Webinar Wednesday: Your Dyslexia/Dysgraphia Toolkit

 

Live Webinar: March 10, 2021 Building a Dyslexia/Dysgraphia Toolkit That Works Dyslexia and dysgraphia were in focus even before eLearning. But, now more than ever, districts are looking for stable and effective ways to help students access and complete assignments independently—wherever they learn.  Students with dyslexia or dysgraphia, often have difficulties with: Decoding and comprehension Handwriting Spelling & Grammar Organization Written expression and writing speed (thinking faster than they can write) Independence (they rely on adults for reading and writing tasks) Writing math symbols; aligning numbers and word problems Phonics and Phonemic Awareness Finishing research, reading, and writing assignments on time You're going to need the BEST combination of technology and measurement tools to help your students rise above these issues, recover from the COVID slide, and build confidence to work independently.   Register for the Webinar   In this webinar, Diana Petschauer, M.Ed., ATP, Laurie McIntosh, M.S., (from AT for Education - ATforED.com), and Kati McIlroy, OT, will show you a powerful toolkit to support students with dyslexia and dysgraphia including: Tools/ Tech/ demos and strategies; realistic implementation for the iPad and Chromebook/laptop to support literacy, math and multi-sensory instruction Co:Writer® (Word Prediction and Voice Typing for written expression)  Snap&Read™ (Text-to-Speech, PDF Annotation, Text Leveling, Study Tools/Highlighter to fully access reading materials) Annotation tools that make PDFs quizzes and worksheets accessible  The uPAR process to help staff choose appropriate reading accommodations with data The DeCoste Writing Protocol—a process to evaluate writing issues Come see what makes a real difference for students living and learning with dyslexia and dysgraphia.   Attendees will receive a certificate of attendance, Word Prediction Screening Tool, and Participant Resource Folder with extensive resources on apps, extensions, tools and technologies to add to your Dyslexia Toolkit! Wednesday, March 10, 2021 Eastern (New York) Central (Chicago) Mountain (Denver) Pacific (Los Angeles) 1:00 PM 12:00 PM 11:00 AM 10:00 AM This FREE webinar is 90 minutes.   Register for the Webinar   About the Presenter(s) Diana Petschauer, M.Ed, ATP  is the Managing Director of Assistive Technology for Education & Access4Employment; and a nationally certified Assistive Technology expert for over 20 years. She worked in public Special Education for over 15 years, as well as for a University for AT & Disability Services prior to her business. She manages her team of consultants at ATforED who provide AT evaluations, training, consultation, PD workshops & webinars. Diana has experienced working with a significant number of students & adults with Dyslexia & Dysgraphia, including using Assisive Technology to access curriculum & instruction, build confidence & independence, support executive functioning, increase literacy skills, as well as use AT to support the individual & student in the workplace and community. She has also provided training to SLP's and reading specialists to use AT as part of their OG lessons and instruction. Diana presents many workshops & webinars on AT and Literacy Intervention combined to provide the most efficient multi-sensory support for individuals with Dyslexia, including at the most recent International Dyslexia Association conference. Laurie McIntosh, MS, OTR/ L, ATP is a consultant at Assistive Technology for Education & Access4Employment after working as an OT (occupational therapist) in public schools and private practice for 38 years.  Her primary experience has been to work with school teams to provide accessible educational materials, specially designed instruction, and technology access to students with physical disabilities, learning disabilities/ Dyslexia, and autism. She has worked with students from preschool to high school, and adults across the lifespan.  Laurie is skilled at providing training to students, paraprofessionals, teachers, administrators and parents in order to create an environment in which assistive technology is part of typical daily learning. Kati McIlroy, Assistive Technology Specialist and an Occupational Therapist who has worked in school districts for over 15 years in Southern California and currently works with Don Johnston Incorporated as an Educational Support Specialist. She collaborates with district professionals, educators, and therapists to integrate technologies that help students access the curriculum. By conducting presentations and trainings at schools and conferences, she helps spread the word about how Universal Design for Learning opens the world to students and creates lifelong learners.

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Assistive Technology at a Glance

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Understood.org AT at a Glance Article

For many children with reading disabilities, including kids with dyslexia, assistive technology (AT) can help to remove barriers and reduce daily academic struggles. With the field of technology always evolving, it almost seems like new technologies become available each day. This can be both challenging and overwhelming for parents and educators who are unsure of which technologies would work for their student or child. The big question is....Where should I begin? To help provide a starting point, the team at Understood.org has created a guide featuring AT tools for reading and tips on where to locate the tools. 

Types of Assistive Technology Tools for Reading

Here are some of the most helpful AT tools for reading.

• Text-to-speech (TTS) lets kids see text and hear it read aloud at the same time. To use this tool, kids click on or highlight words, and the words are read by a computer-generated voice. TTS can be used with books, emails, web pages and any digital text. It can also be used to convert text files into audio files.
• Audiobooks and digital TTS books allow kids to hear books read aloud. Some kids like to read along with the book so they can see the words at the same time. Audiobooks are read by human voices. Digital TTS books are created with TTS, and use computer-generated voices.
• Optical character recognition (OCR) reads aloud text from images and pictures. Kids with reading issues can use OCR by taking photos of worksheets and other documents, and even objects like street signs. They can also scan documents in. OCR can read words from pictures on web pages (such as image files, like JPG). Like TTS, OCR uses computer-generated voices.
• Graphic organizers are visual representations, like diagrams and mind maps, of ideas and concepts. Kids can use graphic organizers to take notes while reading, which can help with comprehension. Graphic organizers can be digital or pen and paper.
• Annotation tools let kids take notes and write comments while reading. This can make it easier to retain information. Annotation tools can be found on certain software or apps, or they can be traditional pens, markers and sticky notes.
• Display control allows kids to control how text is displayed. When reading on a screen, they can change the font, font size, color and spacing of text. Kids can also mask or cover parts of the screen to lessen distractions while reading. When reading on paper, they can use a simple adaptive tool, like a plastic reading guide. Some books use large print or special fonts. Or they may replace certain words with images.
• Dictionaries and thesauri allow kids to look up words they don’t understand when reading. A picture dictionary is a popular tool that uses images to define words. And a talking dictionary reads definitions aloud.

Where to Access Assistive Technology for Reading

Some reading tools are “low-tech.” There are traditional classroom tools like sticky notes and highlighter pens. You can typically find them at any store that sells school supplies.

Your child’s school or teacher may be able to provide certain adaptive tools, like reading guides or special worksheets. You can check with the school or local library to access certain stand-alone technology tools, like books on tape or CD (kids will need audio player to use them). You may also want to learn about where to find free audiobooks and digital TTS books.

Today, however, most AT tools for reading are used on one of three computer platforms for assistive technology:

• Desktop and laptop computers: Computers typically have built-in AT options, like TTS. You can download software programs for reading issues to add more AT functions to computers.
• Mobile devices (like tablets and smartphones): Mobile devices also have built-in AT. You can add more reading tools to mobile devices with apps. Explore Tech Finder to find apps for reading issues.
• Chromebooks (and Chrome browsers on any device): Chromebooks also have built-in AT. And you can add Chrome apps and extensions to help kids with reading issues even more.

Learn more about assistive technology. Find out whether schools will pay for reading tools for your child. And get an expert’s advice on the first assistive technology to try for your child.

Source: Understood.org