Seminar 3

Assistive Technologies for Print Disabilities

Outline Introductions

Problem: Print Disability

Solutions: Free Accessible Technology

Next steps

Introducing Load2Learn

Project to create an online catalogue of adapted secondary curriculum books and images for learners with print disabilities.

What do we know about reading difficulties? Many children are able and understand but

they 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?

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

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.

Definition and legal provisions for print disabilities “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)

Key legal provisions

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 suitable commercial alternative exists

Solution: Making text accessible

1. Structured documents with easy navigation (Word, PDF)

2. Modification of font colour, font type, font size, background colour (PDF, Word)

3. Audio books

4. Text-to-speech (PDF, Wordtalk, Balbolka, voices, screen reader)

5. Audio and text linked (DAISY, WordTalk)

Solution 1: Structured documents

All sections have titles marked with Heading styles

Word documents, PDFs, Web Pages

Solution 2: Text and document modification

Change font size proportionally

Change font colours and background colours

Solution 3: Audio books and other audio

Evidence for Audio Books

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 as spectacles ‘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)

Audio books at home

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)

Solution 4: Text to speech

Synthetic voice (Anna, Brian, Jess, Jack, …)

Reader software (Balabolka, WordTalk)

Evidence for text to speech 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

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 5: Text and audio linked by DAISY Structured document linking audio and text

Text is highlighted in sync with audio

Next steps What are the easy things you can do first?

What do you need to do to personally to get comfortable with accessible documents?

Are there barriers to having accessible documents implemented at your school?

Would you be interested in Load2Learn?