Where can I find more books to use with a reading pen?

Bridget Brady

September 09, 2010 9:21:33 PM

I recently bought a book that uses an audio pen to read the pages. You point the pen at the text in the book and can hear it read aloud. I'm wondering what kind of technology is involved here and if more of these books are available? Is there special software needed to convert text into encoded dots so the audio pen reads them?

How can I track down appropriate software for my daughter with multiple disabilities?

Bridget Brady

August 05, 2010 11:29:24 PM

My 14 year old daughter is really struggling in school. She has learning disabilities and difficulties with auditory processing. She's currently very far behind in all her classes and is really struggling to keep up with her work. I'm worried that the workload will be too much as she enters high school and she'll get discouraged and consider dropping out. The school has offered her audio books because her reading is so far below grade level, but she struggles to follow along with them because of her processing difficulties. How can we use technology at home to help with her reading and homework? How can I find the right program for her when she has multiple areas of need?

What reading software is effective for students who struggle with reading?

Bridget Brady

March 31, 2010 10:39:41 PM

I have a 6 year old son who is diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. Although he is high functioning and has already met his reading goals at the kindergarten level, he does have difficulty with reading comprehension. I have the opportunity to provide ideas for reading software that will be used in the new learning center being developed by his school. I would like to bring ideas to the table for software that has been shown to be successful with struggling readers. Do you have any suggestions?

Can you recommend an effective typing program for our son, who is dyslexic and dysgraphic?

Bridget Brady

March 31, 2010 10:34:53 PM

We recently purchased an AlphaSmart Neo for our son, who is dyslexic and dysgraphic. We have also tried the Mavis Beacon program, but he thinks it is boring. Do you know of another good typing program?

Are there any scanning devices available that can help my dyslexic child improve his reading and math skills?

Bridget Brady

March 31, 2010 10:31:04 PM

I am looking for a scanning device to help my child, who has dyslexia, with reading and math. I have looked into talking pens. Is there anything else?

Where can I calculate readability levels online?

Bridget Brady

March 31, 2010 9:09:16 PM

I work for an organization that serves individuals with disabilities. We often create materials for a variety of audiences and we want to make sure that the content is accessible. Are there any online tools or resources that can help us evaluate the level of reading materials? Where could we find suggestions for how to simplify the reading level of text?

What online resources are available for a student in a rural area without access to special education services?

Bridget Brady

March 31, 2010 8:42:38 PM

My six-year-old son is obsessed with super heroes. He often talks about his favorites (Batman, Superman, Spiderman, etc.) and is very fond of watching their movies and cartoons. He has an amazing memory about things he is interested in and can remember everything about superhero movies and cartoons he likes but still does not recognize his numbers and letters. I'm very worried about his studies and his reading. How can I help him improve his reading skills? We don't have access to special education near our home as we live in a remote town in Pakistan.

How can I get help with technology accommodations in graduate school?

Liana Heitin

December 05, 2009 4:33:10 PM

I have recently been accepted into a graduate program and am wondering if there are any options for upgrading the software tools I use for reading. I have a reading disability — are there any grants or programs that might help me?

What tools can help my son with LD learn a foreign language?

Liana Heitin

October 18, 2009 9:57:28 PM

My 15-year-old son has a language-based learning disability. He is in the tenth grade and so far has been able to maintain good grades with the assistance of an educational support paraprofessional. However, he has now started taking required foreign language classes and is struggling with vocabulary, verbal exercises, and exams. Are there any technology tools or software programs that might help him?

How can I help my 14-year-old daughter who struggles with reading?

Liana Heitin

October 18, 2009 9:45:35 PM

My daughter is almost 14 and is in the fifth grade. Her school identified her as having a specific learning disability, so she receives services through school, but she still struggles, especially with reading. What technology tools can we use with her to help her improve her reading skills?

Should I go back to school as an adult if I suspect I have a learning disability?

Liana Heitin

October 12, 2009 9:01:04 PM

I am in the process of going back to college to seek a degree in education. Although I have been out of school for many years, I am excited about going back. Unfortunately, I find myself having a hard time processing a lot of the assignments my instructors give. I get concerned and worry that I might have a learning disability. Will I still be able to pursue my career as an educator if I can't keep up with the work?

How can public libraries better support people with learning disabilities?

Sun Kim

September 15, 2009 12:22:18 PM

I work in a public library and want to be sure that our resources are accessible to all our patrons, including those with disabilities. What resources should we make available and where can we find additional information about making libraries accessible to individuals with learning disabilities?

What assistive technology tools could we use with a middle school student so he doesn’t feel singled out and different from his peers?

Administrator

February 01, 2009 8:23:50 AM

We have a middle school student that has difficulty with written work and reading difficulties. We would like to get some of the voice-activated software for him. We also wanted him to start using the computer and learning keyboarding but there may be some fine motor weaknesses. He is embarrassed by his difficulties and does not want to appear different to the other children. Do you have any ideas for how we might get him to use assistive technology tools and feel less singled out?

Would a portable book reader be appropriate for a child with visual processing issues?

Administrator

February 01, 2009 8:06:13 AM

Have you ever heard of the Amazon Kindle? Do you think that this would help a child with visual processing issues? My son is in fourth grade and needs large print books. I'm having difficulty finding grade level appropriate books with larger fonts. Could Kindle be a good solution?

What options are available for audio versions of textbooks?

Administrator

February 01, 2009 7:54:08 AM

My son is using a textbook that does not have an audio version (tape/CD) available. Is there software that will copy/scan and convert to audio?

What technology tools can I use in my work writing to make sure I haven’t made errors?

Administrator

January 01, 2009 10:00:43 AM

I am a 32-year-old with dyslexia. I've been pretty successful and went to college and grad school. I had great teachers and accommodations and modifications when I was in school and was able to work around my disability a lot of the time. Now that I'm working, I'm finding one area that's always been a problem is cropping up — my spelling is terrible and my work emails are full of errors.

My friends and family understand when they get emails from me that there might a lot of mistakes, but I still spend hours going over everything I write trying to make sure it looks professional. Spell check on the computer helps, but the problem is it doesn't always pick up the mistakes I make. Sometimes I write a word correctly, but it's the wrong word. Or I spell something wrong, but it doesn't get picked up.

Sometimes if I have to write something really important for work, I send it to my brother first and ask him to proofread it, but I can't keep doing that. Are there any technology tools that I can use?

What technologies are available to help a college student with a reading disability access textbooks?

Administrator

October 01, 2008 10:19:05 AM

My daughter is a college freshman and has a reading disability. She learns best by listening to audio books on CD read by real people, not computer voices. However, she has had difficulty finding audio books for many of her textbooks. Are there software programs or devices that might help her with these texts? She might also benefit from having the text appear on her screen as it is read to her, but I'm not sure what would work best for her.

What technology is available to help a nine-year-old read?

Administrator

July 01, 2008 11:24:14 AM

My 9-year-old has trouble reading. He is getting help from his special education teacher in school, but he's still at least two grade levels behind. Is there anything we can do at home to help him improve his reading skills?

What is the role of technology in Response to Intervention?

Administrator

July 01, 2008 10:15:19 AM

Responding to intervention has been prioritized in my district. How do I convince teachers that technology is an appropriate intervention tool?

How can we e-mail a textbook page home to a student with dyslexia?

Administrator

April 01, 2008 1:07:43 PM

We scan materials for students to use on Kurzweil 3000 at school. Could you recommend an efficient way to scan and email a textbook page home to a student with dyslexia? He has Natural Reader on his home computer, but he does not have Kurzweil. Using the .doc extension results in a poor reproduction; the original layout would be preferable.