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Assistive technology has the power to change students' outlook on themselves and their future. By providing students the opportunity to engage, participate and reflect on learning they are given the opportunity to be successful. It also allows students to interact with their friends and classmates which is a key component to motivation in combination with interactions with (Anderson, 2008).
Examples of Assistive Technology for Literacy
Examples of Assistive Technology for Literacy
To familiarize yourself with some of the products out there, click each image to be taken to the companies website or directly to the Google Chrome app store page. It isn't intended to be intrusive, but some people like to use the product that is being discussed.
Speechify
Speechify
Speechify is a mobile and desktop app that reads any text aloud using a computer generated text to speech voice. The app is notable for producing near-human quality voices, and for using optical character recognition technology to turn physical books or any printed text into audio.
ReadSpeaker
ReadSpeaker
Text to speech enables brands, companies, and organizations to deliver enhanced end-user experience, while minimizing costs. Whether you’re developing services for website visitors, mobile app users, online learners, subscribers or consumers, text to speech allows you to respond to the different needs and desires of each user in terms of how they interact with your services, applications, devices, and content.
Read&Write
Read&Write
Read&Write is a literacy support tool that offers help with everyday tasks like reading text out loud, understanding unfamiliar words, researching assignments and proofing written work.
Kurzweil 3000
Kurzweil 3000
Kurzweil® 3000 is an award-winning, research-based, assistive technology tool helping students with learning disabilities, those diagnosed with dyslexia, dysgraphia or other literacy challenges.
Assistive technology provides opportunities to remove barriers students face in accessing curriculum and learning. Many boards of education across Canada are adopting these technologies as a means to inclusive design. There is some hesitancy in utilizing these technologies, however with learning outcomes being as positive as they are and the data to support, effective technology use coinciding with effective pedagogy, this hesitancy is evaporating and schools and families are utilizing the technology available to them when and where possible.
Give it a Try
Give it a Try
To fully understand assistive technology as it may look in the k-12 classroom, work through the attached lesson plan, following the prompts to use assistive technology in a lesson designed for purpose.
Prompt: What do you think is the main obstacle to having AT available in all public institutions? Social, Economic, or Pedagogical?
Known Assistive Technologies
The list below is an interactive, live list from the cohort of ETEC522.
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