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Assistive technology (websites, software and apps) are useful tools in making learning more accessible. It also allows students to show their learning in different ways. See below for some suggestions.
Audiobooks
Audibooks can be a great way to motivate those who find reading a challenge.
In listening to a book, readers with dyslexia are able to access the content of a book without becoming overwhelmed by the technical aspects of reading (having to sound out words, putting the words together to create meaning etc.).
A good idea is to have your child follow along with a printed copy of the text to reinforce reading skills in a supported manner that reduces stress.
Below is more information on two good audibook sites. The buttons take you directly to the sites.
Audible is a company owned by Amazon that sells audiobooks. They have a lot of children and teen fiction on their website. You can either buy books individually or sign up for a membership that allows you to buy books at a reduced rate.
This website has a list of popular children's books and it streams videos featuring famous actors reading them alongside creatively produced illustrations.
Listening to stories is a great way of developing literacy skills and it can also help to create interest and motivation in reading.
Text to Speech
Similarly to audiobooks there are softwares available that can convert text so that you can listen to what is on the page and follow along on the text.
This can help with accessing a text and aid in comprehension.
It can also make the task of reading less overwhelming.
Below is more information on two good text to speech sites. The buttons take you directly to the sites.
This website allows you to copy and paste text that it reads to you.
You can choose the voice, speed and it highlights sentences as it is reading them.
This is free and may be a useful way for readers to access content from a web page or document or help them in proofreading their written work.
There is also the possibility of adding a Chrome extension that will read web pages to you as well as a premium membership that includes additional features.
Natural Reader has both an online platform and a downloadable software which you can use for text to speech reading.
The online platform allows you to copy and paste text, or drag and drop any document you want read. It supports multiple formats.
The downloadable software allows you to install it on your computer and use it to read documents, webpages, pdf files and emails.
There are versions for Mac and Windows.
There are free versions for both versions as well as paid subscriptions.
Speech to Text
There are options for speech to text software which you can use to dictate your work and then edit what is typed for you.
This can be useful for children who have yet to master touch typing or find writing by hand laborious.
Children with dyslexia are usually better able to express their thinking orally than in writing.
This is because the process of writing is a complex one that involves thinking about what you want to say while also thinking about spelling, letter formation (in the case of writing by hand), and sentence structure.
This often leads to the writing produced by children with dyslexia not reflecting their knowldege and understanding.
Below is a list of speech to text options you may want to try with your students:
If your child uses Google docs for their writing assignments they can use voice typing to dictate text as well as edit it.
To use Voice Typing on Google Docs, click on “Tools”, “Voice Typing”, and let Google access your computer’s microphone.
Below is a link to a Google page that lists the commands you can use to write and edit your document.
Speechnotes is a website that allows you to turn on a microphone and dictate to it.
Once your text is finished you have options to download it, print it or email it. You can also copy and paste it into an existing document.
Speechnotes has also developed a Chrome app that allows you to use speech to text in any text box on any website.
This can be used, for example, to dictate emails or fill in forms.
Nuance is a designer of speech to text software.
There is an app for Apple and Android platforms that allows you to use the software on phones and tablets.
You can create an account and pay a monthly subscription to use it on any of your devices.
There is an option to use it for free for a week so you can get a feel of whether this is a useful tool to invest in.
Mind-mapping
Similar to drawing it, creating a mind map of key information can help your child understand what they have read.
It can also aid them to recall it by being able to look at their mind map instead of rereading the entire text.
Mind maps can be a good strategy to develop comprehension, identify important information, and summarize and organize information.
There are also online tools and apps that you and your child can use to create them.
Below is more information on two good mind mapping sites. The buttons take you directly to the sites.
Popplet is an easy to use online tool that can help your child organise information into an easy to access mind map.
You can trial the tools for free to make one Popplet and then sign up for a subscription. There is also an app available.
Popplets can then be downloaded as PDFs to use and share.
Bubbl.us is another easy to use online tool to help your child mind map information.
You can try this tool out without creating an account.
There are then two account options: a free one and a paid monthly membership that provides extra features.
There is a 30 day free trial option for the paid membership that allows you to see if the extra features are of interest to you.
Teachers and students get a 50% discount on paid memberships.
Dyslexia Friendly Fonts
Certain fonts can be easier to read than others, making it easier to distinguish different letters and reduce the visual stress that reading causes some individuals with dyslexia. Fonts that have commonly been found to be easier to read include:
Comic Sans MS
Century Gothic
Times New Roman.
A good idea is to try reading the same text in different fonts to see if some are easier to read than others. You can use the downlodadable PDF below to ask your student(s) what is easier to read for them.
Downloadable PDF - Dyslexia Friendly Font Sample Page
There are also some specially designed fonts that have been created by people with dyslexia that may be helpful.
Dyslexie is one example and can be downloaded for a small yearly fee on their website. Products include a font for typing, a product to convert existing documents (Word, PDF etc.) into Dyslexie as well as a feature that can convert the font on web pages into Dyslexie. There is an option to trial it for free for a month to see if it is a useful tool.
OpenDyslexic is another example of a font designed by people with dyslexia. It can be downloaded for free and used to type with.
Dyslexic Logic is a website that has a lot of useful resources for supporting students with dyslexia. It offers a free font that can be downloaded from their website.
Touch Typing
Mastering touch typing can allow students with dyslexia to express their thoughts more easily.
This is because touch typing:
Removes some of the cognitive load involved in writing (letter formation, fine motor skills)
Makes editing for spelling and grammar easier
Makes it easier to structure written texts
Click on the button below for some websites where students can practice touch typing and also play touch typing games.
Click on the button below for more information:
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