RETHINKING READING Assistive technology, accessible ebooks, and reading support tools help students with reading challenges interact with text in a meaningful way. By Megan Shanley and Hillary Goldthwait-Fowles There is more than one way to read. Printed text does not work for all readers. Many people have physical, learning, and visual challenges that impact their ability to access printed text. Providing content in multiple formats honors the unique needs of students with reading challenges and disabilities and allows them to have meaningful access to learning materials. Innovative new technology tools can make reading easier for all learners. Audio content can be human narrated or it can use text-to-speech capability, which provides computer-generated voices that read along while words are highlighted. Both formats provide benefits that assist students with decoding and boost comprehension, and they provide customization options such as changing the voices and narration speed and adjusting text size and contrast. Some tools embed study aids such as highlighting, annotation, dictionary, and grammatical assistance which further support readers who struggle with comprehension and organization of ideas. No matter which barriers impede “traditional” reading, a variety of tools and supports allow individuals to interact with text in a meaningful way. 36
SOURCES OF E-BOOKS:
• Bookshare • Epic! Books for Kids • Tar Heel Reader • Learning Ally • OverDrive (for libraries)
TEXT-TO-SPEECH READING TOOLS:
• Microsoft Immersive Reader • Speechify • Snap&Read • Read&Write for Google Chrome • Bookshare Web Reader • Dolphin Easy Reader • Capti Voice
Accessibility, Compliance & Equity in Education
