Using the Google Read & Write toolbar, students can highlight webpages to increase contrast and aid in understanding.
Assistive technology can be a game changer for special needs students. When we adapt technology to meet a student’s individual learning needs, it can boost student achievement and self-confidence as well as enable greater independence. Assistive technology removes barriers so students with disabilities can more easily demonstrate what they know.
Assistive technology (AT) that supports student Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals falls outside the city Department of Education’s new screentime limits. Such applications are listed on the DOE’s AT support page and can work in conjunction with other approved AT programs, including the following:
Kami is a web browser extension whose main strength is to make documents and resources accessible to students needing reading and writing support. Kami allows annotation of PDF files, OCR (optical character recognition), speech-to-text and text-to-speech. Kami includes the OpenDyslexic font to help students tell similar letters apart when reading and typing. It also has a read-aloud feature accessible from its toolbar that allows students to highlight words or longer passages that they can listen to using a variety of voice types and accents and at a custom pace.
Read & Write is a Google Chrome browser extension that works with web pages and common Google Drive files. It serves as a reading and writing support layer that follows the student across web pages and documents with features like word prediction, text-to-speech, word simplification and picture dictionaries. Its text-to-speech feature can be activated so students can hear materials read aloud in tandem with easy-to-follow color highlighting and lets students create and listen to their own voice notes rather than having to type them. Read & Write also has a translation feature to help multilingual learners.
Immersive Reader is a free Microsoft product that was designed for students with dyslexia, but which can be beneficial for anyone experiencing difficulty with text decoding, focus, visual or sensory processing or other comprehension-related learning differences. Immersive Reader is already integrated into programs like Microsoft Word, Outlook and OneNote, but it can also be used with web materials by adding it to your internet browser. Features include text-to-speech, word and syllable highlighting, line focus, translation and a built-in picture dictionary.
Voice Dream Reader is a standalone reading app helpful for students with dyslexia, auditory processing difficulties, attention challenges or vision impairments. Voice Dream Reader turns almost any text, including PDFs, ebooks and web content, into customizable speech with synchronized word and line highlighting, allowing students to listen, read or do both together. Users can choose options for voice, speed, fonts, text size, spacing and color themes, which allows it to meet a wide range of needs.
To integrate AT effectively, pair it with instruction that directly addresses student skill deficits. The DOE maintains a robust AT site that lists resources and has an implementation guide to support best practices.
AT tools can be beneficial for all students. Research shows features like captioning improve learning outcomes for everyone. All students enjoy engaging, multimodal assignments, and when educators normalize using AT tools in their classrooms, special needs students feel truly included.