At the recent Everyone Reading conference, I participated in a product presentation session which highlighted two of the Don Johnston products uPAR and Snap and Read Universal, a glimpse into the vast suite of products offered. This prompted me to create this Friday's "Appy" Hour post...because a resource like this is just too good to not share!
Until recently, Snap and Read was only available as a Google Chrome extension on a PC or Mac. With it's recent release, now iPad and iPhone users will have the same access as PC and Mac users, to listen to printed text read aloud in high quality voices alongside the ability to dynamically level, take images of and listen to worksheets read aloud using OCR (Optical Character Recognition), highlight text and create outlines and notations with citations on webpages and documents alike. Additionally, translations are available in over 100 languages, making this an ideal tool for ELL students.
This brief video provides a comprehensive overview of the features available through Snap and Read Universal for iPad.
To learn more about Snap and Read Universal or any of the other amazing products made by possible by Don Johnston, visit the Don Johnston website. On the website, you can view videos that highlight the specific features available within Snap and Read, such as dynamic text leveling or study tools and outlining in more depth. I am unable to share pricing as it varies on the number of subscribers and accounts created. However, you can request a quote directly on the website if interested.
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.
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.
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.
This year I was introduced, through the ATIA conference, to a new text-to-speech app called Claro ScanPen, developed by Claro Software. Claro Software is a world reknowned company known best for their development of
assistive software for students with learning disabilities such as dyslexia, visual processing issues, working memory deficiencies and other language-based delays and disabilities.
How it works...
ScanPen, is an app that is used in combination with the camera on
your Apple device to scan a photo of printed text. Using the built in OCR (optical character recognition)tool, the scanned text is then read aloud using the built-in
text-to-speech feature. The OCR tools of the app are impressive due largely in part to the top-quality ABBYY OCR engine. Another added perk of this app is that it does not require a Wi-Fi connection making it accessible virtually everywhere!
This app is simplistic in it's functionality making it easy for even the youngest users or those less adept to technology to learn quickly.
Features... ScanPen lets you snap a photo of a page of printed
text and then reads it back to you using your chosen voice and swipe
settings. When you first open the app, the camera is active and ready
for taking a picture and there are just 3 buttons on the screen for
clicking – super simple, right? The gear icon at the top right will take
you to some of the settings and options (we’ll get to those later), the
circle centered at the bottom takes the photo (as you’d expect), and
the icon at the very bottom right will let you choose an existing photo
from an album or gallery on your device.
ScanPen Selection Modes...
Once
you’ve taken or selected your picture, you just swipe your finger
across the text to hear it read aloud in real time. The
default voice is the standard iOS voice for your country (USA, UK, etc.)
and the default swipe/read setting (labeled ‘selection modes’ in the
settings) is to read by line. Reading by line means
that when you swipe across a part of any line of text, ScanPen will read
back any of the lines you’ve touched starting from the very left side
of the page and continuing to the end of that line. Keep in mind though,
ScanPen doesn’t care if that line contains whole sentences or not. It
will read complete lines of text from left to right regardless of
whether those points are the beginnings or ends of sentences.
The other selection modes are ‘All’ and ‘Words’. Choosing the ‘All‘
setting will tell ScanPen to read the entire page from beginning to end
in response to any swipe anywhere on the screen of text. Choosing ‘Words‘
will tell ScanPen to read just those words that are specifically
touched by your swipe. Again, please be aware that when you swipe by word,
ScanPen does not disseminate if your swipe covers a full sentence or crosses
down into multiple lines. The Words selection mode does exactly as it is designed to do.
Additionally, upon initially using the app, the voice and speaking rate will be set to a default. Both of these can be adjusted. To change the voice, you can purchase, through in-app purchase, additional voices that suit your needs.
Students more accustomed to text-to-speech technology will be able to
start at a much faster speaking rate and probably even increase from
there over time. In fact, people who use text-to-speech products really
regularly will quite often listen at a rate that sounds almost
indecipherable to those of us with less experience. This allows students
using AT products to get through text at a speed similar to that which
their non-disabled peers read naturally.
Versatility Within the Classroom and Home Settings...
An app like ScanPen, which is a lightweight OCR and text-to-speech tool, means that students who might
have shied away from higher education or loftier career goals in the
past due to their disability now have the confidence to reach higher
than ever before. Students who have learning disabilities that impact their ability to read with independence and confidence now are provided a "secret weapon". Not only can students who are below level in reading now read grade level materials presented, but they can also approach grade level word problems which cause great difficulty for many struggling readers.
In addition to being a great go-anywhere tool for people with reading
difficulties, ScanPen can also be used by those with little to no
vision at all. For example, a user who is blind could use VoiceOver,
which is already built-into iOS devices, to snap a photo of a piece of
text and then navigate the menus to set the highlight to “all” to
trigger ScanPen to begin reading the scanned text.
OCR and text-to-speech tools like ScanPen are quickly
becoming nearly indispensable to students with dyslexia and other
reading disabilities – especially within the upper grade levels. The students, families and teachers I have shared and implemented this app with are sure to find a great value in this app
as a diagnostic and everyday support tool.
To learn more about Claro ScanPen, visit the Claro App's website.
If you already own this app and are looking for more information, watch
the video below that demonstrates how to use this app in line mode.
Cost...
The app costs $6.99 for a single license
For bulk purchases or purchases made through MDMs, you can purchase the app through their VPP!
You can download Claro ScanPen on the App Store now!
**Information from this post was adapted from the article "A Review of Claro ScanPen by Michelle Paley.**
Until recently, Snap and Read was only available as a Google Chrome extension on a PC or Mac. With it's recent release, now iPad and iPhone users will have the same access as PC and Mac users, to listen to printed text read aloud in high quality voices alongside the ability to dynamically level, take images of and listen to worksheets read aloud using OCR (Optical Character Recognition), highlight text and create outlines and notations with citations on webpages and documents alike. Additionally, translations are available in over 100 languages, making this an ideal tool for ELL students.
