My daughter is one of the 1520% of adults and students with language-based learning disabilities. The International Dyslexia Association states that these people have dyslexia symptoms, such as slow or inaccurate reading, poor spelling or mixed up words and numbers.
After she was diagnosed with dyslexia, I realized that she required assistive technology in order to learn at the same pace as her classmates. But I wasn't sure where I should start. To mark Dyslexia Awareness month, I reached out and asked several experts in assistive technology to help me determine the best technology to facilitate and improve reading, writing, and math.
Here's Jamie Martin, Assistive Technology Specialist, New England Assistive Technology Center, and Karen Janowski (Assistive & Educational Technology Consulting at EdTech Solutions, and coauthor of Inclusive Technology 365), have to say. Janowski does offer one caveat.
There are pros and cons to every assistive technology. You might have to test several before you find the right one for you.
Reading
Photograph by Getty Images
Voice Dream Reader
IOS, Android
Voice Dream Reader is the preferred app for text-to-speech. Both experts recommend it. It's like a Kindle for your mobile device. Martin says that you can highlight and take notes and sync with Google Drive, Safari, email and DropBox.
Small text can be made less intimidating by changing the fonts, colors and line spacing. Voice Dream Scanner can scan text and then read aloud.
The school may be willing to purchase the app, or you could access it for $20 using the in-app purchases.
Learning Ally
Web, IOS, Android
Recording for the Blind was established in 1942 to assist blind soldiers. It is now a library of over 80,000 audiobooks that can be used by anyone with learning disabilities or visual impairments.
