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About 13-14% of K-12 students have been diagnosed with some form of dyslexia, a language-based learning disability. According to the International Dyslexia Association, dyslexia refers to a cluster of symptoms which make it difficult to read, write, spell, and pronounce words. The nature and severity of how students experience dyslexia may vary widely. And while diagnostic tools have improved, it is likely that, when you include those who are undiagnosed, far more than 14% of the student population may be dealing with dyslexia.
Universal Design for Learning or UDL provides a good starting place for including dyslexic students in the learning process. Presenting information in different ways such as using visual representations, allowing students to respond to assignments in different ways such as via video or audio, and allowing them to engage in different ways such as through active learning techniques--all of these approaches can be friendly to the dyslexic learner.
I've always found Mac products such as their Desktop, iPad and Macbook Air to be user friendly, and this ethos is carried over in their attempts to accommodate diverse users. Their products include a number of accessibility tools that can help all users, including those with dyslexia (the spirit behind Universal Design for Learning). I have summarized a few of these Mac tools in this infographic:
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*iMovie can be used in a number of ways to help all users, including those with dyslexia. For example, you can record yourself reading aloud and play the recording back, providing practice in this skill. On this infographic I highlight using iMovie to record answers to things like classroom assignments or emails so as to avoid having to write a response.
*Mac's text-to-speech software can be used to listen to articles on the internet, email attachments, or complex directions. The Alex voice on the Mac is supposed to have more natural intonations and can be slowed down to a rate comfortable for the listener.
*For dyslexic users, the screen display itself, its brightness, color contrasts, etc...can make reading more challenging. Changing these settings (for example, switching to dark mode) can make the reading experience more comfortable.
*You can use iPhoto to store images from the iPhone, digital camera, or screen shots and either create a digital slide show or print them out as flashcards to study.
*For some forms of dyslexia, writing manually is easier than typing. Dyslexic users with an iPad can use Scribble to write their thoughts on the screen and they will be translated into text.
*Finally, the font Open Dyslexic can be more reader-friendly for dyslexic learners.
In many ways, technology opens up more doors to diverse learners, including those with dyslexia, and gives them equitable access to learning opportunities.
Sources
“Empathy Prompts.” Empathy Prompts, empathyprompts.net/. Accessed 2 Oct. 2024.
“Home.” International Dyslexia Association, dyslexialibrary.org/. Accessed 2 Oct. 2024.
Team, Dystech Editorial. “10 Accessibility Features for Dyslexics on Apple Devices.” Dystech, 31 May 2023, dystech.com.au/learning-difficulties/10-accessibility-features-for-dyslexics-on-apple-devices/.
“Tips for Mac Users.” Dyslexia Help at the University of Michigan, dyslexiahelp.umich.edu/tools/mac-tips. Accessed 2 Oct. 2024.
“Universal Design & Technology: Center for Teaching Innovation.” Universal Design & Technology | Center for Teaching Innovation, teaching.cornell.edu/resource/universal-design-technology. Accessed 2 Oct. 2024.
There are some great suggestions here, Maria. Thanks for keeping your infographic simple and to the point.
ReplyDeleteHi Maria,
ReplyDeleteGreat blog post and infographic. I often tend to forget that there are a lot of students who suffer from dyslexia. Thanks for sharing and informing me of the tools!
Thanks for your infographic, Maria. Its design is so lovely and approachable that I feel like it would hang well on a classroom wall.
ReplyDeleteI feel like when I first learned about dyslexia, it was explained very poorly to me ("people who mix up letters") which is a shame because by understanding more about this very common situation, the usefulness of certain accessibility aids become way clearer. I know font is something I've started paying special attention to working with early readers. It feels unfair to them how many different forms lowercase "g" can take in typed text!
My husband has dyslexia and struggled with reading while growing up. Teasing and even being lectured by teachers made him hate reading (he has outgrown that!). When I see your graphic with tools to use for these kinds of students, it makes me happy knowing a new generation will not feel the same anxiety and helplessness and actually have tools to keep them on par with the class.
ReplyDelete