ROTFL with literacy: Supporting reading with assistive technology

November 15, 2011

Assistive Technology Consideration

Virginia's Framework for Assistive Technology Consideration and Assessment (Find forms, directions, and examples here. Free training tools are currently being created and posted.)
Implementing AT in public schools (This is a study by the VCU T/TAC regarding the supports for and barriers to AT consideration and implementation public schools. The findings offer ideas for how to make AT implementation-and ultimately student success and independence-a reality in your school division.)

Text-to-Speech (Materials to use in the AT consideration process whenever students require read aloud accommodations.)
Balabolka (free, runs off of a USB key): http://www.cross-plus-a.com/balabolka.htm

Portable Applications (Materials to use in the AT consideration process whenever students require read aloud accommodations when permanent installation on a classroom computer is not feasible or desired; consider these AT tools when students are in courses with homework and when they are of transition age and will need independent access to their AT at low/no cost.)

ABBYY Fine Reader and Presto Page Manager (to be used with OCR scanner)
To find an OCR scanner, type "OCR" and "Scanner" into any search engine. Some are full size (8.5x11") and others are business card size. Some are portable and require loose sheets (i.e., remove pages from book to feed through scanner); others resemble photocopiers and are called "flatbed" scanners. Some of these can accommodate 2-sided scanning through a feeder, like photocopiers do. We've been using the Genius Colorpage portable scanner for around $70.

AIM (Produces and delivers accessible instructional materials for students with IEPs reflecting AT consideration that led to a need for accessible print materials.) This is free!