Online Resources Library

There are several options that might be appropriate for this student or others in a similar situation.  Some scanners come with software enabling the user to scan directly into a PDF document; however, it is more likely that you will have to purchase either Adobe Acrobat or third-party software that will allow you to convert scanned documents into PDF.

Converting the scanned image would enable you to maintain the original layout of the document and still work with Natural Reader since it is capable of reading PDFs as well as MS Word documents.  Having the capability to convert documents to PDF could also be beneficial for other students, as the newer versions of Adobe Reader have improved read out loud capabilities.  This could be helpful for students who don't have access to a screen reader at home.

Start with Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic website or Bookshare.org; they often have textbooks available when you may not be able to find them elsewhere.  If a student has a documented disability, he/she can access any books from RFDB or Bookshare.org.

If the textbook you are looking for is not available through the above noted resources, or you think you'll need to scan and convert texts on a more regular basis, you may want to consider purchasing a scanner and accompanying text-to-speech software.  What you end up purchasing will depend on your needs and how much you are able to spend.  Solutions for having text read aloud range from the incredibly simple scanning in text and using built-in voices to read, to the more complex scanning in text and using human sounding narration and converting to an MP3.

Adobe Acrobat Reader and Microsoft Word both have very simple text-to-speech capabilities.  If you prefer something with more natural sounding narration, you might need something with more features.

Providing accessible text to students with disabilities has received a lot of attention in recent years as both technology tools and publisher standards have modernized.  The increasing availability of digitized texts from a variety of sources make it easier than ever before to find most materials available in multiple formats.  For harder to find texts, software and hardware options are available to help you convert texts into formats more readily accessible by individuals with print disabilities.

If you are trying to find electronic text and audio books, there are several free options available for students with documented print disabilities:  Bookshare and Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic are both popular options for finding texts for students, and may be a good place to start if looking for academic texts and grade-level literature.  Project Gutenburg is another option for free eBooks, and Librivox has free audio books available for download.  Both websites offer books in the public domain, so they may not always have everything you are looking for.

For students who are blind, you may be interested in purchasing a Braille printer or refreshable Braille displays.  Check out the customized Tech Matrix on Braille for suggestions.

Many libraries provide their patrons with online resource lists, in addition to offering a wide variety of accessibility options within the library building.  Some accessibility options for patrons my include helpful links on the library website, and pointing users to both local and national disability groups.  Within the library it is important to note that media is accessible - books on tape, audio books, captioned videos, descriptive videos, magnifiers and large print books all help ensure that a variety of media is available to patrons.  Many libraries also provide assistive software and hardware where needed.  This may include reading and writing software, software capable of reading text aloud (text-to-speech), software that can enlarge text on the screen or Braille embossers for the blind.

For further ideas, check out the American Libraries Assocaition (ALA) disability-specific Tip Sheets on Learning Disabilities, Children with Disabilities, Autism & Spectrum Disorders, as well as many others.

There are now a number of fairly inexpensive ways to provide struggling readers with access to printed materials by providing text digitally, and for assistance with this see An Educator's Guide to Making Textbooks Accessible and Usable for Students with Learning Disabilities.  Once you have digital text, you may have many options.

Many publishers now offer their textbooks on CD-ROM and teachers can easily scan printed materials into their computer to create digital versions of texts.  One of the easiest (and least expensive) ways to provide students with recorded text is to use text-to-speech features built into your computer's operating system to read digitized text.  These simple programs can read text files aloud for students and are freely available with all Windows and Macintosh operating systems.  Although they lack more sophisticated control options and choices for speaking voices, they may be an appropriate solution for helping students read short pieces of text.

Another free option for helping students access text is to download books from a website such as Project Gutenberg or LibriVox.  The books available from these sites are in the public domain, so you will not be able to find newer books here.  However, they are freely available to all and may be a good solution for providing electronic versions of popular classics.  Files are usually available in HTML, PDF or Text format, which can then be read aloud using any text-to-speech program.  The Adobe Reader has a built in Read Out Loud feature which allows the user to have any part of a PDF file read aloud.  You could also use this feature with any hard copy text that you scan and save as a PDF.

A third option is to obtain audio books from Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic.  Membership is required in order to access audio books and a special player or software is necessary to play the books.  Another site, Bookshare provides digital talking books for students of any age with disabillities.  Students with qualifying print disabilities can now access the entire Bookshare collection free of charge.  Additionally, audio books can be ordered from websites such as Amazon, Audible, or Barnes & Noble.  This option will likely be more expensive than the cost of a RFB&D membership.

The most flexible option (and also the most expensive) would be to purchase software capable of converting text files into audio files.  A quick internet search will revewal several downloadable programs for running text to audio conversions.  For a school purchase, it would be wise to investigate programs that can be used for a variety of reading and writing task such as Kurzweil 3000, Proloquo, TextAloud and WYNN.  With these tools, you can convert any text file to a sound file; students can then listen to text using an MP3 player, their computer or CD player.  Using a scanner, you can easily scan any print material and create recorded text for your students for any book, textbook, handout, or article you use in your teaching.

Response to Intervention (RTI) is a multi-tiered approach to identifying and supporting struggling students.  In this approach, all students receive the same high quality instruction and assessments.  Students who do not respond to this instruction (as revealed by frequent in-class assessments) will then receive more targeted and intensive instruction.  Students who continue to struggle will receive further interventions, possibly in the form of direct one-on-one instruction.

For some students these tiered interventions may be enough to accelerate their learning and help them catch up with their peers.  For others, their lack of response to intervention may signal a need for an evaluation of special education services.  Because data on each student is collected at every stage, much of this data can then be used to help determine the presence of a specific learning disability.

Technology can play a key role in the response to intervention process, both as a means of assessment, and as a means of intervention.  It might be helpful to check out the CITEd webinar on the Role of Technology in Response to Intervention.  CITEd has an online module on differentiating instruction using technology that may help a teacher see how technology can assist in the teaching of different students at different levels; and they also include a discussion forum and a number of helpful resources.  There are two national centers providing technical assistance to schools and districts; the National Center on Response to intervention and the RTI Action Network.

The relative ease of using techology to track, monitor and graph student assessment data may be an enticing benefit for teachers.  It allows them to quickly determine student achievement and level without having to deal with data collection and recording themselves, leaving them more time to focus on teaching.  The National Center on Student Progress Monitoring has a helpful chart of tools and the content areas they cover.