text to speech software for dyslexia

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Suzie Glassman

The Best Assistive Technology for Dyslexics

My daughter is part of the 15–20 percent of students and adults living with a language-based learning disability. According to the International Dyslexia Association , these individuals have some or all of the symptoms of dyslexia, including slow or inaccurate reading, poor spelling, poor writing, or mixing up similar words and numbers.

Once we diagnosed her dyslexia, I understood she needed the help of assistive technology to learn at a rate on par with her classmates, but I wasn’t sure where to start. In honor of Dyslexia Awareness Month this October, I reached out to several assistive technology experts to find out what technology they recommend for facilitating and improving reading, writing, spelling, and math.

Here’s what Jamie Martin, Assistive Technology Specialist at the New England Assistive Technology Center and Karen Janowski, Assistive & Educational Technology Consultant at EdTech Solutions and co-author of Inclusive Learning 365 recommend. Although Janowski offers one caveat:

“Keep in mind there are pros and cons to all assistive technology and there isn’t one miracle app, You may have to try a few before you find the best solution for you or your child.”

IOS , Android

Both experts recommend Voice Dream Reader as the best app in the text-to-speech space. “It’s like a Kindle app for your mobile device. You can highlight, take notes, and sync with Google drive, Safari, email, DropBox, and other reading services,” says Martin.

You can change the fonts, colors, and line spacing, making small text far less intimidating for people with dyslexia. You can also use Voice Dream Scanner to scan text into the app and read it aloud.

You may be able to get the school to buy the app for you, or you can access it for $20 with the choice of in-app purchases.

Web , IOS , Android

What began as Recording for the Blind to help blinded soldiers after World War II is now a comprehensive library of more than 80,000 audiobooks designed for anyone with learning differences or visual impairments.

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David Nield

Adrienne So

“It’s a fantastic service where you can follow along with the text as you’re listening, which is important for kids with dyslexia,” says Martin. A human voice reads the text, which some kids find easier to listen to than a computer-generated one.

Ask your school’s special education coordinator to provide you with a free membership. If your school doesn’t offer one, you can buy the service for $11.25/month.

Bookshare is a government-funded program that provides free access to electronic or ebook text and digital texts to people and students with disabilities. It’s free for anyone K through 12 in the United States, and adults can buy access for $50/year.

Because Bookshare operates under a copyright exemption, you have to show a Proof of Disability (POD) form or documentation from the school.

Martin recommends Bookshare based on its extensive library, including many textbooks kids need for school. But, it’s only digital text, so you’ll have to use a text-to-speech tool to read the text out loud. Bookshare links to several reading tools, including Dolphin Easy Reader , Speech Central , Capti Voice , and Voice Dream Reader .

IOS , Chrome , Desktop

Speechify also deserves an honorable mention. It’s a well-designed app for students and adults alike, and it’s free with in-app purchases. You can scan a book, import a PDF, download from Google Drive, and sync across all your devices. Janowski says her 31-year-old dyslexic son swears by the app.

Check the settings on your Apple or Android device. By default, the text to speech option is turned off.

For Apple devices, go to Settings , select Accessibility , then Spoken Content to turn text to speech on.

For Android, go to Settings , select Accessibility , then text-to-speech output .

C-Pen Reader , Scanmarker Air , Ectaco C-Pen

Also called reading pens, these tools use optical character recognition software to capture text and send it to your computer or mobile device. Use it as a highlighter to scan written material and then read or manipulate it digitally. Some pens will read the text out loud as you’re scanning.

Reading pens are particularly helpful for reading handwritten material not available through programs like Bookshare or for mild dyslexics who struggle with multisyllabic words but don’t need all text read out loud.

Because dyslexia is a language-based disorder, troubles with spelling, grammar, and expression of thought are also challenges people with dyslexia face.

“I always recommend two different tools for kids: speech to text and word prediction,” says Martin. “Luckily, the technology has come a long way and is no longer expensive. Built-in dictation tools on devices like phones, iPads, and Google Docs work incredibly well.”

The problem is that kids may not want to use speech to text in the classroom because it’s disruptive to other students, or they feel embarrassed to go out in the hall. They can use headphones, but teachers aren’t always keen on this option during class. Programs that help with word prediction, spelling correction, and grammatical formatting like these will help with digital writing.

Web , IO S , Chrome Extension

From Facebook groups to experts, Co:Writer came up repeatedly as the best writing tool for people with dyslexia and others who struggle with handwriting or the expression of thought.

Janowski loves Co:Writer because you can build libraries of words based on what you’re writing about, or you can select from ones already available. For instance, you can select the Harry Potter library, and when you start typing H-o-g, Hogwarts will come up. The app also does a great job of recognizing phonetic misspelling, like blk for black or lfnt for elephant.

At $4.99/month for students, parents, or educators, the price tag is small. School districts can also buy a license for a large number of students and may be able to offer it free while your child is in school. Once you install the app or extension, it automatically syncs with Gmail, Google Docs, and many more.

Chrome Extension

My daughter’s special education coordinator set Read & Write for Google Chrome up on her school account, so I’ve had a chance to see how it works in action. The extension uses tools like screen mask (only the line being read is visible), simplify (summarizing complex language), and talk and type for a speech to text option. My ten-year-old navigates it like a pro, and the fact that the school gave it to her is a big plus.

The basic extension is free, but the premium version includes support for Google Docs, specifically, multi-highlighting options for active reading, extracting highlights, a vocabulary chart, a regular and picture dictionary, and word prediction. According to Google , the premium version is free for teachers to explore and costs $99 for a yearly subscription for student accounts.

Martin says Grammarly is a little more than most kids need, and it’s aimed at ages 13 and up, so keep that in mind. It’s a cloud-based program that integrates with Google Docs and has a plug-in for Microsoft Word. What’s great about Grammarly is it considers the context surrounding a word and can suggest changing something like your to you’re when necessary.

The app also makes suggestions to re-phrase wordy sentences and add transitional phrases that can improve your writing. However, the full range of features isn’t available on the free version. You’ll have to upgrade to premium for $29.95/month or $139.95/year.

Not everyone with dyslexia struggles with math, so the options aren’t as vast as language-based apps. If your child struggles like mine, Martin and Janowski recommend the following.

This free app allows users to write a math problem on the screen or use their camera to snap a photo of the problem. The app then provides the answer and step-by-step instructions on how to come to the solution. Students can use the example as a guide for completing other problems.

It also links to interactive graphs and programs like Khan Academy for support videos.

The developers behind this app created it for their son, who has dyslexia and dysgraphia (a severe handwriting disorder.) The program provides students with virtual graph paper, and they can use a touchscreen keypad to solve math problems without using a pencil. They will have to type equations on a keyboard, so if they prefer dictation, this app might not be for them.

You can also save assignments in a searchable library. However, Mod Math is better for younger grades doing lower-level math. Mod Math is free but only available on Apple devices.

Math Learning Center is a collection of apps targeted to students from pre-K to 5th grade. These apps support what’s taught in school and provide extra resources for parents, teachers, and children. All are available on the web, IOS, or Android operating systems and provide English and Spanish options.

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5 Assistive Technology Tools for Students with Dyslexia

Support your struggling readers with assistive technology for dyslexia. Learn which tools you need here.

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In the United States, between 5% and 17% of the population has a learning disability that interferes with reading or spelling. Dyslexia is the most common of these disabilities—and, according to some analyses, it’s even more common than these statistics suggest. The International Dyslexia Association estimates that up to one fifth of readers have symptoms of dyslexia, for example.

If you’re an educator, you’ve surely encountered these symptoms. People with dyslexia often struggle with reading comprehension. They may find it difficult to decode unfamiliar words. They might mix up sentences or be prone to misspellings or mispronunciations. All these symptoms might occur at once.

The good news is that, with the right support, students with dyslexia can meet their learning goals—and stay at peer level in all subjects, including STEAM education. That support often comes in the form of assistive technology , or AT.

What exactly does that look like in the classroom or study hall? Here are five examples of assistive technology for dyslexia, any one of which could be the key to better learning outcomes for your students.

Assistive technology provides support where it’s needed, removing a clearly defined barrier to access. A student with a motor disability might need a book holder or an adaptive pencil grip. A student with hearing loss might need a hearing aid or captioned lectures. And a student with dyslexia might need one (or more) of these five assistive technology tools.

1. Text Presentation Controls

A lot of today’s learning content is found online. Whether it’s an online course, academic journal article, e-book, or the open internet, digital text can present unique challenges to readers with dyslexia. Namely, the way text looks can make it hard to read.

Of course, every reader—with or without dyslexia—has a unique set of personal needs and preferences. There’s no one font, text size, or color combination that works best for everyone. That’s why it’s often helpful to give readers control over the appearance of their text.

Online tools provide this capability. ReadSpeaker TextAid is a digital literacy support tool that, in addition to enabling text-to-speech (TTS) web reading, allows readers to personalize the appearance of online text. Students with dyslexia often find it helpful to adjust the font, text size, and color for better focus and readability. TextAid provides this capability—and it integrates natively into all major learning management systems (LMS).

Text presentation tools are particularly helpful when people with dyslexia read long, complex documents, said Kelly Indah, editor-in-chief at tech site IncrediTools. Indah described a “close colleague” with dyslexia who uses this assistive technology to read “lengthy technical documents.”

Personalized text settings have “significantly improved his comprehension and reduced the amount of time he spends on each document,” Indah said.

2. Reading Focus Tools

Sometimes it’s easier for people with dyslexia to read text one line—or one word—at a time. With a print book, a simple ruler or note card may be all the AT you need. These tools keep the reader’s attention focused, limiting the distraction of seemingly endless text fields.

Similar tools are available online. ReadSpeaker TextAid even allows readers to highlight text as the TTS engine reads it out loud. It also provides a digital screen mask and reading ruler to help readers stay focused.

These are the sorts of tools that Jess Brooks, professional educator and managing editor of education site Hess UnAcademy, recommends for students with dyslexia.

“Colored overlays or filters on screens or printed materials can help reduce visual stress,” the educator said.

TextAid provides this support for all digital text, including content held within your LMS.

Learn more about ReadSpeaker TextAid .

3. Speech Recognition Software

Many students with dyslexia find it easier to speak than write. Speech-to-text technology turns spoken language into written words instantly, providing a key support to people who struggle with putting words on the page.

This assistive technology tool has helped Marc Hardgrove, CEO at digital marketing firm The HOTH, overcome challenges associated with his dyslexia. Unfortunately, that wasn’t always the case during Hardgrove’s school years, he said.

“During my time in school, we did not have the same level of technology that is available today,” Hardgrove said. “I had to overcome my disability by finding alternative ways to learn and retain information.”

These days, Hardgrove finds both TTS and speech-to-text dictation tools particularly helpful, he said.

“Assistive aids like text-to-speech software and dictation tools have made me more efficient,” the CEO said. “They have allowed me to communicate effectively with my team and clients without worrying about my spelling or grammar.”

Speech-to-text voice typing is part of ReadSpeaker TextAid’s suite of writer’s tools. That allows you to bring native dictation to your LMS. If you’re operating outside an LMS, however, you might try a free speech-to-text service like Google Docs’s voice typing capability, said Brooks.

“This software allows students to speak their ideas, which are then transcribed into written text,” Brooks explained. “This can be beneficial for students with dyslexia who struggle with writing and spelling.”

4. Writing Assistance Software

Speech to text can help people with dyslexia complete writing assignments, but it’s a heavier tool than some learners need. A few supports tacked onto word processing software may be more appropriate for some writers.

TextAid makes a lot of these assistive writing features available, including:

• Auto-completion with smart word prediction, which can reduce the cognitive load of choosing common words
• TTS-based text read-back, which introduces an element of auditory processing during the act of writing
• Spell check with suggested corrections, which addresses the spelling challenges associated with dyslexia

Because TextAid integrates into LMS environments, it brings these tools directly to your online learning systems. That way, students don’t have to open multiple apps or windows to get the support they need.

TextAid also functions online, so it’s available outside an LMS, as well—and it’s not just for standard written language. Writing assistance tools are also helpful for working with computer code, Indah said.

“In my role as a mentor for young coders, I’ve also seen how these tools can  transform learning experiences,” Indah said. “I remember a bright young student who was struggling with reading code due to dyslexia. When we introduced her to writing assistance software, her performance skyrocketed. She was able to understand and correct her mistakes, leading to a tremendous increase in her coding skills.”

5. Text to Speech (TTS) Readers

All of the experts we spoke to for this article said TTS is essential assistive technology in classrooms, particularly for students with dyslexia:

• “TTS software converts written text into spoken words, which can help dyslexic students with reading comprehension,” said Brooks.
• “TTS tools have helped me a lot with my diction and pronunciation,” Hardgrove said.
• “The option to have text read back out loud is a feature found very useful by students with dyslexia,” Indah said.

Indeed, a 2018 meta-analysis in the Journal of Learning Disabilities found that “ text-to-speech/read aloud presentation positively impacts reading comprehension for individuals with reading disabilities. ”

Bring assistive technology for dyslexia to your digital learning environments with ReadSpeaker TextAid. Top-quality synthetic voices in many styles and languages keep learners engaged, while a suite of reading/writing tools provides support beyond TTS alone.

ReadSpeaker’s industry-leading voice expertise leveraged by leading Italian newspaper to enhance the reader experience Milan, Italy. – 19 October, 2023 – ReadSpeaker, the most trusted,…

Accessibility overlays have gotten a lot of bad press, much of it deserved. So what can you do to improve web accessibility? Find out here.

STEM topics are notoriously hard to teach using most text-to-speech programs. Here’s how ReadSpeaker can help students of all abilities learn math.

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Technology Tools That Can Help Dyslexic Students

Please try again

This is chapter five of the MindShift Guide to Understanding Dyslexia . You can find the remaining chapters and a complete printable PDF of the entire guide by clicking here .

TECHNOLOGY HELPS—BUT ONLY IF IT CAN BE USED

Even after years of intensive intervention and tutoring, dyslexic students can continue to struggle with reading and writing. That’s why advances in technology have been invaluable to students who read and write slowly.

Dyslexic students are finding they can complete assignments faster when they employ special features on a laptop or iPad that help work around their dyslexia-related issues. But to fully maximize how technology can help students with learning differences, educators’ expectations may need to be shifted.

For struggling readers, assistive technology such as reading with audiobooks is a way for students to fully participate in assignments instead of just focusing on the laborious task of reading, writing and spelling.

According to cognitive scientist Daniel Willingham, author of Raising Kids Who Read, listening to books is still reading and isn’t cheating . For most books, and for most purposes, he writes, listening to a book and reading it are basically the same thing: “Listening to an audio book might be considered cheating if the act of decoding were the point; audio books allow you to seem to have decoded without doing so.”

Also, most dyslexic students don’t have a problem understanding information— so allowing them to record a class instead of painstakingly take notes, or to speak an essay into a tablet instead of writing it down can change the game completely.

TECH TOOLS AND ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR DYSLEXICS: A SAMPLING

Although the following is not a complete list, it can provide the basis for further discussion and investigation.

Speech-to-Text Students can turn their speech into text using apps like Dragon Dictation , Google’s VoiceNote , Easy Dyslexia Aid or just speaking into the microphone of a phone, tablet or laptop. Some speech-to-text devices are sensitive to different kinds of voices and will require some experimentation.

Google Chrome Extensions Extensions are small software programs that customize a user’s web browsing experience. Users can tailor functionality and behavior to individual needs or preferences. The programs are built on technologies such as HTML, JavaScript, and CSS. Chrome offers several extensions for free or low cost that can help struggling readers and writers. • Read&Write offers text-to-speech, speech-to-text, and word prediction • Snap&Read will begin reading aloud from a click • SpeakIt lets students highlight a piece of text and have it read to them • Read Mode removes ads and images from websites so students can focus on the text

Kurzweil Kurzweil educational software offers study skills features and Texthelp Read&Write, plus highlighting, sticky and voice notes. Notes can be compiled into a separate study guide, and files can be imported into sound files for easy listening.

WhisperSync This Amazon app allows readers to switch between reading and listening to a book. For those whose slow reading can be exhausting, this app allows them to switch to audio to listen for a while.

Audiobooks with Accompanying Readers Amazon’s Immersion Reading and VOICEText by Learning Ally both allow readers to read and listen to a story at the same time. Each comes with a highlighted text feature that helps dyslexic students follow along, allowing them to read books at the level of their peers.

Livescribe Smartpen Livescribe offers a computerized pen that doubles as a recording device, recording what’s being said as well as what the student is are writing. The student can tap the pen on any written note to replay what was said while they were writing.

Franklin Speller These mini electronic dictionaries provide

• handy lists of confusable words • context-sensitive help text • spellcheck • print and cursive options for words • an arithmetic tutor Free apps like Speller and Grammarly also correct spelling.

As for reading print books, some early research has suggested that certain fonts like Dyslexie and Open Dyslexic make it easier for dyslexics to read by adding extra space between letters and weighting the letters at the bottom.

Although experts have encouraged caution in using the dyslexic-friendly fonts—studies haven’t been peer-reviewed and there is still much to learn about their effectiveness— some dyslexics say special fonts do help, and experts like Nancy Mather at the University of Arizona say they might be worth a try.

“ Voice typing ” Helperbird has that.

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“After using Helperbird I can't say enough positive things about it. This extension has truly transformed my online reading experience. Whether it's adjusting font sizes, reducing eye strain with the gray filter, or using the dyslexia-friendly fonts, Helperbird offers a range of features that cater to individual preferences and needs. The customizable color options and text alignment have also been incredibly helpful for personalizing my browsing. And the speed reading feature? It's a game-changer! Overall, Helperbird is a versatile, user-friendly tool that enhances accessibility and makes online reading a breeze. Highly recommended!”

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I've been meaning to write this review for a while now. My daughter is newly diagnosed with dysexia and I heard an interview with Robert on a Newstalk podcast and sought it out. I wasn't sure if I had it installed correctly on her laptop and Robert was on straight away to help. He was amazing. This app has changed everything for my daughter. Everything is accessible to her and everyday tasks and schoolwork are so much easier. She also has visual stress so the coloured overlay feature is a game changer for her. I would highly recommend this app to anyone, she couldn't be without it now!”

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Dyslexia Awareness Week: Text-to-Speech Software

Text-to-speech enables your computer to read aloud web pages, text documents, emails and PDF documents in a natural sounding voice. Some software now includes additional tools such as spell checkers, homophone support and visual highlighting that can help when producing your own written work.

Those with dyslexia often find that text-to-speech software provides significant support if they struggle with reading or digesting text on the computer screen. Hearing text being read aloud in a natural sounding voice also helps dyslexic people proof-read their own written work. For some people it is much easier to hear the mistakes than see them.

What software is available?

There are different types of text-to-speech software available, all of which can be purchased from Dyslexic.com.

ClaroRead is a simple toolbar that sits at the top of the computer screen and will read aloud any on-screen text in Microsoft Word, Adobe Reader, Internet Explorer, emails and many other applications. It contains visual highlighting to help users follow the text as it is read aloud, word prediction feature, homophone checker, coloured overlays and much more. It is available to purchase as a box copy or digital download (instant product sent via email), and for Windows and Mac. Find out more about ClaroRead

Read&Write is an easy-to-use toolbar that provides speech feedback, phonetic spell checking and many other literacy support tools to help with reading and writing. It also contains written and picture dictionaries to help understand the meanings of tricky words and homophones, translation tool, screen masking and word prediction feature. It is available to purchase as a digital download or as a USB, and for Windows and Mac. Find out more about Read&Write

Kurzweil 3000 is a powerful text-to-speech and literacy support tool that enables users to convert printed text documents into accessible electronic formats. This can then be read aloud by a natural sounding voice. It comes with dual highlighting (highlights a sentence, line or phrase in one colour, and each word in another colour to help improve reading performance), translation feature, word prediction and much more. It is available to purchase as a box copy for Windows and Mac. Find out more about Kurzwweil 3000

Penfriend gives dyslexic users the confidence to write more, the accuracy to write what they mean, and the speed to write more in the time available. It contains text-to-speech functionality to read aloud words on the screen, including words that haven’t been typed yet. It also features word prediction, using a dictionary of known words, to help the user with writing. Penfriend XL adds additional functionality in native languages. It is available as a box copy for Windows. Find out more about Penfriend

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Making A Difference for the Dyslexic with Text to Speech

What is one aspect that renowned scientist Albert Einstein, Hollywood star and comedian Robin Williams, and successful entrepreneur Steve Jobs share in common?

Apart from the fact that they were among the most influential individuals in their respective fields, the trio were dyslexic. They all struggled with processing words and numbers. In fact, an estimated one in ten people have dyslexia. These individuals not only find it difficult to make the connection between the sound and the letter symbol for that sound (for example, the ‘b’ sound in ‘bat’ ) but also blend sounds into words. This makes it harder for them to recognize short, familiar words or to sound out longer words. As a result, their reading becomes slow and effortful and is not a fluent process.

Alleviating the Challenges of Learning with Dyslexia

With the evolution of assistive technologies like text to speech (TTS), it’s now become easier for people with such learning disorders to tackle the challenges that come their way. TTS serves as a more efficient, practical solution to dyslexia reading. Here are some of the advantages text to speech brings to the table for dyslexic students:

Speedy processing

TTS allows a person with dyslexia to listen to written words and speech sounds through a read-aloud function, addressing the many problems experienced by these individuals, including, the misidentification of words, slow word reading, and connecting text that often results in difficulties with comprehension. Besides, it improves word recognition and helps dyslexic readers with proofreading as they are able to view the text while simultaneously listening to the corresponding audio. 

Improved Focus 

TTS also increases a dyslexic student's ability to pay attention and enhances focus on comprehension instead of relying on sounding out words. In fact, several studies have revealed how text to speech technology enables students to focus on the content rather than on the act of reading, resulting in a better understanding of the learning material. This not only enables students to retain the information but also increases their confidence and motivation.

Most importantly, TTS tools provide people with dyslexia a high degree of autonomy and independence when it comes to reading and writing a text. 

Taking TTS a Step Further

The level of advancement reached by today’s TTS technologies is enough to convert computer-generated voices into engaging content. What’s more? TTS technology holds the power to analyze the meaning of each word in a text before reading it, significantly changing the overall tone depending on what is being read. 

That is not all. Integrating TTS software with assistive technology for writing helps improve the writing experience for a dyslexic student. Most times, dyslexic children find it difficult to figure out the correct spelling of a word, even after proofreading what they had just written. This is where TTS plays its part. When the text is read out loud, it allows the individual to get an understanding of what is being read, and by the pronunciation of the words, he/she can confidently determine if their written content is correct. An added benefit of integrating TTS is that it enables students to focus better on their writing. 

Choosing the Right Dyslexic Learning Tool

When it comes to selecting the TTS tool for aiding dyslexic students, it is important to look for accuracy in the conversion of text in reading materials with tools such as optical character recognition (OCR) and the quality of the text to speech voices. Choosing the right voice for the TTS technology is also a critical aspect as it helps increase comprehension and retention of learning materials. 

The key benefits of using Murf’s TTS for enhancing the learning process for dyslexic students are manifold. Firstly, users have the option of choosing from over 120+ natural-sounding AI voices in 20+ languages and dialects. Encouraging students to use a different voice for various subject areas will help keep content fresh and boost retention and comprehension. 

Murf Studio offers a wide range of accents, allowing students to select the voice that will be perfect for them. Accents are available both in female and male voices. Harnessing Murf’s advanced text to speech voices, which sound realistic and are of high quality, students with learning disabilities can enjoy listening to long texts without having to deal with the repetitive and robotic tone traditionally associated with lesser-quality artificial voices. 

Moreover, Murf offers a high level of customization for all its AI voices. Students can take advantage of this using different features such as emphasis, speed, pronunciation, pauses, and more. 

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That being said, while TTS will not replace reading, it will make information more accessible to students who would otherwise struggle to keep up with the rest of the class. In conclusion, TTS will not only help alleviate the barriers to knowledge but also decrease the frustration with learning, and, as a result, have an overall positive impact on all students’ lives.

You should also read:

How to create engaging videos using TikTok text to speech

An in-depth guide on how to use Text to Speech on Discord

Create a Magical Audiobook Experience with AI Voices

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Text to Speech Technology and Top Reading Tools for Dyslexia/Learning Disabilities

by Zahavit Paz

Table of Contents

What are text-to-speech tools?

Text to Speech (TTS) refers to tools that are designed to convert digital text to speech software through a read-aloud function. TTS software and plugins convert text on a screen into speech allowing people with reading disabilities to listen to written words (such as books, newspaper articles, textbooks) on a variety of devices.

These tools are extremely helpful to students and adults with dyslexia/learning disabilities who struggle with reading.  The students reading difficulty is caused by problems identifying speech sounds and learning how they relate to letters and use in word decoding. 

How do text-to-speech tools help dyslexic students?

TTS offers a more efficient, practical solution to reading by allowing the user with a learning disability to listen to written words and speech sounds through a read-aloud function.

The read-aloud function addresses the problems experienced by an individual with reading disabilities that include the misidentification of words, slow word reading and connecting text that often results in difficulties with comprehension. It helps with proofreading. 

 Listening to your own text will enable you to catch mistakes and easily improve your writing, text messages, email, and social media posts.  You can edit the text while listening, pause the text and make the corrections.

We recommend the tools that have the option of highlighting the sentence as each word is converted to speech, especially for students,  as it gives them a multi-sensory learning experience that can improve their ability to focus,  retain information and improve comprehension. See assistive-technology tools .  It’s also helpful when you suffer from eye fatigue as you can sit, relax and listen.

Free text to speech tools are mostly free and available today on iPhone, iPad, Smart Devices and a computer.

Reader applications today are part of every device’s  Operating System . It’s built-into most computers, tablets, smartphones, and Apple devices. Furthermore, all modern web browsers, offer built-in readers for TTS.  This allows anyone the ability to listen to online articles using their devices and the software that’s installed on them.

Text To Speech Tools

This tool is installed from google extensions through iChrome software – Read Aloud .

Read Speaker converts web pages from text to speech. It is easily installed, user-friendly.   You can download our text into audio files.

You can test on our website www.ldrfa.org   and listen, click on the icon to. Read speaker.

Browser Text to Speech Tools

ALL Browsers today offer a text to speech readers mode that was specifically designed to help people with learning disabilities and struggling readers ,reading difficulties.

How to listen to text online using the latest browsers and mobile devices.

Apple Devices and Safari Browser

To access TTS on an iPhone or iPad select text and choose speech. 

Safari has a built-in reader that removes an element of frustration and distraction of ads when listening and will help you focus and enjoy reading.  Apple has many built-in tools found at Apple accessibility reader .  Safari, which was the browser from Apple, was the first to implement reader mode in 2010.

You can use Safari TTS on your computer,  iPhone and iPad. It will read menus and eliminate the clutter from the ads and videos.  You can manage and set in advance your preferred reading fluency to open in the reader mode. Setting it up is simple by going to preferences in Safari, select website from the top menu, select reader and choose the one that you wish and click to open automatically in the reader.

Android Devices – You can also use this feature on your Android devices (Link: Text to Speech on Android ) You can also modify the voices (Link: How to modify reader voices ).

Chrome browser reader mode and accessibility

In April 2019 Chrome introduced a chrome reader mode that can remove the web page ad clutter. To enable this functionality go to the menu on the top of the page, it’s the 3 dots on the right side. Hover over help link, click on “about google chrome”.  (Link: How to Use Google Chrome’s Hidden Reader Mode ).

Make sure to use Chrome’s latest version chrome accessibility features for Google Chromebook   Chrome and ChromeVox.

Link: Chrome build-in reader .  You can even have options to change languages by Turning on Chromebook accessibility features

Other Browsers

Firefox browser  also offers reader mode view: Click here for Firefox reader

Microsoft – Accessibility reader  Microsoft Accessibility Features

The history of the requirements for web  accessibility for people with reading disability 

Web content accessibility standards and guidelines have been around for many years.  Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires that information and communication technology developed, procured or maintained by U.S. Federal government agencies be accessible to persons with disabilities. 

In 1998, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 was amended to make this electronic and information technology accessible for individuals with a disability.  

In 2017, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and Section 255 of the Communication Act was updated for market trends and technology innovations and the U.S. incorporated the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), the international community’s established standards and guidelines for website accessibility (link: w3 guidelines) implementing accessibility in all electronic and information procured by the federal government and access to telecommunications products and services.

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Dyslexia tools, software, and free resources

Dyslexia is a neurological difference that can impact a person's education, workplace, and everyday life. It affects approximately 10% of the UK population according to the  British Dyslexia Association .

During our recent webinar , Dafydd Henke-Reed shared his insights into top resources and tools, and how technology revolutionised his own experience of dyslexia. 

The following resources aren't exclusive to people with dyslexia, they're also helpful for anyone wanting to make their content more accessible, broaden their knowledge on accessibility, or learn more about tools that could be beneficial for colleagues, friends, or family.

How to create accessible written content

Dafydd discusses, "I would avoid excessive amount of text decoration and variability in styling. Headings should be larger and bolder than plain text, for example. As well, buttons and links should be clearly visually communicated.

However, outside of this core styling, I would avoid having different fonts used for plain text, different amounts of line or letter spacing. As well, my personal preference is to avoid italics and underlining for emphasis, and instead preferring to use bold text."

The British Dyslexia Association has a  Style Guide , along with Mailchimp's Accessibility Style Guide , which details the different fonts, colours, and formatting to ensure written content is accessible.

Specifically for web content, WAI has a useful  Writing for Web Accessibility  article along with Big Hack's  Writing Better Website Content  article that shares details on the use of headings, link text, creating transcripts, and other web elements.

Assistive software

Speech-to-text and text-to-speech software can help people who have difficulty communicating, reading, or writing. Dafydd shares his favourite tools, "If you have an iPhone or iPad, I would definitely use the in-built speech option, iOS Speech .

"If using Office 365 (e.g. Word), I would absolutely investigate the tools identified in Listen to your Word documents , with Immersive Reader being a potentially very appropriate tool.  Immersive Reader  goes above and beyond core text-to-speech and allows you to adjust colours, change line height, and so on."

Further assistive software includes:

• Speech to text software: Dragon Naturally Speaking , Siri / Alexa, Office Dictate, Mac OS / iOS Dictation
• Text to speech software: Read&Write ,  ClaroRead  and  Firefox Reader View

Book Now: How to use assistive technology at work, in education and at home

Personalising assistive tech for different requirements.

"Almost all text-to-speech tools have options to choose different voices. I have found that those new to the software prefer slower and more natural voices.

"In turn, when folks get comfortable with the tool, they often want to increase the speed.  When new to the software, I would encourage folks to get comfortable with a natural sounding voice at a moderate to slow speed.

"I do also set a preference (on my system or browser) to reduce motion. This is all about reducing the physical effort needed to read content.

"For more information, see CSS Tricks - A Complete Guide to Dark Mode in the Web and Apple - Supporting Dark Mode in Your Interface , and MDN - Prefers Reduced Motion . I can otherwise struggle with garish colours. A challenge here is that you may want colours that contrast very strongly. This can particularly benefit low vision users."

"However, these users can also benefit from supporting system-level options, such as high contrast mode. For more information, see Microsoft - Styling for Windows high contrast with new standards for forced colours ."

Factsheet: Dyslexia and Technology

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Assistive technology has come a long way in the last decade. Whether you’re a parent or student or know someone struggling, assistive devices are more advanced and readily available. If you know someone struggling to learn something, there’s a good chance they want to learn but are dealing with Dyslexia. However, text to speech for dyslexia can help the children battling frustrating learning disabilities, a massive 80% are also likely affected by dyslexia.

With this alarming number of students struggling with dyslexia, parents need to have resources nearby to help. Fortunately, text to speech technology is one of the best examples of assistive technology. In addition, people with dyslexia find text to speech programs especially helpful in overcoming their challenges.

How text to speech for dyslexia software impact the learning environment

Speech synthesizer online technology offers tremendous benefits to those with dyslexia and other reading disabilities. This powerful tool allows individuals to access text and computer-based information without reading it traditionally.

What is assistive technology?

Assistive technology is any device or software that can help people with disabilities. For those unfamiliar with text to speech technology, it’s a type of assistive listening and speaking technology that allows people with disabilities to access text-based content. It converts PDF files, e-books, and more into audio files, allowing users to listen to content.

This powerful tool offers independence for those struggling with dyslexia. Anyone who needs it can find the technology on their mobile device or tablet, get separate low-tech devices, or use their Windows PC.

What are the challenges that people with Dyslexia face?

Dyslexia presents many challenges to those affected. Unfortunately, those who struggle with the condition are often misdiagnosed , and their problems are attributed to intelligence, lack of effort, or environmental factors. People with dyslexia often face issues related to reading and writing, understanding the meaning of words, retaining information, and understanding instructions. Additionally, they may need help with pronunciation and spelling.

Issues with reading comprehension

One of the most visible challenges for those with dyslexia is reading comprehension. As text to speech technology has developed and become more accessible, it’s increasingly popular as an assistive technology. Unfortunately, many students, mainly children, don’t enjoy the reading experience and develop more extensive educational delays over time.

Have difficulty keeping track of multi-step directions

People who have dyslexia may also have difficulty following multi-step instructions. This can be an issue in the classroom, as complicated instructions can be overwhelming. Fortunately, text to speech technology can make their life easier by assisting them with understanding multi-step instructions.

Have trouble taking down notes

The challenges associated with dyslexia don’t stop at reading. People with dyslexia may also experience difficulty performing note-taking in class or studying.

Emotional challenges with Dyslexia

Dyslexia affects more than just reading – it can also significantly affect a child’s social life. Furthermore, those with dyslexia who have difficulty retrieving the right words may find expressing their ideas even harder. Youngsters experiencing dyslexia, particularly those who remain undetected, can become overwhelmed with self-doubt and insecurity.

They question if something is wrong with them or suspect their failure to learn reading skills may be due to insufficient effort. These feelings could lead the child to further issues with:

• Low productivity – People with dyslexia may struggle to keep up with their peers and may lack the motivation to complete tasks.
• Lack of independence – Dyslexia can lead to a lack of self-confidence and make it difficult to become independent.
• Low engagement – Lack of motivation could result in low engagement in learning. This could lead to students further hindering their learning process.

Dyslexia doesn’t just affect children; even adults have to cope with the challenges. Adults can have trouble digesting larger emails, text-heavy documents, and lengthy instructions. Fortunately, text to speech technology makes it easier for them to manage this issue.

Benefits of using TTS tools for Dyslexia

Text to speech tools offer individuals with dyslexia more freedom and self-governance when it comes to reading, spelling, writing, or understanding the content.

Improved focus

Text to speech technology is invaluable for dyslexic people, allowing them to concentrate on the content instead of worrying about sounding out words. In addition, numerous studies have proven how text to speech tools can improve their ability to pay attention and boost comprehension levels.

When students and professionals focus more on the material, teachers say it leads to greater comprehension. Not only does this allow them to remember what they learn, but it also boosts their enthusiasm and morale significantly.

Faster processing

Fortunately, text to speech technology can help those with dyslexia by giving them an auditory representation of text. So, readers would take in the text and understand it faster than they could if they were reading it. In addition, thanks to its read-aloud function, TTS provides invaluable support and training by allowing them to listen to words and speech sounds.

Text to speech tools solve issues like misreading, slow word recognition, and difficulty connecting text and understanding concepts. Using TTS fosters word recognition, and dyslexic readers can view the words and listen to their corresponding audio file simultaneously. As a result, they become better equipped to self-review their written work with greater accuracy and speed.

How to build content with text to speech software for Dyslexia

As we know, assistive technology is invaluable. We can use TTS software to create content that is accessible and easier to comprehend.

Find the best text to speech for Dyslexia software

While many high-quality text to speech tools are available, it’s crucial to find one with the best features that can address the challenges. So, not every free cloud-based word reader on the internet will work.

Instead, look for software that can help dyslexic readers with text highlighting, text to speech focus points, text to speech pacing, and text to speech voice commands. With these and other features in mind, text to speech software can create text-based content that’s always accessible.

This can be great if you’re creating specific content for dyslexic users such as eLearning templates or audiobook materials.

Use a Dyslexia-friendly style guide for content

One of the best ways to prepare to write online content for those with reading difficulties is to create your content with a styling guide in mind. These principles have the advantage of making all written communication easier on the eyes of everyone. When applying these principles, consider how you create content and where you may publish it.

On web pages

Webpages are a common place for text to speech software. When creating web content, think of the principles you want to use related to those for Web Accessibility Content Guidelines (WCAG) . For example, use everyday language and avoid long sentences. Break up text with images and keep a consistent structure.

To make your content more accessible, try to employ tactics with readable fonts like:

• When creating a visually pleasing design, opt for fonts like Arial or Comic Sans to make your letters feel less crowded. Other fabulous alternatives include Verdana , Tahoma , and Trebuchet MS .
• Inter-character spacing should be 35% of the average letter’s width for optimal readability.
• To ensure maximum legibility, refrain from using underlining or italics, which can lead to text congestion. Instead, bold is the ideal choice for emphasizing key points.

Furthermore, better content structures use headings and styles to create consistency. Most word processors have these tools:

• To emphasize headings, use a font size of at least 20% larger than regular text. If you require extra emphasis, opt for a bold typeface.
• To support assistive technology users, use formatting tools such as text alignment and justification, indentation, line spacing, paragraph spacing, and lists.
• Distinguish hyperlinks from headings and regular text to guarantee clarity.

In Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word has a built-in text to speech tool that anyone can use if they enable the Read Aloud feature. Standard text formatting is essential when creating documents, but more than that, content in other documents should also:

• Use active rather than passive voice.
• Keep your message concise; avoid intricate sentences.
• Craft your writing with a straightforward, understandable style that utilizes everyday language.
• Utilize visuals that can significantly bolster textual elements and comprehension.
• Try using bullet points or numbering instead of long paragraphs to enhance clarity.
• Avoid abbreviations, but if used, always provide the full version when first mentioned.

If you’re creating blog posts, embed a native TTS tool to read the content

If you’re creating blog posts on your web pages, look for cloud software that embeds native text to speech tools to read the text aloud. When choosing a TTS tool, it’s critical to consider the accuracy of Optical Character Recognition (OCR) in conversion text and the quality and cost of speech synthesis.

Doing so will ensure an optimal reading experience for these learners. In addition, research and select a Google Chrome extension tool. These extensions are reliable, usually free, and can optimize comprehension of written material on any page.

Create audiobooks

To help dyslexic text readers, you can also record audio of your text as an audiobook. Creating audio recordings helps to translate and make the text more accessible. You can create audio recordings from text documents, ebooks, YouTube scripts, and text-based articles.

These recordings can help enhance text comprehension, improve focus and concentration, and aid recall. Audiobooks are a great way to create an audio version of the text. Additionally, text to speech technology can read aloud in a natural voice rather than a robotic-sounding one that can be loud and difficult to understand.

Many cloud-based programs can use AI voice generator characters online to read text aloud in a fun and engaging manner. If you create fiction, for example, these AI characters can help text come alive by providing readers with an immersive experience.

Ensure everyone can enjoy the content you created

Using assistive technologies is common in school, work, and home. Ensuring that text is accessible to people with disabilities, such as those with dyslexia, is essential. In any case, text to speech technology is helping to open the doors of learning for people with dyslexia.

These tools are changing lives and enabling people to access text when traditional methods fail them. When planning content, include text to speech tools to ensure the organization of the text so that everyone can benefit from your content.

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Dragon Naturally Speaking

By caryl frankenberger, ed. m., description.

Dragon Naturally Speaking for PC users and Dragon Dictate for Mac users is another technological aid that facilitates the learning process for the dyslexic student and creates greater efficiency at the workplace. For those who have word-retrieval difficulties, grapho-motor weaknesses, or problems committing ideas to paper in a timely fashion, Dragon may be just the tool needed in order to improve writing skills. Dragon is a speech-recognition program that can be used to, among other things, dictate answers to homework questions, a five-paragraph essay, or even to write a novel. You can dictate an e-mail, surf the web using voice commands, or dictate on your Blackberry, iPhone, iPad or iPad touch.

Users dictate ideas and watch their words appear on the computer screen. Put on your headphones, load Dragon software onto your computer, and follow the required series of steps to create your own user profile. As part of this process you will need to read for roughly five minutes so that the software recognizes your voice. This is an important step because it establishes your initial accuracy. You are allowed to choose from a menu of readings that range from easy to more challenging. If your dyslexia negatively impacts your ability to read the selections, it is recommended that someone preview challenging words with you, so that you are familiar with them and can read them accurately when training.

When creating a user profile, Dragon will analyze your e-mails and documents in order to learn more about the vocabulary that you use. At any time you can add vocabulary by training words and you can create new words that stand for specific expressions you commonly use. Just go to view/edit where you can add the written form of the word and then the spoken form if it is different. For example, if you are writing a play and you want to write Act IV, you can add this to the written form and then put “act four” under the spoken form column and train it as such. Every time you say “act four” it will appear on the screen as Act IV. This works particularly well with unusual names and acronyms. In order to produce well-written documents it is important to learn the series of commands that make Dragon work most effectively. Commands such as “Cap that,” “Underline that,” and “New line” can be found on the Dragon Sidebar which automatically opens on the right-hand side of the screen. The Sidebar displays the most popular commands and can be docked anywhere or it can be hidden if you would like. It is important to familiarize yourself with the commands as you will need to know them.

Turn the microphone on and begin dictating. Dragon will automatically format certain kinds of text, such as dates, times, and percentages, and it will also begin sentences with capital letters and capitalize proper nouns it recognizes. However, you will have to tell Dragon when to capitalize other words, use commas, conclude sentences with punctuation, begin new paragraphs, etc.  For example, if you dictate the sentence “I am headed to Meeting Street School to play basketball with Sam, Sandy and Will.”, you will need to say “I am headed to “cap” meeting “cap” street ”cap” school to play basketball with Sam “comma”, “cap” sandy and “cap” will “period.” Dragon will not know that Sandy and Will are proper nouns. While this may seem challenging initially, these commands will become second nature. In fact, you are likely to become more proficient with punctuation because you talk about it so often. If you struggle to use punctuation accurately, you can check the auto-formatting option in Dragon’s Tool menu. Dragon will automatically add periods and commas if you would like.

As you dictate, Dragon will make errors, it just happens. Some of the errors will be your fault–perhaps you spoke too quickly, slurred your words or did not pronounce a word clearly. It is important to listen to the error in order to determine if the error was Dragon’s or yours. For example, if you say the word nice and it wrote mice , highlight the word and say “correct that.” You will then hear what you said and be able to determine the nature of the error. If it is Dragon’s error, you should train the word, which entails repeating the word, so that the software program will recognize the correct pronunciation. If the error is your fault, because you misspoke or mispronounced the word, simply repeat the word and continue. It is well worth training words because it strengthens your vocabulary and helps Dragon work more efficiently.

What We’ve Observed

In order to learn more about Dragon Naturally Speaking, YCDC asked six students to use the voice-activated software for six weeks. Five of the students were PC users and one was a Mac user. Each was given the Dragon DVD, a pair of headphones and 90 minutes of training. They also had access to the Nuance — Getting Started Tutorial; Ask the Dictator — You Tube; Getting Started with Dragon Video; and the on-line version of Dragon Speaking End User Notebook Version 11. In order to monitor each student’s progress, they were contacted weekly by the YCDC consultant who conducted the training.

The students provided some very interesting anecdotal information about how Dragon impacted them in unforeseen ways. One seventh grader had a history of written language weaknesses and he was challenging to understand because he spoke so quickly. During training he was told that if he did not slow down the rate at which he spoke, it was likely that Dragon would not be beneficial, as the program would not understand his speech. He laughed and admitted that his teachers and mother constantly tell him to slow down, because they do not always understand him. When speaking to this young man after the second week of training, he said, “I can do my homework so much faster. This is just unbelievable, I love it.” He went on to say that, “My teacher even noticed that I am speaking more clearly. She said that I am speaking slower.” His enthusiasm for Dragon never waned; each week that we spoke he raved about the program, commented about how quickly he could now complete his work and how his writing was getting stronger every day. His comments were uplifting: He embraced this technology and it changed the way in which he viewed the writing process. No longer was it a burden and, instead, it was a pleasure.

A senior in high school, who has a history of dysgraphia and a dislike for writing, found the process of dictating far easier than trying to commit his ideas to paper with a pencil or a pen. Because he did not have many papers during the six week project, he took time to “fool around.” He said, “If you had no hands you could use this to navigate the entire web. You can open explorer, move the mouse, talk out e-mails and even customize the command bar.” This young man spent time exploring the program and felt that the “tutorials were not very good” which resulted in his having to discover Dragon’s various uses on his own. Another student said, “Dragon isn’t as Mac friendly as it is PC friendly. I would make Dragon easier to use for Macs (mac users).” Another adult affiliated with the project experienced similar difficulty learning Dragon on a Mac.

Quick Points:

2 days to 4 weeks to learn how to use

Most popular use: writing papers

Middle schoolers, and upward will find this program helpful with their home assignments.

Dragon Naturally Speaking is a dication software that helps students and professionals alike. While initially it takes a bit of time to get started using the software proficiently, Dragon will save its user a lot of time. The students in our study learned the software in anywhere from a day or two to a month, with most getting the hang of it in a few weeks. While Dragon gets trained to a single voice per user, multiple users are allowed; however, each user must train independently from one another. Dragon shines as a tool for writing papers, or other homework that involves notetaking. Dragon users can also craft emails using the same word processing technology.

From Our Technology Study Consultant

I have been using Dragon Naturally Speaking for over 10 years. I can remember when creating a user profile required lengthy amounts of reading, and it was common for multiple mistakes to occur in just one sentence. This resulted in my having to spend a substantial amount of time training words. This is no longer the case. Creating a user profile takes all of 7 minutes and rarely do I make dictation errors. Dictating becomes a natural way of communicating in a short period of time. After roughly a week of using Dragon every day, you should be able to dictate with ease. Over the years I have found that the speed at which I speak has slowed moderately and that my ability to retrieve and organize language has improved. I like being able to go back to what I have written, read my work a second time and make any changes I deem necessary. When dictating, I use Dragon Pad, which saves directly to Microsoft Word. You can also dictate directly into most programs, including Word Perfect. Dragon shortens the time it takes me to write by at least 40 percent, as I can speak more rapidly than I can write or type. Having used Dragon for over 10 years, it has become the way that I write. Shifting back to handwriting or using the keyboard is no longer an option for me. Dictating is simply a better way.

Caryl Frankenberger, Ed.M.

For more than 25 years, Caryl Frankenberger, Ed.M., has been providing educational services to families in the US and abroad. A Harvard Graduate School educated psycho-educational diagnostician, school placement consultant, Cogmed coach and learning disabilities specialist. Caryl has evaluated over 2,500 children, adolescents and young adults.

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Tablet Comparison

When looking for a tablet for someone with dyslexia, be sure to weigh a number of variables to make sure you get the features that are most helpful, and to get the best value, for your needs.

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Word Processor

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College Textbooks Costs: Everything You Need to Know

What is an ahk file, keeping yourself safe in college: everything you need to know, myths about online high schools: everything you need to know, reasons you should study geography: everything you need to know, the vtoman jump 1800 portable power station: the best of the best, key roles of a school superintendent: everything you need to know, is earning a degree online worthwhile and beneficial, why learners cheat: everything you need to know, top issues in education: everything you need to know, 11 must-have apps and tools for dyslexic students.

Dyslexic students can benefit greatly from using technology. There are apps and tools available that can help dyslexic students read, write, and more. Using these 11 apps and tools with dyslexic students will ensure they can keep up in your 21 st century classroom.

• Learning Ally

Learning Ally is a great resource for audiobooks. This app has hundreds of books for kids and teens available with a monthly subscription. Users can follow along and adjust the size or type of text to make it easier for dyslexic students.

• Natural Reader

Reading webpages, emails, and texts can be hard for dyslexic students. However, many text-to-speech apps sound mechanical and feel clunky. Natural Reader has a nice, natural-sounding voice that can read a variety of documents.

• Dyslexia Quest

Dyslexia Quest is an app that looks and feels like a game, but is designed to help dyslexic kids and teens work on memory skills, phonics, and sequencing—all skills that dyslexic students typically struggle with.

• Sound Literacy

For younger students with dyslexia, working with phonics is especially important. Sound Literacy is a fun app with game-like activities designed to help students learn to recognize letter sounds.

• Ginger Page

Dyslexic students often have trouble with spelling. Software with autocorrect or spellcheck sometimes can’t figure out what a dyslexic student is trying to spell. Ginger Page is a more sophisticated word processor that can help dyslexic students write flawlessly.

• vBooks PDF Voice Reader

Many text-to-speech apps are unable to convert PDF documents into speech. vBooks PDF Voice Reader can, and it can also change the font to one designed for dyslexic readers.

OpenWeb is a web browser that converts text into a dyslexic-friendly font, allowing dyslexic students to read with less difficulty. It’s useful for times when text-to-speech is unnecessary or disruptive.

• Reading Intro by Oz Phonics

Another great app for young students with dyslexia, Reading Intro by Oz Phonics helps kids learn to recognize letter sounds. The tasks are fun and simple enough for kids to play on their own.

• What is Dyslexia?

This app isn’t necessarily just for students with dyslexia, but it’s a great tool. It has a quiz that may help determine if a child is dyslexic or needs further screening. It also has information for teachers, parents, and other students to help them understand dyslexia.

• OCR Instantly Pro

Text-to-speech apps are great for online content, but what about books or worksheets? OCR Instantly Pro allows users to snap a photo of any page and convert it to text, which can then be read aloud by a number of apps.

• MindMeister

For dyslexic students, traditional note-taking is difficult. This app allows users to create graphic organizers or mind maps to jot down their thoughts quickly and easily.

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Text To Speech

{gspeech autoplay=1 speechtimeout=0}I D A  uses Google power to provide you the best quality of automatic text to speech service. Simply highlight the text you would like to hear, then press the speaker button. See  below:{/gspeech}

Best Chrome extensions for dyslexia

Cliff Weitzman

Cliff Weitzman is a dyslexia advocate and the CEO and founder of Speechify, the #1 text-to-speech app in the world, totaling over 100,000 5-star reviews and ranking first place in the App Store for the News & Magazines category. In 2017, Weitzman was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list for his work making the internet more accessible to people with learning disabilities. Cliff Weitzman has been featured in EdSurge, Inc., PC Mag, Entrepreneur, Mashable, among other leading outlets.

Reading Support

Text-to-speech / screen reading.

This software will read out loud, in a digital voice, any text on the computer screen.  This could be text which the student has just typed, an email, a webpage, a Word/PDF document, or pages of a textbook.  The reading voice and speed can be adjusted.  Text can be read word-by-word, in sentences or continuous passages.   Individuals words can also be targeted to check the pronunciation and definitions.

Traditionally this type of technology was unreliable and expensive.  But now it is built into most devices (laptops, tablets, phones), apps and websites.  The user just needs to know how to turn it on.  Examples of text to speech/screen reading software include:

• Apple products: Speak Select or Speak Screen (See Settings/General/Accessibility). Speak Select allows a small section of text, or individual words, to be highlighted and then spoken whilst Speak Screen reads the entire screen out.
• Android products: The Speak function is available under Settings/Accessibility.
• WordTalk is a free plug-in for Microsoft Word that reads out text and also has a talking dictionary feature.
• PDFs have an in-built screen reader (see Menu/View/Read Out Loud)
• Voice Dream apps
• IVONA Text-to-Speech for Android.
• Natural Reader naturalreaders.com .
• Electronic readers such as Kindle, Sony eReader and others have opened up the world of digital books. Some are more basic than others.   The Kindle Fire has an in-built screen reader.

There are third party software available, that use to dominate the market.  However, now this type of functionality is quite mainstream and these stand-alone programmes are often not required and can be very expensive.  These include such products as ClaroRead and TextHelp Read & Write.

Reading Pens/Scanning Pens

For those students whose reading is reasonably competent, but where they come across occasional words that they cannot identify, a reading pen can be a good solution. These are handheld pens containing OCR (Optical Character Recognition) software which enables them to scan and read words and phrases. They also include a dictionary to explain what a word means. Companies which make these pens include  Scanning Pens and  Wizcom .

There are also lots of OCR apps for tablets and smartphones including App Writer and Textgrabber.

Digital Textbooks

For students with reading difficulties, accessing curriculum textbooks can be very difficult and time-consuming.  Digital versions of textbooks are a great benefit to people with dyslexia as they can be used along with Text-To-Speech software to have the textbooks read out to the student.

For the most up to date information of how to access digital textbooks please see our handout on Digital Copies of Books .

Bookshare Ireland is the largest accessible digital library in Ireland and is available to individuals with visual or print disabilities including dyslexia. Members can access Bookshare Ireland using their desktop computer, tablet or smartphone by signing up at www.bookshare.ie .

Accessing Pre-Existing Audio Formats 

Some material is available on CD, audio book or digital book format, particularly English novels, drama and even some poetry. This can be accessed through most good bookshops, libraries or online.

BorrowBox is an app for tablets and smartphones which allows borrowing of digital and audio books from local libraries

Audible is a subscription service for high-quality audiobooks.

There are also numerous websites where cheap or free digital copies of novels can be downloaded, such as www.epubbooks.com .

DVDs may also be available where novels or dramas have been filmed. These would all be good interactive learning tools.

Developing Key Reading Skills

There are many programmes which target specific areas or reading development, such as reading phonics, sight words, comprehension. comprehension These can be useful motivational tools to reinforce learning. These include:

• Wordshark , based on the ‘Alpha to Omega’ programme, combines the excitement of computer games with learning to spell and read. It offers 41 games that use sound, graphics and text to teach and reinforce word recognition and spelling. New words and vocabularies can also be added.
• Wordswork is the more advanced programme from the makers of Workshark. Wordswork is designed for older students, second, third level and adults. As well as reading and spelling it also has sections on memory, writing skills, study techniques.
• The Lexia reading series helps students to strengthen skills through interactive exercises working on areas such as phonemic awareness, decoding skills and comprehension.
• Nessy Reading Spelling is designed to reinforce spelling, reading and listening skills in a multi-sensory way.
• Words Worth Learning is an online literacy programme that aims to address reading and spelling difficulties. It can be used both in school and at home with learners from age 6 upwards.
• Nessy Learning also have a wide range of apps available for tablets and smartphones, such as Hairy Letters, Hairy Phonics and Hairy Words. These are fun, multi-sensory games for helping with the development of reading and spelling skills.
• My Reading Coach offers a comprehensive reading programme aimed at phonetic awareness, pronunciation, word building skills, grammar and reading comprehension. After an initial test, it sets out an individual programme for a child, focussing on the areas that needs development. Builds in lots of repetition and reinforcement, and monitors progress.

NB Please note that all the software and programmes listed above are for information purposes only and does not constitute a recommendation.

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Students with dyslexia face challenges transitioning to the workplace, but with support they can thrive

by Sarah Rahimi, The Conversation

Transitioning from university to the workplace is a critical period in anyone's life, but it can be especially challenging for students with dyslexia. While academic settings often offer accommodations for people with dyslexia, professional environments often fall short on such support systems.

Fortunately, there are strategic interventions that can be established in workplaces to help individuals with dyslexia not only adapt, but excel in their careers.

It is estimated that up to 20% of the population has dyslexia and 80% of people with a learning disability have dyslexia , making it the most common learning disability . Dyslexia impacts a person's reading and spelling abilities, but does not impact their overall intelligence .

People with dyslexia have unique strengths that can be valuable in the workplace. With workplaces increasingly placing importance on diversity and inclusion, understanding and supporting employees with dyslexia is crucial not only for the individual success of employees, but for organizational effectiveness of workplaces at large.

Transitioning from university to the workplace

Universities often provide resources like extra time on exams, specialized tutoring and alternative formats to materials (for example, recordings, alternate text formats and videos with subtitles).

Unfortunately, these accommodations and support are less readily available in the workplace. This change in accommodations and support can be stressful and impact the performance of new employees with dyslexia.

Common workplace tasks such as reading lengthy emails, writing detailed reports or following multi-step instructions can be more time-consuming and lead to mistakes for individuals with dyslexia. This is not because of a lack of skill or intelligence, but rather stems from differences in the way individuals with dyslexia process information.

Employers should recognize the challenges faced by employees with dyslexia and implement accommodations to ensure equal opportunities for success in the workplace.

Employees with dyslexia often face challenges at work—such as mental exhaustion, fatigue, burnout, stress and discrimination — when they do not get enough support. The absence of workplace support can not only affect their professional performance and career progression but can also impact their overall well-being and self-esteem .

Creating a path to success

Inclusive workplace practices can make a significant difference. Creating a supportive and understanding work environment can help individuals with dyslexia thrive in the workplace. The following are some effective strategies workplaces can use to better support individuals with dyslexia.

1. Structured and clear communication: Ensure workplace communications use clear, concise language in both written and verbal forms . This ensures clarity and reduces misunderstandings.

2. Technology utilization: Use assistive technologies such as text-to-speech software, audio texts and digital organizers to help individuals with dyslexia overcome challenges with reading and writing.

3. Flexibility in the workplace: Offer flexible working hours to employees . This would allow individuals with dyslexia to work during their peak productivity times and manage tasks in ways that play to their strengths.

4. Leveraging strengths: Employers should recognize and leverage the unique skills of individuals with dyslexia to create a more inclusive and productive workplace. These skills can include advanced problem-solving skills, creativity and the ability to visualize complex scenarios and see the big picture . Roles that emphasize big-picture or creative thinking, or innovative problem-solving are well suited to individuals with dyslexia.

5. Self-advocacy: Encourage individuals with dyslexia to advocate for themselves in the workplace, whether by disclosing their needs or seeking necessary accommodations. There is no law that says individuals must self-disclose , but it can help and make a difference to be open about one's needs and the accommodations that can improve productivity.

6. Professional development: Continuously working on one's personal and professional skills can help individuals with dyslexia thrive in the workplace. This includes attending workshops and training sessions, networking with other individuals that have dyslexia and mentorship. These opportunities can provide additional support, strategies, advice and guidance.

A collective effort

By improving accessibility and implementing key strategies, employers can create an environment where individuals with dyslexia feel supported, valued and empowered to contribute to the success of their organizations.

Creating a work environment that helps individuals with dyslexia thrive is a collective effort from employers, colleagues and individuals with dyslexia. Embracing inclusivity and recognizing the challenges and strengths of individuals with dyslexia can create a more diverse workforce.

A more diverse and inclusive workforce not only helps individuals with dyslexia, but can benefit everyone —it encourages different ways of thinking, adaptability and innovation. With the right support, transitioning from university to the workplace can be a journey of growth and success.

By acknowledging the strengths and potential of employees with dyslexia and making reasonable accommodations, employers can harness the unique talents of these individuals. This can lead to increased productivity, creativity and overall success for both the employees and the organization as a whole.

Provided by The Conversation

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Raikes school team designs writing aid for people with dyslexia.

A team of Huskers is creating a practical writing tool that can also help form better education plans for students with dyslexia.

Dyslexico, part of the Design Studio in the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Jeffrey S. Raikes School of Computer Science and Management, is building a spell and grammar check program to aid people with dyslexia in their writing. The program uses AI to catch more errors and suggest more accurate corrections.

“We want them to be able to understand why errors are happening and be able to validate it themselves to increase their confidence as writers and use it in settings like school,” said Bridget Peterkin, senior computer science major in the Raikes school and co-founder. “We want to not only be able to help them get it right but help them learn and participate in the education process.”

The program has many of the functions of a typical spell or grammar check software, but it is designed to address the specific needs of people with dyslexia. Someone with dyslexia might, for example, misspell a word more incorrectly than other people, or a word might be spelled correctly but is not the intended word. In cases like this with very high error rates, other software might “give up” or even mistake the sentence for another language and stop checking it. Users go through the suggestions and confirm the change, which improves their identification and understanding of the mistakes.

Dyslexico uses AI to put the mistakes in context of the entire sentence and offer better suggestions. In one example, a student wrote “The knife is sharp” but had misspelled the word “sharp.” A traditional spell check changed the word to “shop,” while Dyslexico recognized that the sentence was referring to kitchen utensils and suggested the correct spelling.

“A more general error might be someone making a flub on the keyboard or messing up a common letter mix-up,” Peterkin said. “With dyslexia, we tend to see larger patterns. (Other programs) will guess the closest word instead of the word that is right in context.”

In the team’s data analysis, Dyslexico detected and corrected three times as many errors as other common spell check programs.

Dyslexico originated when co-founder and Husker alumna Grace Clausen, who has dyslexia, won a “hack-a-thon” programming competition hosted by OpenAI. The project was then accepted into the Raikes school’s start up incubator beginning in the fall 2022 semester. Claussen has dyslexia so she had firsthand experiences with these challenges, and then started to watch sister go through same challenges.

“We knew there had to be a better option and this population had been left behind by existing solutions,” Peterkin said.

Other features included are access to the font OpenDyslexic and a text spacer, both designed to make the words easier to read, and speech-to-text and text-to-speech functions.

The team has worked with teachers and students in Millard Public Schools and the university’s Services for Students with Disabilities, as well as the Pittsburgh New Church School, a school in Pennsylvania that caters to students with dyslexia. They are in talks with more schools to start pilot programs there and get Dyslexico into more hands. They launched the  public beta version of their website  in April 2023 and recently launched an extension for Google Chrome that allows people to use the program on any website they visit.

The team has received feedback from participants in the pilot programs and users of the website, and they said the most common response is excitement that someone is working on a tool designed for how their brain works. Tristan Curd, senior computer science major in the Raikes school and team lead, said hearing their product is useful and effective for this population is meaningful.

“It’s everything for us,” Curd said. “We originally went into this with the idea we want to make writing easier for people with dyslexia, and we heard time and time again in these dyslexia communities, ‘Yes, I want a tool that’s made specifically for me.’”

Dyslexico won the university’s New Venture Competition in 2023 and placed third in the Governor’s New Venture Competition this year. They have also met with state Sen. Lou Ann Linehan about a bill passed this session in the Nebraska Legislature to provide grant funding for dyslexia research. Peterkin said these successes have been valuable opportunities to connect with the public and spread the word about this resource, while also giving funding to pay for their own costs.

Moving forward, Curd plants to work for Dyslexico full-time following graduation and Peterkin and Clausen will work on it part-time. The team is in the process of developing an analytics feature that will identify and categorize the user’s errors so they can see their most common mistakes. With this knowledge and assistance, Dyslexico hopes to empower users to succeed.

“The depth of the problem goes so much beyond software,” Peterkin said. “It’s about changing the narrative when it comes to dyslexia and the incredible things people with dyslexia can and are currently doing in our community.”

View the original story in Nebraska Today .

Neurodivergent employees aren’t disclosing their conditions at work because they worry it will hurt their career

Good morning!

More adults today identify as neurodivergent than ever before. That’s a broad term for a group of neurological differences which includes autism, ADHD, and dyslexia, among others. But organizations still have quite a way to go to make workplaces inclusive and accommodating to neurodivergent employees, a new study has found.

Around 59% of working adults with ADHD, dyslexia, or another neurodivergent condition worry that disclosing it will negatively affect them at work, according to a survey shared exclusively with Fortune from Understood.org, a nonprofit that advocates for neurodivergent people. 

There’s valid reason for that concern. Around 32% of respondents say they were denied their request for accommodation, and another 23% reported losing their job or getting demoted after putting in an ask. Accommodations for neurodivergent employees vary but can include flexible work arrangements, noise-canceling headphones, a desk assignment near a window or away from high-traffic areas, switching out lighting, or purchasing assistive technologies like text-to-speech software.

“That statistic is troubling to me,” Nathan Friedman, co-president and chief marketing officer at Understood.org, tells Fortune . To him, the share of people seeing adverse impacts to their career after requesting an accommodation shows that organizations have not done enough to make workplaces equitable for neurodivergent people, reduce stigma, and improve understanding about neurodiversity.

“This is something that all workplaces should embrace,” he adds. “Not only is it the right thing to do for the workplace and the people, but it’s right for the bottom line, for the company, for leaders, and for mankind. I mean, it’s quite clear.”

Companies that make their workplaces inclusive of neurodiversity see higher productivity , employee engagement , and retention rates . But general awareness about the condition still has a long way to go. Around 68% of employees polled by a management consulting firm earlier this year said they were unfamiliar with neurodiversity, and only 14% said they received training on managing a neurodivergent employee.

It’s up to HR teams to work with managers to help them understand these conditions, how accommodations can support neurodivergent employees, and what training they need to supervise them. Disability accommodations are often wrongly believed to be expensive and challenging to provide. In reality, most accommodations employers make are free, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Job Accommodation Network, and one-time accommodations that did cost money were just $300 on average.

However, HR teams must also ensure employees know it is okay to ask for an accommodation, how one can be requested, and who workers should approach to request one. Around 60% of neurodivergent respondents said they have no idea what accommodations they are entitled to, and 49% do not know who to talk to about requesting an accommodation at work.

“There’s a lot of mystification and misinformation out there that needs to be rectified,” says Friedman. “Whether individuals have a checklist, whether HR leaders embrace [neurodiversity inclusion], there’s a lot of things that can be done that are easy to make their workplace more inclusive.”

Paige McGlauflin [email protected] @ paidion

Today’s edition was curated by Emma Burleigh.

Around the Table

A round-up of the most important HR headlines.

- Walmart is eliminating hundreds of corporate jobs and telling remote staffers to move to an office and work partially in-person. Wall Street Journal

- Nike is cutting 2% of its Converse workforce as the corporation undergoes a $5 billion cost-cutting plan. Bloomberg

- The Federal Aviation Administration is seeking to relocate 17 New York air traffic controllers to Philadelphia, but the workers aren’t budging at any incentive to uproot their lives. New York Times

The average American worker with a college degree would only accept a new job offer if it had a base salary of at least $100,000, but roles with that pay level are few and far between . Business Insider

Watercooler

Everything you need to know from Fortune .

About time. More U.S. states are stepping up with their own solutions to address the child care crisis, freeing up time and resources for working parents to reenter the labor force . — Moriah Balingit, Susan Montoya Bryan, Dylan Lovan, Daniel Beekman, AP, Seattle Times

Backtracking. Tesla is rehiring some Supercharger employees , including the team’s North American director, just a few weeks after the company slashed the whole division. — Dana Hull, Edward Ludlow, Bloomberg

Downhill. A new study has found that Gen Z earns less money and has more debt than millennials did at their age, as the young generation can’t shake financial struggles stemming from the pandemic. —Orianna Rosa Royle

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