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TEACHING ExcEptional childrEn | January/FEbruary 2019 227
Ronan, a bright fifth-grade student, has
struggled significantly in reading and
writing throughout his school career.
Since his dyslexia diagnosis and
determination of eligibility for special
education services near the end of third
grade, Ronan has been receiving
intervention from Ms. Garcia, a special
education teacher at his school. Ms.
Garcia has worked closely with Ronan’s
general education teacher to ensure that
the instruction he receives from her is
reinforced in his regular classroom. Ms.
Garcia has also worked with Ronan’s
parents so they can reinforce this
instruction at home as well, but he is
still reading at only a second-grade
level. His decoding and fluency are
weak, but his language comprehension
is excellent. His thoughts are well
organized when he speaks, but his
spelling and handwriting skills are
underdeveloped and prevent him from
communicating effectively in writing.
Ronan has become extremely frustrated
trying to keep up with his fifth-grade
classwork, and Ms. Garcia is at a loss
as to what to do about it.
Individuals with dyslexia, like Ronan,
face numerous challenges in school and
daily life. Although effective intervention
may reduce those challenges (Mather &
Wendling, 2011; Shaywitz, 2003;
Snowling & Hulme, 2012), most
individuals with dyslexia benefit from
additional supports that allow them to
learn and function independently. The
term assistive technology (AT) refers to
the services and devices that enable
people with disabilities to accomplish
daily living tasks; assist them in
communication, education, work, or
recreation activities; and ultimately, help
them achieve greater independence and
enhance their quality of life (Dell,
Newton, & Petroff, 2016; Individuals
With Disabilities Education
Improvement Act [IDEA], 2006).
The IDEA (2006) specified that it is
the responsibility of the individualized
education program (IEP) team to
consider whether a student needs AT.
In addition, this law also requires that
schools provide accessible instructional
materials (AIM), such as audio,
large-print, or electronic books, to
students with disabilities, such as
dyslexia (Karger, 2010). In many cases,
AT can be used to make materials
accessible. For example, text-to-speech
AT can transform a book’s format from
print to audio, enabling learners with
challenges accessing printed text to
access to the content.
The National Assistive Technology
Research Institute found that although
schools do tend to consider AT during
IEP meetings, it is less common that
they follow through adequately with
assessment, selection, implementation,
and evaluation (Bausch, Ault, &
Hasselbring, 2015). This may be
because most members of the typical
IEP team have had little or no
preparation specific to why or how
assistive technology may benefit
learners with different needs despite
the fact that such training is mandated
within IDEA (Edyburn, 2004).
Why AT for Students With
Dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a neurobiological disability
characterized by, but not limited to,
challenges with accurate and fluent
reading, word recognition, decoding, and
spelling despite normal cognitive abilities
and access to appropriate instruction
(International Dyslexia Association,
2002). AT can be used to compensate for
a disability, such as when nonverbal
students use communication devices, or
to mediate a disability, such as when
students with print disabilities use text-
to-speech programs (Kennedy & Boyle,
2017). AT for students with dyslexia most
often mediates the disability in areas of
challenge. Specifically, AT can mediate
challenges with reading, writing, and
spelling.
Reading
Students with dyslexia do not read as
well as their peers despite having
comparable intelligence and
instructional opportunities to learn to
read. This can present a challenge for
teachers because students with
dyslexia can often comprehend
material more advanced than their
reading achievement allows them to
access. AT helps provide options for
students to access content and
information in different ways. Text-to-
speech software, for example, can be
beneficial for students with dyslexia
who exhibit weak decoding skills, low
levels of fluency, and strong listening
comprehension skills (Parr, 2013;
Wood, Moxley, Tighe, & Wagner, 2017).
AT can also support students with
dyslexia by providing options for
interacting with and customizing text
display. Devices such as e-readers can
improve reading comprehension and
reading speed when text is presented in
shorter lines with more spacing and
when key points are highlighted within
on-screen text (Rello, Saggion, &
Baeza-Yates, 2014; Schneps, Thomson,
Chen, Sonnert, & Pomplun, 2013;
Schneps, Thomson, Sonnert, et al.,
2013). Although dyslexia is not
associated with visual acuity, shorter
lines and highlighting can help
students focus their attention in
appropriate places during reading.
Combining on-screen text and spoken
text may also facilitate more fluent
reading for students with dyslexia
(Schneps et al., 2016).
Writing and Spelling
Students with dyslexia also tend to
struggle with writing throughout their
lives (Harris & Graham, 2013; Sumner,
Connelly, & Barnett, 2014). Students
with dyslexia who have spelling
challenges tend to use less robust
vocabulary (Sumner, Connelly, &
Barnett, 2016), exhibit slower writing
speeds due to pausing more often
(Hatcher, Snowling, & Griffiths, 2002),
and produce shorter amounts of text
compared to peers without dyslexia
(Gregg, Coleman, Davis, & Chalk, 2007).
Most individuals with dyslexia benefit from
additional supports that allow them to learn and
function independently.
228 council For ExcEptional childrEn
AT, such as word processors with spell-
checkers, can help students with
dyslexia improve spelling, writing
organization and structure, and
confidence in their writing (Hetzroni &
Shrieber, 2004; Hiscox, Leonavicˇiuˉte
˙, &
Humby, 2014). Talking word processors
that translate written into spoken text
and speech-to-text programs that allow
students to convert their spoken
language to writing can also improve
writing and spelling performance
(Cullen, Richards, & Lawless-Frank,
2008; Higgins & Raskind, 2004).
Students with dyslexia are also often
able to improve spelling and vocabulary
usage through word prediction software
(Evmenova, Graff, Jerome, & Behrmann,
2010; MacArthur, 1996). The
effectiveness of this AT can be limited by
students’ ability to correctly identify the
first few letters of a word; however,
newer word prediction programs often
take into account phonetic and inventive
spelling when generating word lists.
Writing instruction with iPads aimed at
improving handwriting, spelling, and
sentence composing and at engaging all
four language systems (listening,
speaking, reading, and writing) has also
been shown effective for students with
dyslexia (Berninger, Nagy, Tanimoto,
Thompson, & Abbott, 2015).
Summary of Research on
AT and Dyslexia
Researchers have found that AT may be
able to mitigate challenges associated
with reading, writing, and spelling for
students with dyslexia. Specifically, AT
may mediate reading challenges by
providing options for accessing
information and customizing the
display of information. AT may also
mediate writing challenges by
providing options for expressing
thoughts and knowledge and by
supporting spelling.
Types of AT
The sheer number of potential ATs for
students with dyslexia can be
overwhelming for educators. Having a
little technical knowledge can help
educators make sense of AT. Three
common forms of AT for students with
dyslexia include the preferences
available within operating systems
(called system preferences), extensions
for web browsers, and apps. These
readily available ATs can make a notable
difference for students with dyslexia, but
they often go unused due to lack of
awareness among teachers and students.
System Preferences as AT
Some AT works only on certain
operating systems (i.e., the software that
runs the basic functions of a device).
Knowing this information can
streamline the process of searching for
AT. Common operating systems include
(a) MacOS and iOS, which run products
like Macbooks, iPhones, and iPads; (b)
Microsoft Windows, which runs
products like Dell laptops, Microsoft
Surface tablets, and Blackberries; (c)
Android, which runs products like the
Samsung Galaxy; and (d) Chrome OS,
which runs Chromebooks.
System preferences within these
major operating systems can be
customized to improve the learning
experience of students with dyslexia.
The user can customize display
preferences to control the display
contrast, font style and size, size of
icons, and other display characteristics.
Text-to-speech and speech-to-text
functionality are also available within
Figure 1. Ease of Access icon within Windows Settings
TEACHING ExcEptional childrEn | January/FEbruary 2019 229
these operating systems. For example,
new Windows systems provide a
basic screen reader application (text-to-
speech) called Narrator, along with
built-in speech recognition software,
which allows the user to control the
computer through a series of voice
commands. These display features are
available by clicking on “Ease of Access”
within the Setting menu (see Figures 1
and 2). Newer MacOS systems also
include text-to-speech capabilities and
speech recognition through the
VoiceOver preference. These options are
found in the System Preferences folder
under Accessibility on Mac devices (see
Figures 3 and 4). On Chromebook and
Android devices, the options are
typically found under Settings within the
Accessibility tab (see Figures 5 and 6).
Customizing the accessibility
features within operating systems can
be advantageous when students are
working in 1:1 environments and
always using the same device. This
customization can be disadvantageous
when students use different devices on
different days or when multiple students
use the same device. However,
educators may find that certain features,
such as large font size or text-to-speech
options, are useful to a wide range of
students. Customizability within
operating systems tends to provide a
basic level of functionality, but these
preferences fall short of the more fully
featured products that are available via
third-party developers. In other words,
customizing within operating systems
can be helpful but not necessarily as
robust as using AT designed for specific
purposes. The best way to understand
customization options is to explore the
available operating systems.
Extensions as AT
Extensions are plug-ins or small
software programs that appear as icons
in web browser toolbars. Extensions
improve the functionality of web
browsers, and many extensions can be
used as AT to support learners with
dyslexia. For example, extensions can
enable text-to-speech or speech-to-text
functionality within browsers, support
online note taking and annotations
within browsers, provide instant
definitions or synonyms for words on
web pages, and allow users to
customize how web pages are
displayed. Some extensions are
compatible with multiple web browsers,
whereas others are browser specific.
Strategies to locate extensions vary by
web browser. For example, extensions
are accessible via the Add-On Manager
tab on the Mozilla Firefox toolbar,
whereas extensions for the Safari
browser are accessible under the
Preferences tab. Extensions for Google
Chrome are available via the Chrome
Web Store (https://chrome.google.com/
webstore/). Extensions are important in
the K–12 environment because many
schools use Chromebooks with their
students, and much of the learning
using Chromebooks is done in the
browser. However, school or district
technical support personnel should be
contacted before extensions are
installed, because policies on their use
vary considerably by district.
Apps as AT
The word app is short for application
and refers to computer programs
Figure 2. Ease of Access options including Narrator
230 council For ExcEptional childrEn
Figure 3. Accessibility icon within iOS System Preferences
Figure 4. Accessibility options including VoiceOver
TEACHING ExcEptional childrEn | January/FEbruary 2019 231
designed to run on various devices.
Desktop apps are applications that run
on desktop or laptop computers, and
web apps are apps that run in web
browsers. Mobile apps are applications
designed to run on mobile devices,
such as phones and tablets. Some apps
are designed to work across devices
and operating systems, whereas others
are designed specifically for certain
devices and operating systems.
Currently, mobile apps are the most
commonly used apps and are available
through two main digital distribution
platforms: App Store and Google Play.
AT for Students With Dyslexia
It is likely that students with dyslexia
will require more than one type of AT
to mediate challenges and be fully
accommodated. Certain types of AT
address specific challenges related to
reading and writing, whereas others
offer multiple features to address more
than one challenge within a single tool.
Tools that offer multiple features may
be appropriate for more learners within
a classroom and may be economical for
schools and districts to adopt in terms
of cost and technical support. However,
these tools may also overwhelm
students unless teachers and students
explicitly understand features of the
tool. Tools that address specific
challenges may be easier to teach and
implement, but students with multiple
challenges may need to learn to use
more than one tool. More tools also
necessitate more technical support,
which may be problematic in certain
contexts. Other considerations when
selecting AT include cost related to the
technology itself and to the
professional development required for
effective classroom implementation.
The ATs highlighted below are used in
many K–12 schools across the country
and will likely be in existence for the
foreseeable future. However, there are
never guarantees in the world of
technology, and the examples provided
are representative and not exhaustive
in terms of what is available.
Multifunction AT for Reading,
Writing, and Spelling
Read&Write (Texthelp, 2016) is an AT
that combines multiple features in one
tool. Read&Write is widely adopted in
K–12 schools because of its multiple
features, its compatibility with
multiple devices (i.e., it can be used as
an extension or an app), and its
Figure 5. Accessibility icon within
Android devices
Figure 6. Accessibility options including Text-to-Speech within Android devices
232 council For ExcEptional childrEn
simplicity. Read&Write provides a
toolbar that allows users to select from
numerous options, including many
that can support students with
dyslexia, such as options for text-to-
speech, speech-to-text, word
prediction, and simplifying the way
pages display. To activate a feature
such as text-to-speech, the user simply
places the cursor in the selected
location of the document or web page
and then clicks the play icon.
Read&Write also offers other options
not necessarily aligned to challenges
with dyslexia but potentially aligned to
needs of other students, such as
translation and vocabulary features.
The toolbar looks slightly different
depending on the device used, but the
functionality remains similar across
devices. Figure 7 shows the
Read&Write toolbar as it appears with
Google Chrome. Table 1 details the
features within Read&Write that align
with challenges often faced by
students with dyslexia. Educators can
request a 30-day trial to explore the
tool and can continue to use certain
features once the trial expires,
although continued access to full
functionality requires a subscription.
The installation process varies slightly
depending on the device used but
involves downloading the tool from
the Internet and dragging the icon to
the appropriate location as specified
after the download is complete. For
example, Chromebook users drag the
icon to the browser toolbar, whereas
Mac users drag the icon to the
Applications folder. The process is
user-friendly, and numerous resources
created by the company and by users
are easily located.
It would be impossible to create an
exhaustive list of ATs to mitigate
specific challenges faced by students
with dyslexia; however, Table 2
provides a list of some ATs that can be
used to support students with dyslexia
with reading and writing challenges.
AT for Reading Support
There are many text-to-speech ATs
available, and they all serve the same
purpose of helping users listen to text.
This type of AT is most useful for
students with dyslexia who have strong
listening comprehension skills, but
those with weaker listening
comprehension skills may benefit from
the combination of on-screen text and
audio, too. Unfortunately, there is not a
universal AT that enables text-to-speech
functionality across all formats (i.e.,
web pages, digital textbooks, PDFs,
Google Docs, etc.), and new products
emerge almost daily. Educators may
Figure 7. Screenshot of Read&Write for Google Chrome toolbar
Table 1. Assistive Technology (AT) Aligned to Challenges Faced by Students With Dyslexia
Challenge for students
with dyslexia How AT might support Read&Write features to support the challenge
Reading Options for accessing
information
The Text-to-Speech feature allows
users to listen to content while
looking at it on the screen
The Screenshot feature allows users to listen to
the words within images, graphs and screenshots.
Options for interacting with
and customizing the display of
information
The Simplify feature strips away extraneous
material so learners can focus on the content of a
page.
Writing and spelling Options for expressing
thoughts and knowledge
The Speech-to-Text feature allows users to put
their thoughts into written words without
becoming bogged down in handwriting, which
can be cumbersome and inefficient for students
with dyslexia.
Options to support spelling The Word Prediction feature allows users to
select from a list of possible words to use during
writing. How many words appear in the list is
adjustable.
TEACHING ExcEptional childrEn | January/FEbruary 2019 233
need to adopt multiple ATs to support
students with dyslexia, especially if the
curriculum requires use of multiple text
formats. Similarly, students may prefer
certain text-to-speech ATs to others, and
it is ideal to allow them to select from
multiple options. Table 3 describes four
common text-to-speech ATs and where
to find them.
AT can allow users to customize
many features of digital text, including
but not limited to fonts, font size,
highlighting features, spacing, listening
speeds, and page displays. Customizing
the display of information does not
automatically improve reading
comprehension, but it can positively
influence comprehension and reading
speed for students with dyslexia (Rello
et al., 2014; Schneps et al., 2016;
Schneps, Thomson, Chen, et al., 2013;
Table 2. Assistive Technology (AT) to Meet Reading, Writing, and Spelling Challenges for Students With Dyslexia
Challenge for students with dyslexia How AT might support Possible AT
Reading Options for accessing information Speak it!
Natural Reader
Bookshare
Audible
Options for customizing the display of
information
Mercury Reader
Beeline Reader
Voice Dream Reader
Writing and spelling Options for expressing thoughts and
knowledge and to support spelling
Standard word processors
Voice Typing
Co:Writer Universal
Write:Outloud
Siri
Table 3. Examples of Assistive Technology (AT) That Provides Options for Accessing Information
AT Description How to find it
Speak It! An extension that enables users to select text from web
pages to be read aloud in Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox.
Text will not be read unless it is selected. Some students
may find it a nuisance to select text before listening; others
will like the flexibility of being able to select certain parts
for listening.
Search “Speak It! Chrome” or “Speak
It! Firefox” and follow the simple
installation directions (Internet
Explorer and Safari have built-in text-
to-speech capabilities as well)
Natural Reader A web page that allows users to drag and drop multiple file
formats for listening (PDF, .txt, .doc, .docx, RTF, EPUB).
Users can also copy and paste text for listening and convert
text-based files into audio files. Many voice options are
available in the free version, and many more are available
in the premium versions. Requires an Internet connection
for use.
https://www.naturalreaders.com
Bookshare A repository of audiobooks funded, in part, by the Office
of Special Education Programs within the U.S. Department
of Education. Free to all students with documented print
disabilities, such as dyslexia. Offers numerous academic
texts and users can request others to be added. Most helpful
when students need to access textbooks for class or when
funding for professionally narrated books are not available.
All narration is via electronic voice.
http://bookshare.org (must submit
documentation of print disability for
access)
Audible A for-profit company that provides an audio library of
classic and contemporary books and novels. Most useful
when students are reading books other than textbooks.
Involves a fee but professional narrators are used.
http://audible.com
234 council For ExcEptional childrEn
Schneps, Thomson, Sonnert, et al.,
2013). Table 4 describes three ATs
educators may consider to support
customization.
AT for Writing and Spelling
There are many ATs available to support
writing. This type of AT is most useful
for students with dyslexia who have the
ability to orally tell a story or answer a
comprehension question. These ATs
support spelling, word finding,
grammar, and other components of
writing that often interfere with the
ability of students with dyslexia to
communicate effectively in writing.
They also typically support transcription
of text from the spoken word. Speech-
to-text features are most useful when
students have average to above-average
articulation skills. As with other AT, ATs
in this group require time to learn and
perfect, and students will need support
in figuring out how to use the features
as part of their writing process. Features
within this group of AT may also be
useful to or preferred by other students
without dyslexia. Table 5 describes four
common speech-to-text ATs and where
to find them.
How to Find AT for Students
With Dyslexia
Technologies are being developed more
and more rapidly each year, and this is
particularly true of technologies
designed for individuals with dyslexia.
For example, a recent study on mobile
apps related to dyslexia identified 531
apps related to dyslexia in Google Play
(for Android systems) and the App Store
(for OS systems) (Dawson, Antonenko,
Sahay & Lombardino, 2016). This large
number does not even include
technologies beyond mobile apps, such
as desktop apps and web apps or
extensions, all of which may serve as
AT to support students with dyslexia.
One of the best ways to identify AT for
students with dyslexia is for educators to
speak with special education and
technology experts in their schools or
districts about what ATs are available and
how others use them to support students
with dyslexia. However, it is also helpful
for educators to know where to look for
AT because resource availability, AT
expertise and knowledge, and expertise
about dyslexia vary considerably across
contexts. Although there are many
websites, blogs, and online repositories to
consult when seeking AT for students
with dyslexia, three possible resources
are DyslexiaHelp, SpedApps, and Tech
Finder.
DyslexiaHelp (http://dyslexiahelp.
umich.edu/tools/apps), curated at the
University of Michigan, provides an
extensive and carefully organized list
of apps that may provide help to
students, parents, or professionals
affected by dyslexia. The site does not
provide information on how
frequently it is updated, but the
associated blog is current (http://
dyslexiahelp.umich.edu/latest).
Table 4. Examples of Assistive Technology (AT) That Provides Options for Customizing the Display of Information
AT Description How to find it
Mercury Reader An extension for web browsers that removes ads and distractions
from web pages so users can focus on content. Mercury Reader also
allows users to disable noise and adjust the font, size, and color
contrast of a web page. This extension works on most but not all
web pages. Figure 8 shows an example of a website designed to
teach young children about the solar system. Like many websites
for children, the site includes many distracting features. Figure
9 shows how Mercury Reader strips away distractions so young
readers can focus on content.
https://chrome.google.com/
webstore/category/extensions
(Mozilla Firefox, Safari, and
Internet Explorer have similar
built-in features)
Beeline Reader This AT uses color gradients to guide readers from one line to the
next. It is used within many platforms, including Bookshare, and
is compatible with Chrome, Firefox, Android, iOS, PDF, and EPUB.
It can be used in tandem with most text-to-speech AT. Includes
a 2-week free trial, after which users have five uses per day free
or unlimited use for a monthly fee. There are also educational
licenses.
http://beelinereader.com (click
on the icon for the format in
which you want to use it, i.e.,
Chrome, Firefox, Android, iOS,
PDF, or EPUB)
Voice Dream
Weaver
This AT is a text-to-speech app for mobile and tablet devices that
allows users to adjust the reading speed, font, spacing, color, and
synchronized highlighting. It is compatible with nearly all file
formats (excluding audiobooks using proprietary software) and
includes multiple voice options. It also allows the user to listen to
documents as if they were music files, with the option to play and
pause the reading. There is a learning curve to set up some of the
options, but the manual on the website is pretty thorough. It is not
free.
For information see http://www
.voicedream.com; download
from the App Store or Google
Play
TEACHING ExcEptional childrEn | January/FEbruary 2019 235
SpedApps (http://spedapps.kent.
edu/index.php), a new initiative at
Kent State University, is in the early
stages of development and consists of a
searchable website that catalogs
high-quality apps for special education,
especially those focusing on Science,
Technology, Engineering, Arts and
Mathematics (STEAM). Although not
exclusively about dyslexia, an expert in
each specific learning disability reviews
each app. Apps are searchable by price,
content, audience, and learning
disability.
Tech Finder (https://www
.understood.org/en/tools/tech-finder/),
a component of Understood.org, allows
educators to search by issue, including
many specific to dyslexia, such as
reading, writing, and organization. It is
also possible to search for tools by
grade level. Ratings are provided for
each tool related to quality (5-point
scale from “The Best!” to “Don’t
Bother”) and learning (5-point scale
from “Best” to “No Learning”). The
site also includes information about
price and compatibility, as well as
commentary under the following
headings: “What parents need to
know,” “What students can learn,”
“What’s it about?” “Is it any good?”
and “How can parents help?” Space for
parent reviews is also provided, but
this feature does not appear widely
used.
Educators seeking resources such as
these should keep in mind that quality
resources typically include information
about the authors’ qualifications and
expertise, how frequently the site is
updated, details about the technology
Figure 8. Solar system website for young learners
Figure 9. Solar system website using Mercury Reader
236 council For ExcEptional childrEn
tools, and informed critiques about if
and when they may be appropriate. A
major concern of any resource on
technology is keeping up-to-date.
Technology changes so rapidly that
information about it can quickly
become obsolete. Even as we write this
article, we worry about the future
accuracy of the information in this
section because websites change so
frequently. For example, only six of 10
resources for finding apps related to
dyslexia identified in an article
published less than 3 years ago (i.e.,
Reid, Strnadová, & Cumming, 2013) are
still functional today, and of those six,
only half have been updated within the
past 2 years.
Recommendations for Helping
Students With Dyslexia Use AT
Some considerations for selecting and
using AT are relatively straightforward.
For example, AT either works with a
particular device or not, or a particular
AT is available to students within a
school or district or not. The
complexity of using AT for students
with dyslexia rests with finding
appropriate tools that support the
individual needs and preferences of
students. Just because a tool meets the
identified need of the student does not
mean it will work for the student or
that the student will like using it. In
fact, students with dyslexia have been
shown to exhibit different preferences
for technology tools (Björklund, 2011),
despite being identified with the same
learning needs. Dyslexia is also a
hidden disability (McKay & Neal, 2009)
meaning that, unlike a physical
disability or severe cognitive
impairment, dyslexia is not an
immediately obvious trait, and many
students of all ages with dyslexia go to
great lengths to hide their dyslexia and
blend in with their peers (Stampoltzis
& Polychronopoulou, 2009). Thus,
students with dyslexia may view using
AT unfavorably if it makes them stand
out from their peers or otherwise
stigmatizes them. Students with
dyslexia may be most apt to adopt ATs
Table 5. Examples of Assistive Technology (AT) That Provides Options for Expressing Thoughts and Knowledge and to
Support Spelling
AT Description How to find it
Word processor There are many different kinds of word processors, but most have
spell-check and word prediction. Google Docs and OpenOffice are
popular word processors for K–12 environments.
Word processors come
preinstalled on many devices.
A quick search for “free word
processors” will yield many
alternatives.
Voice Typing Voice Typing is a feature within Google Docs that enables speech-to-
text capabilities. Voice Typing is particularly popular given the rise
of Chromebooks in K–12 classrooms. Voice commands allow users
to include periods, commas, exclamation points, and question marks
and to begin new lines or paragraphs. Voice Typing is not available
in Google Sheets and is available only for preparing speaker notes
within Google Slides.
Voice Typing is available in
the Tools menu within Google
Docs.
Co:Writer
Universal
This AT works on almost any device. It enables speech-to-text and
grammar check and uses technology that can predict words using
correct, phonetic, and inventive spelling. It also includes topic
dictionaries aligned to content typically taught in schools, and new
topic dictionaries can be created.
Information about this
AT is available at http://
donjohnston.com/cowriter/.
Free trials are available.
Write: Outloud This AT is a talking word processor. It reads letters, words,
and sentences back to the writer in real time with highlighting
depending on the settings selected. Users can also listen to the entire
composition by clicking the “Read All” icon. A talking spell-checker
suggests words based on phonetic spelling, and a talking homophone
checker reads different definitions for the user (i.e., week vs. weak).
Co:Writer integrates with Write:Outloud.
Information about this AT is
available at http://donjohnston.
com/writeoutloud/. Free trials
are available.
Siri Siri is a personal assistant feature within iOS operating systems
but can also be valuable as a speech-to-text AT. Its speech-to-text
feature can support writing across a variety of applications, including
e-mail, text, word processors, maps, and web browsers. Several Siri
alternatives for Android and Windows devices exist, including Google
Now and Cortana.
These are typically part of a
device’s operating system and
can be customized as described
earlier in this article.
TEACHING ExcEptional childrEn | January/FEbruary 2019 237
that blur the boundaries between AT
and everyday technologies, such as
text-to-speech programs (Israel,
Marino, Delisio, & Serianni, 2014). In
addition, even though the term digital
native (Prensky, 2010) is used
pervasively in K–12 education, research
has shown that students do not
intuitively know how to learn with
technology (Kirschner & van
Merriënboer, 2013).
Despite these challenges, the
following recommendations can help
teachers engage students with dyslexia
in the process of using AT and develop a
plan for knowing if the student’s use of
the AT is successful. These
recommendations could also apply to
other students who may benefit from
AT, including those with other
disabilities or English language learners.
1. Identify the professional
development services offered in
your district related to the IDEA
(2006) mandate of educating
teachers about AT.
2. Learn about a variety of ATs, and
use them yourself in order to gain a
better understanding of them.
3. Talk with students about what they
feel are their biggest challenges
related to reading and writing, and
share possible AT solutions. If
students are too young to articulate
these feelings, then talk with their
parents or guardians and observe
them while reading and writing to
identify challenges that may be
mediated with AT.
4. Let students have a role in
selecting AT. If there is more than
one option (i.e., multiple speech-
to-text tools), let the students try
them out and tell you what they
liked and did not like about each.
Identify an adequate amount of
time (likely several weeks) for
students to learn the AT, and
practice using it during class.
Schedule a meeting at the end of
this time frame to determine how
the AT is working and make plans
for the future. Future plans could
include using the tool as is, making
modifications to how the tool is
used, discontinuing use of the tool,
or making alternative plans.
5. Observe students working with the
tool, and take notes on what you
see. Debrief with students about
how they feel it is going throughout
the trial period, and share your
observations if it makes sense to do
so.
6. Collect other forms of data if
possible. For example, keep track of
comprehension scores when
students read passages with and
without text-to-speech software or
of writing conventions with and
without speech-to-text and spell-
check software.
7. Make the AT available to other
students when possible. Text-to-
speech software may be a
necessity for a student with
dyslexia, but other students may
prefer to read using it. The more
the AT is integrated as part of
normal classroom routines, the
better.
8. Allow students to be experts in the
AT and help peers with it when
possible.
9. Involve parents and guardians in
the process and if possible, ensure
the selected AT is available at
school and at home for
homework.
10. Explore the accessibility features built
in to high-stakes computerized
assessments and provide students with
dyslexia a chance to become familiar
with them. Help these students make
connections between the AT they use
every day and the features available to
them during assessments.
Conclusion
AT is not a replacement for effective
intervention strategies in reading and
writing. In fact, a comprehensive
program must include both
intervention strategies and AT
implementation. However, it is
important to understand that dyslexia
does not go away with time. Students
with dyslexia will likely face reading
and writing challenges and lag behind
their peers in these areas throughout
their lives. Research has suggested that
AT may help mediate some of these
challenges. Students with dyslexia
benefit when teachers understand how
AT may mediate their reading and
writing challenges, acquire basic
technical knowledge, and learn about
specific ATs, strategies for locating ATs,
and suggestions for how to support
students in using ATs.
Ms. Garcia learned about
Read&Write, an AT that was already
available in her district. She helped
Ronan’s teacher adopt this AT as part of
her classroom instruction and helped
Ronan and the other students in the
class learn to use it through lessons that
integrated the features of the tool with
curriculum content. Ronan has been
able to keep up with his readings much
better through the text-to-speech feature,
and his writing scores have also
increased through the use of word
prediction and speech-to-text. His
improvements are likely due to a
combination of the research-based
interventions he continues to receive
from Ms. Garcia and the support
provided by using AT.
Ronan is pleased to be considered an
expert in the class on this tool and
frequently helps his peers who are also
benefiting from its use. Ronan’s parents
report that homework time is less
cumbersome and more productive and
that he has even sought out additional
content related to the curriculum by
using the tool to access information far
above his reading level. He is also
reading for pleasure more often using
AT is not a replacement for effective intervention
strategies...a comprehensive program must
include intervention strategies and AT
implementation.
238 council For ExcEptional childrEn
Bookshare, another AT provided by the
school, and through his parents’ Audible
account. Ronan’s AT needs have now
been documented on his IEP so he can
continue to count on the supports
provided as he enters middle school. The
IEP also specifies the need to continue
intervention services in middle school.
The special education coordinator is
currently analyzing the affordances of
potential AT for other students with
dyslexia and providing professional
development to help educators like Ms.
Garcia identify appropriate AT for their
students. Most importantly, Ronan feels
like he can, for the first time, learn and
fully participate in class without
constant help from his teachers, parents,
and peers. ATs, in combination with
consistent, research-based interventions,
have given him independence and
control over his own learning.
**Ronan is based on a true story
about the first author’s youngest son.
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Kara Dawson, Professor of Educational
Technology, Pavlo Antonenko, Associate
Professor of Educational Technology, Holly
Lane, Associate Professor and Director
School of Special Education, School
Psychology and Early Childhood Studies,
and Jiawen Zhu, Educational Technology
Graduate Assistant, College of Education,
University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
Address correspondence concerning this
article to Kara Dawson, School of Teaching
and Learning, College of Education,
University of Florida, 2403 Norman Hall,
P.O. Box 117048, Gainesville, FL 32611
(e-mail: dawson@coe.ufl.edu).
TEACHING Exceptional Children,
Vol. 51, No. 3, pp. 226–239.
Copyright 2018 The Author(s).
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