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Technology to support reading difficulties

Posted by Shirley Lawson on the 17th May, 2016

The aim of National Digital Learning week is to highlight the innovative and exciting ways in which digital technologies are being used to support Scottish learners.  Our focus here at CALL Scotland is the support of learners with additional support needs and we think the use of assistive technologies is very exciting because it provides the support in the required area of difficulty and allows the true ability of the learner to be realised.

Let’s take reading for example:  This practical guide on ‘Addressing Reading Difficulties’ is an excellent infographic to ascertain what the actual problem is and what strategies could be implemented to help.  It can be downloaded from the CALL Scotland website.

Digital books

Printed books and texts can be a barrier for many learners with reading difficulties.  The Books for All Scotland database provides learning materials in accessible, alternative formats.  A teacher can access this database (with Glow log in details) and download a required school text for a ‘print disabled’ student.

Have you done this for a student with reading difficulties?  Being able to listen to text instead of reading opens up a whole new world to dyslexic learners.

Do you know that it’s not just novels on the database? There are a full range of Hodder and Gibson textbooks and TeeJay maths books.  Search the database for the book you require. Once it’s downloaded it can be provided to the student on a pen drive, by email or by uploading to a cloud based system such as Glow for their individual use.

Text-to-speech

What are the text-to-speech options? This depends on what device you are using.  Follow the infographic for suggestions of what can be used.  For full details of what is available with easy to use guides, read our information page on Text-to-Speech.

Don’t let students struggle, fall behind with work and become demotivated just because they have reading difficulties. Provide the text in a digital format and use a text-to-speech program / app.

 

Online course - £30

Using AI to Support Learners with Dyslexia

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