Digital+Texts

=Digital Texts: Free Tools to Empower Striving Readers=

Let's start with some humor...what was it like when the first book was introduced?
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And what do some students think about books today?
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The introduction to the new Massachusetts Curriculum Framework for English Language Arts & Literacy states under the section for Students with Disabilities:
====Promoting a culture of high expectations for all students is a fundamental goal of the Common Core State Standards. In order to participate with success in the general curriculum, students with disabilities, as appropriate, may be provided additional supports and services, such as:====
 * ====Instructional supports for learning based on the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), which foster student engagement by presenting information in multiple ways and allowing for diverse avenues of action and expression: UDL is defined by the Higher Education Opportunity Act (PL 110-135) as “a scientifically valid framework for guiding educational practice that (a) provides flexibility in the ways information is presented, in the ways students respond or demonstrate knowledge and skills, and in the ways students are engaged; and (b) reduces barriers in instruction, provides appropriate accommodations, supports, and challenges, and maintains high achievement expectations for all students, including students with disabilities and students who are limited English proficient”====
 * ====Instructional accommodations (Thompson, Morse, Sharpe & Hall, 2005) changes in materials or procedures which do not change the standards but allow students to learn within the framework of the Common Core====

7. Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.‡

 * //‡Please see “Research to Build and Present Knowledge” in Writing and “Comprehension and Collaboration” in Speaking and Listening for additional standards relevant to gathering, assessing, and applying information from print and digital sources//**

Tools to be Explored
====When we look at tools such as Readability and Natural Reader they meet the bullet points listed above. In fact, these tools may help many students gain access to materials that would otherwise be above their reading level. Many students may be able to understand a word when heard in context but unwilling to attempt to read an article that is above their reading level.==== ====The two tools work well together. Readability allows you to take an article that is online and remove the “clutter” that surrounds it. We know that many students find it difficult to focus when the areas of the screen are flashing and they are told they are a winner if they only make one click. Readability removes these distractions. There is a free version and a paid version. The handout discusses the free version.====

====Natural Reader is a free text-to-speech engine that will read websites or any other digitized text. Students may also type within the program and have their work read back to them. There is a free version and a paid version. The handout discusses the free version.====

Additional Resources
====For those interested in understanding the history of how we have reached this need to provide students with access to curriculum in a timely fashion you may want to check out a slide show called **Reaching All Students - NIMAS, NIMAC, IDEA - Why all the Acronyms?**====

Quoting from the website:
====WebAnywhere is a web-based screen reader for the web. It requires no special software to be installed on the client machine and, therefore, enables blind people to access the web from any computer they happen to have access to that has a sound card. Visit [|wa.cs.washington.edu] to access WebAnywhere directly. And, it's completely FREE to use!==== ====WebAnywhere will run on any machine, even heavily locked-down public terminals, regardless of what operating system it is running and regardless of what browsers are installed. WebAnywhere does not seek to replace existing screen readers - it has some big limitations, namely that it will not provide access to desktop applications like word processors or spreadsheets.====

Universal Design for Learning
====CAST, the Center for the Applied Special Technology is an excellent resource for Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a wonderful resource for information on UDL.. They offer two UDL Online modules. The first module is an introduction to UDL. The second module is Applying the UDL Framework to Lesson Development. To access these modules click HERE.==== ====They offer a wide variety of learning tools. One tool is CAST Science Writer. This tool supports middle and high school students in writing lab and class reports and provides a range of supports. The UDL Book Builder allows you "to create, share, publish and read digital books that engage and support diverse learners according to their individual needs, interests, and skills." A complete list of all their tools is located on the Learning Tools page.====