia - a difficulty in acquiring adequate handwriting skills that is often characterized by: the inability to execute efficiently the motor movements required to write or to copy written letters or forms; the inability to transfer the input of visual information to the output of fine motor movement

Handwriting  Dysgraphia (continued) limitations in other visual-motor functions and activities requiring motor and spatial judgments; difficulty writing numbers, aligning them properly, and understanding concepts related to space, distance, and time

Written Expression  Process that requires planning, organization, drafting, editing, and revising skills  Difficulties may include: generating ideas word retrieval difficulties organizing thoughts into a coherent story revising the story

Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar  Spelling requires auditory and visual discrimination, memory sequentialization, analysis and synthesis, and integration simultaneously  Punctuation system of symbols inserted into written material to clarify the meaning  Using correct grammar requires simultaneous integration of the meaning of words, parts of speech, types of phrases or clauses and grammatical rules

Performance Standards Skill Areas  Writing Process Organizational Structure  How ideas are organized Purpose Genre Prewriting – brainstorming – concept map Drafting – recording ideas Editing – checking for errors

Performance Standards Skill Areas  Writing Process (continued) Revising Use of Resources  Encyclopedias  Internet resources  Literary books  Reference books Dictionaries Thesauruses

Performance Standards Skill Areas  Conventions of Writing Grammar Mechanics Spelling Legibility

Technology Supports for Writing and Spelling  Remediation tools Strategies and skill based instruction to improve the skills in area of deficit  Compensatory tools Enhance access to and success in completing instructional tasks

Compensatory Tools A range of no tech, low tech, mid tech, and high tech tools used by students to compensate for writing difficulties that they are experiencing

Positioning Aids  Aids that help maintain posture and or stablize student’s paper Slant boards (Pocket Full of Therapy) Page holders (office supply store) Book stands (Sammons Preston Rolyan) Clip boards (office supply store) Dycem or non-slip shelf liner (Sammons Preston Rolyan)

Contrast Aids Highlighter tape (Crystal Springs) Highlighter pens (office supply) Reading Helper (Really Good Stuff, Onion Mountain Technology) Colored Overlays (NRSI, See It Right)  Aids that provide visual contrast

Adapted Writing Utensils  Aids to assist with grasp Adapted pens/pencils (Sammons Preston Rolyan, Onion Mountain Technology) Pencil grips (Sammons Preston Rolyan, Onion Mountain Technology)

Adapted Paper and Writing Guides Raised line paper (Sammons Preston Rolyan, Onion Mountain Technology) Bold line paper (Sammons Preston Rolyan, Onion Mountain Technology) Writing guides (Independent Living Aids, Onion Mountain Technology)  Paper with different kinds of lines and spacing

Personal Vocabulary or Spelling Dictionaries  Lists of commonly misspelled words Notebook QuickWord Booklets (Curriculum Associates) SpellWell Bookmarks (Curriculum Associates)

Hand-held Spellchecker  Small portable spell checking devices and/or dictionaries which provide information about spelling and word usage/definitions Speaking Merriam Webster Dictionary and Thesaurus (Franklin) Children’s Talking Dictionary with Spell Corrector (Franklin)

Recorders  Devices for recording notes and answers to tests Handi-Cassette II (American Printing House for the Blind – APH) Digital Recorder (office supply store)

Hand-held Scanners  Devices for taking notes from books or other print resources Notetaker (Don Johnston) Iris Pen (I.R.I.S. Inc)

Print-based Graphic Organizers  Teacher made concept maps  Printed documents from Inspiration, Kidspiration, Visio, or MS Word

Portable Word Processor  Stand alone keyboards - small in size, easy to use, portable and durable AlphaSmart 3000 (AlphaSmart Inc) Neo (AlphaSmart Inc) Laser PC6 (Perfect Solutions)

Concept / Webbing Applications  Organizational support for students with difficulty brainstorming and organizing thoughts Inspiration (Inspiration) Kidspiration (Inspiration) Draft:Builder SOLO (Don Johnston) Visio (Microsoft)

Inspiration 7.5  Organization technology  Integrated diagramming and outlining environments  Over 50 curriculum- aligned templates that inspire classroom quick- starts.  Visual and audio to support multiple learning styles including text-to- speech.  Templates include: Language Arts, Social Studies, Science: Planning

Inspiration Can Be Used Across the Writing Curriculum  Brainstorming  Webbing  Diagramming  Planning  Critical thinking  Concept mapping  Organizing  Outlining

Inspiration Lesson Page Diagram and Outline View

Inspiration: Built-in Language Arts Templates  Autobiographical Event  Book Comparison  Character Web  Comparative Analysis  Definition  Literary Comparison  Literary Web  Persuasive Essay  Poetic Analysis  Story Triangle  Textual Analysis  Vocabulary  Mythic Journey  Kidspiration Kidspiration  Interactive video Interactive video

Standard Word Processing Software  Software alternatives for handwriting Microsoft Word (Microsoft) WordPerfect (Corel)

Graphic Word Processing Software  Software with graphic and speech support Writing with Symbols (Mayer Johnson) IntelliTalk (IntelliTools) Clicker (Crick Software) PixWriter (Slater Software)

Talking Word Processing Software Write:OutLoud nston.com nston.com IntelliTalk (IntelliTools) Talking Word Processor (Premier Assistive Technology) Software with speech support

Write: Outloud

Word Prediction Software Co:Writer SOLO (Don Johnston) Word Q (Quillsoft)  Software with spelling and grammar support

Co:Writer 4000  Word prediction Technology  Co:Writer 4000 works on top of any word processor or program that accepts text.  As students type, it predicts words for the sentence, even if they use phonetic spelling.  Predicted words are read aloud to help students reveal their word options.

Co-writer 4000 Sample Page

Electronic Worksheets  Form filling software and scanner to scan worksheets into the computer PaperPort 10 (ScanSoft) Omniform (ScanSoft)

Advanced Reading and Writing Aids  Software with OCR (Optical Character Recognition) component that provides reading, notetaking and study support Kurzweil 3000 (Kurzweil Educational Systems) Read & Write Gold (TextHelp) WYNN (Freedom Scientific)

Draft:Builder  Organizational Technology  Used in creating a first draft: organizing ideas, taking notes and writing the draft.  It models the logical, progressive steps of draft- writing and displays a visual representation of the process.  The display gives students a framework to generate, manipulate and connect ideas and information.

Draft:Builder Sample Page

SOLO  SOLO™ combines Co:Writer®, Write:OutLoud® Draft:Builder®,— and introduces Read:OutLoud™!  One completely integrated solution to differentiate instruction and assist in the learning process

Kurzweil 3000  A a scanning, reading and writing solution for students with learning or reading or writing difficulties.  Scanned reading materials can be modified and be TTS delivered  Also had word prediction and integrated reference tools such as dictionary, synonyms, syllables, spell word, audible spell checking, and vocabulary list features.  Digitized text can be modified and read.

Voice Recognition Software  Software that allows speech that is spoken into a microphone to be converted into text displayed on the monitor Office Speech Recognition (Microsoft) Dragon Naturally Speaking (ScanSoft) IBM ViaVoice (ScanSoft)

Augmentative Communication Devices  AAC devices with text to speech capability and/or infra-red capability to produce written language and/or control writing software applications on a computer DynaVox DV4 & MT4 (Dynavox Systems) Speaking Dynamically Pro (Mayer Johnson) DynaWrite (Dynavox Systems)

Determining The Optimal Tool(s)  Student abilities and needs  Required tasks  Available supports

Things to Keep in Mind  Technology is no substitute for good instruction  Technology should be used in conjunction with other available supports  Technology use should be monitored and changes made as needed