If you need help with reading comprehension, try...

Rewordify.com

This website takes sentences or passages that are difficult to read and generates simpler versions.

• Who should use this? Anyone who sometimes has difficulty understanding what they are reading, including English language learners.

• How does it work? Rewordify generates an easier version of the text that you enter, with the words that have been replaced highlighted in yellow so that you can click them to learn the originals--and improve your vocabulary.

• What does it cost? Nothing.

• How can I get it? Go to Rewordify.com.

A YouTube video

This Reading Comprehension video is designed for English language learners, but it has a lot of very useful tips for every reader. One thing: the instructor mentions using a dictionary at one step in the process. Read&Write, Kurzweil 3000, and ClaroRead all let you click on a word to get a definition--and they will even read it to you.

Kurzweil 3000

Kurzweil 3000 reads articles, books, and other materials out loud--including web pages. It offers a built-in dictionary, plus writing features, including word prediction, mind mapping, and outlining.

• Who should use this? Students who have reading challenges such as dyslexia, who speak English as a second language, and students who learn best by listening. Students who need help with writing will also find it useful.

• How does it work? Watch this reading demo to see Kurzweil 3000 in action. The program also offers very useful writing features; watch this video for details.

• What does it cost? There is a free 30-day trial, and after that it is $700 per year.

• How can I get it? Many colleges (including at SMCCCD) offer Kurzweil 3000 as an accommodation for their students. Check with your school's resource center.

Read&Write

Read&Write reads text in EPUB books, Microsoft Word files, PDFs, websites, and Google Docs. It offers a built-in dictionary, plus writing tools such as outlines and word prediction.

• Who should use this? Students who have reading challenges such as dyslexia, who speak English as a second language, and students who learn best by listening. Students who need help with writing will also find it useful.

• How does it work? It comes in Windows, Mac, and Chrome Extension versions. Watch this demo of the Chrome version to see the tool in action.

• What does it cost? The premium version is $145 per year. There is a free 30-day trial (with writing and other features); after that, you can continue using the basic reading features for free.

• How can I get it? You can download Read&Write from TextHelp.

NaturalReader

This text-to-speech reader is easy to use. A basic free version reads text in most file formats and has a "floating bar" that reads text on webpages; premium versions let you create audio files from text, type with word prediction, and more. It's available on the Web and as Windows and Mac downloads.

• Who should use this? Students who have reading challenges (like dyslexia), who speak English as a second language, who learn best by listening, and who need help focusing on what they are reading.

• How does it work? Go to the NaturalReader Online webpage, or launch the desktop software, then copy in text or upload a file; the Play button and other controls are at the top of the screen. Go to the NaturalReader website. and scroll down the page to watch how-to videos.

• What does it cost? The basic versions are free. NaturalReader for Windows and the Mac has premium versions that start at $99.50 (a one-time cost); NaturalReader Online's premium accounts start at $10 per month.

• How can I get it? Go to NaturalReader Online to use the Web version, or download Windows or Mac software from the NaturalReader website.

ClaroPDF

ClaroPDF is a text-to-speech app that runs on Apple iPhones and iPads, Android phones and tablets, and Windows PCs.

• Who should use this? Students who have reading challenges such as dyslexia, who speak English as a second language, and students who learn best by listening.

• How does it work? Download the free app to your smartphone or your Windows computer, launch it, and then open a PDF within the program. This free version of ClaroPDF reads text within any PDF, highlighting the text as it reads.

• What does it cost? The ClaroPDF apps and Windows software are free. Note that there is a $10 version of the iOS app (ClaroPDF Pro) that lets you annotate PDFs and save the files.

• How can I get it? Search for "ClaroPDF" (free version) or "ClaroPDF Pro" (premium version) on the Apple App Store, or download the free Android version from Google Play. Go to the Claro website for the Windows download.