Reading Supports iOS

iOS Reading Supports

These supports are available either on the device or through an app.

Visit Apple's Accessibility website for more tools and features.

Text-to-Speech

Text-to-Speech (TTS) uses a computer to convert online text into spoken voice output, which “reads” aloud to a student with a reading disability, dyslexia, or document reading disabilities. TTS allows a student to independently select and change the level of reading support and to read single words, passages, or whole documents.

Text to speech on an iPad (or any iOS device)

iPads, iPods, iPhones (any iOS device) have a text to speech accessibility feature called speak selection. The first time you use it, you will have to enable it in settings. After it is enabled, any highlighted text can be read aloud by choosing the "speak" option.

Define

Using a dictionary to enhance written assignments and reading comprehension, particularly for a student that struggles with comprehension, vocabulary or spelling.

The iOS Built-In Dictionary

The iPhone and iPad have a built-in dictionary that doesn't appear as an individual app, but as a resource you can access Safari, text editing and other apps. You can look up any work you have selected. You can also look up words directly and quickly narrow search results to only show the definition. You can customize which dictionaries are used as well.

Alter Text

Enlarging images or text. Providing focus on the text or images by magnification.

How to enable and disable Zoom for iPad

Here's a short video on how to enable and disable this feature on an iPad. This Zoom would be most useful for a student with visual impairments.

Like other tablets, you can pinch and

Pinching to expand and/or shrink text.
In Safari Reader you can adjust fond, size and contrast.

Focus on Text

Allows the student to better focus on text.

Screen Mask
Highlighting
Line Focus

Voice Dream Reader

Screen masking is not available within the iPad itself. It is avaliable through specific apps, like Voice Dream Reader.

This feature is not available on the iPad. It may be available withing specific apps.

Clear Clutter

Simplify the material on the screen for fewer distractions.

Safari Reader Mode

This is a short video on using the Reading Mode on the Safari web browser to clear the clutter and make reading easier. It alsow show how to alter the text in this mode.

Back to Tools for Struggling Readers and Writers

You Try It!

Pull out your own technology and see if you can find these supports. You may already be using some of them to help you in your own life. You can look at the handouts on this page for suggested tools and where to find them.

Enlarge the text on your device
Find the tool that will read what you want to hear on your device.
Look up the meaning of a word
Create a text message using the speech recognition software in your device.
Does your email or your text have Word Prediction?
How does your technology help you know when something is misspelled?

Page updated

Report abuse