How can I get accessible instructional materials for my son if the school will not provide them?

Bridget Brady

August 05, 2010 11:30:27 PM

My son is dyslexic — his fluency is in the 10th percentile, and he reads at half the rate of his peers. His verbal IQ is in the 99th percentile, and when he has accessible materials his ability to comprehend is high. He uses Kurzweil 3000 to read academic materials and finds he benefits from the synchronized, highlighted text with the speech.

Unfortunately, his school has stated that when he enters high school next year, he will receive materials "just like everyone else" and will be responsible for converting all of his materials to digital format himself if he wants them in electronic format. Though my son has individual memberships to Bookshare and RFB&D, the school does not have an institutional membership, so he can't obtain his textbooks.

Do you have any suggestions on how to facilitate his access to print material? Should we purchase a high quality scanner, and if so, do you have recommendations on type? (Seems it would be cheaper than litigating this issue, which we can't afford.)

Is peer support an acceptable substitute for assistive technology in the classroom?

Bridget Brady

August 05, 2010 11:27:45 PM

My son has autism and needs assistive technology tools. The school does not have anyone on staff that can help with AT decision-making or training and instead has students help each other. Is this acceptable? How can I talk to my son's school about getting more support for assistive technology?