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title: "Load2Learn, Alternative Formats and Affordable Technologies for Dyslexic Readers"
outline_version: 2
auto_title_slide: false
auto_thanks_slide: false
---

## ![Load2Learn](assets/media/image1.jpeg), Alternative Formats and Affordable Technologies for Dyslexic Readers
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![Dyslexia Action — Taking Action, Changing Lives.](assets/media/image2.png)

Dominik Lukeš 

BDA International Conference 2014

## What technology do you use to support your learners?
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Help to improve literacy skills?

Help in their every-day access to text?

## What do we know about reading difficulties?
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Many children are **able to understand but just cannot read**

- This leads to **learnt helplessness**
- Inability to access text effects **behaviour and attendance**

There is a need to develop **independence** from both the learner and the school

## What is the answer? 
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Research has demonstrated that the use of **accessible formats can support pupils** with **a print disability** in becoming **independent learners**, reducing their reliance on adult support.

## Key new terms to remember
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- **Print disability**: New term covering existing disabilities and reflected in copyright regulation.
- **Accessible documents**: Can be modified to suit learners’ needs and can be converted into alternative formats.

## Print disability – what is it?
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What do you understand when you hear the words “**print disability**”?

## Definition and legal provisions for print disabilities 
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> “A print-disabled person is anyone for whom a **visual, cognitive or physical disability hinders the ability to read print**. This includes all **visual impairments**, **dyslexia**, and any **physical disabilities** that prevent the handling of a physical copy of a print publication.” -- **CLA License**
>
> (CLA License, [http://www.cla.co.uk/data/pdfs/print_disability/cla_guidelines_for_the_pdl_aug10.pdf](http://www.cla.co.uk/data/pdfs/print_disability/cla_guidelines_for_the_pdl_aug10.pdf))

## Key provisions
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- Make an **accessible copy of a document** for a print disabled person under the **CLA PD Licence**
- **Accessible document**: large print, electronic copy, audio version (MP3), Braille
- Unless a **commercial alternative** exists
- **Not derogatory** or changing author’s intention
- Must **own physical copy** of the book

## Question for teachers: 
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**How many** **print disabled students** are there in an average classroom?

## Accessible documents
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1. **Modification** of font colour, font type, font size, background colour (PDF, Word)
2. **Structured documents** with easy navigation (Word, PDF)
3. **Changing a sense to audio**
   - **Audio books**
   - **Text-to-speech** (Voices, Software)
   - **Audio and text linked** (DAISY, WordTalk)

## Introducing Load2Learn 
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![Load2Learn, delivered by Dyslexia Action and RNIB.](assets/media/image3.jpeg)

Project to create an online resource of **downloadable** adapted (secondary) **curriculum books and images** for learners with print disabilities.

![Dyslexia Action — Assessment, Education, Training.](assets/media/image4.png)

![RNIB.](assets/media/image5.gif)

## Load2Learn (free for schools)
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![Load2Learn search results for GCSE geography, showing textbook covers and Word and PDF formats.](assets/media/image6.png)

### Curriculum Documents (textbooks)
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![A geography textbook in Word with a heading navigation pane and a chemical weathering section; a picture is marked Image—no description.](assets/media/image7.png)

### Simplified images
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**Simplified tactile images** (not just for visually impaired)

![A wave with wavelength marked between successive crests and between successive troughs.](assets/media/image8.png)

![Simplified chest diagram with lungs, ribs and an arched red diaphragm; arrows point inward within the lungs.](assets/media/image9.png)

## Training Materials
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![Load2Learn training video paused on a slide about making large-print documents with two keyboard shortcuts; closed captions are on.](assets/media/image10.png)

<http://load2learn.org.uk/training/>

### ![Printed Computer Productivity and Accessibility Cue Cards and a 14 Essential Universal Shortcuts reference card in front of a computer.](assets/media/image11.png)Cue Cards for Computer Productivity and accessibility
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[http://Load2Learn.org.uk/training/cuecards](http://Load2Learn.org.uk/Training/CueCards)

## Solution 1: Text and document modification
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![Adobe Reader at 300% zoom, displaying large green text on black; an arrow points to the zoom control.](assets/media/image12.png)

- **Font choice**
- **Font size**
- **Screen zoom**
- **Text colours**
- **Line spacing**
- **Alignment**

### E-books
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![An e-reader displaying text beside a stack of printed books.](assets/media/image13.png)

**eReading Devices**  
Kindles, Tablets, Phones

#### Reading on e-Readers
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Response from student in study carried out by Larson (2010) into the use of e-books:

> "I would **rather read an e-book** [than a regular book] because there are **so many cool tools** to use and choose from. I still haven't used them all, and **I'm done with the book**."

#### Opportunities from e-Readers
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> ‘Digital readers show promise in supporting struggling readers through **multiple tools** and features, including manipulation of **font size**, **text-to-speech** options, expandable **dictionary**, and **note capabilities**.’ (Larson, 2010, p.15).

#### Evidence for Kindles and iPods
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> ‘**reading** that is done **on a Kindle** or listened to **on an iPod is just as valid and valuable as reading printed texts**’ (Moyer, 2011, p.255)

> ‘[teachers can] offer their adolescent students another medium to read and experience literature in their classrooms. With the **availability of iPods** and similar audio devices, **bringing the audiobook into the classroom becomes very simple and inexpensive**’ (Wolfson, 2008, p.111).

## Solution 2: Structured documents
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![Word document with a heading navigation pane beside a definition of print disability, showing how headings enable navigation.](assets/media/image14.png)

- All sections have titles marked with **Heading styles**
- **Word** documents, **PDFs**, **Web** Pages

### Structured documents save lives
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- Navigate
- Outline
- Map

### Structured documents big picture
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![Annotated Word screenshot: apply Heading 1–9 styles to section titles, open the Navigation Pane under View, and insert an automatically generated table of contents under References.](assets/media/image15.png)

## Solution 3a: Audio – Reading with your ears
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![VLC playlist of Animal Farm MP3 files with playback controls and individual track durations.](assets/media/image16.png)

### Evidence for Audio Books
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- Boys found **audio-reading enjoyable** and their self-confidence as readers improved.
- ‘a marked **reduction in the quantity of errors** … when reading independently’
- The **boys found audio reading was relatively effortless** yet they perceived that they were **reading books appropriate to their age** and **could read ‘hard words’** like their peers (Byrom, 1998, p.5)

#### Audio books and performance
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The effects of a CD-ROM audio textbook on the academic performance of secondary students in history lessons: **using the audio text students ‘performed significantly higher** on context area assessments than students in the control condition’ (Boyle et al, 2003, p. 203).

#### Audio books in the classroom
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Furthermore, **teachers** that participated in the study also **reported the benefits** of student’s utilising audio-books within a **classroom environment**:

> ‘Students used the technology to access **additional history readings** as well as **other available relevant academic textual material** (e.g. additional history text, other subjects such as science and citizenship). This technological support allowed the **teachers to provide** **greater assistance** to students experiencing difficulties accessing higher-level print material’ (Boyle et al, 2003, p.213).

#### Audio books at home
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parents reported that audio-books appeared to have ‘a **positive influence in reducing emotional– behavioural problems**’

and that the use of audio-books within the home environment appeared to **reduce their child’s sense of frustration** and distractibility attributed to **greater ease in studying**. (Milani et al, 2003, p.93)

#### Audio as spectacles
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> ‘By the same token that **some children require** **spectacles** to enable them to read a book, **others may require an** **audio tape** to enable them to read the same book in order that they might all contribute to a stimulating discussion about the content’ (Byrom, 1998, p. 6)

> ‘Today some of these **people with dyslexia** even **regard the computer** as their **equivalent to the glasses of the weak-sighted**’. (Tank & Frederikson, 2007, p.947)

### Portable audio
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**Portable audio devices**  
(phones, MP3 players, iPods)

![A portable Sony media player with wired earphones.](assets/media/image17.png)

### Audio notetaking
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**Speech recognition** and other ways of **audio note taking**  
(Nuance, AudioNotetaker, PulsePen)

![Dragon NaturallySpeaking speech recognition software box with the words Turn Talk into Text.](assets/media/image18.png)

![Small screenshot of Sonocent Audio Notetaker with coloured audio segments and a slide pane; finer interface text is not legible at this resolution.](assets/media/image19.png)

![A hand using a digital pen on a spiral notebook containing handwritten notes and a pyramid sketch.](assets/media/image20.png)

#### Evidence for audio note taking 
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> ‘By using the note tool, they engaged in **new literacy practices by envisioning new ways to access their thought processes** to engage in spontaneous, instantaneous response to the e-books’ (Larson, 2009, p. 256)

### What do you do for your learners?
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Do you recommend your students

- **audio books**?
- **podcasts**?

### What do you do for yourself?
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Do you listen to

- **audio books**?
- **podcasts**?

## Solution 3b: Text to speech
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![Balabolka text-to-speech window with voice selection, rate and pitch controls above a document about WordTalk.](assets/media/image21.png)

- Synthetic **voice**  
  (Anna, Brian, Jess, Jack, …)
- Reader **software** (Balabolka, WordTalk)

### Evidence for text to speech
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Students took their SQA standard grade examinations in ‘Accessible PDF’ format.

- Staff praised “**independence** offered by the electronic format.”
- Students “all found them **easier to use than a scribe.**”
- “**mean score** was 8.93 compared with 8.00 for scribes.” (Nisbet et al, 2005, p.1)

### More evidence for text to speech
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- Text to speech can ‘**relieve the burden of decoding** for struggling readers, allowing them to **focus on comprehension**.’ (Wise, Ring, and Olson, 2000).
- students ‘could **double or triple the time** that they could **sustain reading**’ (Elkind et al, 1996, p.160).

## Solution 3c: Text and audio linked 
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![AMIS DAISY reader with a navigable contents tree and a highlighted sentence in the What is DAISY? section.](assets/media/image22.png)

- Structured document linking audio and text.
- Text is highlighted in sync with audio

### Evidence for DAISY
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> ‘Research by Allinder, Dunse, Brunken, and Obermiller-Krolikowski (2001) and Meyer and Felton (1999) confirms that **highlighting text as it is spoken can help learners pay attention and remember more’** (cited in Silver-Pacuilla and Fleischman, 2006, p. 84)

### More evidence for DAISY
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Lewandski and Montali (1996) studied ‘the learning of poor readers and skilled readers who were both taught through a text-to speech application with simultaneous on-screen highlighting of the spoken word’ and found that **experiencing the text bimodally** (visually and aurally) **enabled poor readers to perform as well as skilled readers in word recognition** and retention.

### WordTalk Free and Easy Solution
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![Annotated WordTalk toolbar under Word Add-Ins: read whole text, paragraph, sentence, word or selection; stop speech and use spell checking with synonyms. Spoken text is highlighted. Settings include voice, volume, speed, highlight colour, keyboard shortcuts and typing echo.](assets/media/image23.png)