We are doing something like that with our Universal Design for Learning Project.  Screen readers and other assistive technologies are in our participating classrooms (we have several ESL and ABE instructors participating) for ANY student to use. 

The project looks at the progress of the students who have gone through our LD diagnosis process and get accommodations or use learning strategies and/or assistive technologies.  We don’t track the non-disabled or non-disclosing student, but the AT is still there for anyone to use and instructors encourage it. 

 In one of our classrooms, the instructors actively teach with Wynn Reader which is assistive technology for dyslexia (but it helps everyone in this ESL classroom). 

 

Cathy Jenner, Project Coordinator
Universal Design for Learning Project
Instructional Improvement
Renton Technical College
(425) 235-2352 x5639
cjenner at rtc.edu
http://www.rtc.edu/AboutUs/DSDPGrant/
http://webs.rtc.edu/ii/dsdp.html

From: technology-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:technology-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Saturday, March 29, 2008 6:45 AM
To: Women and Literacy Discussion List The Poverty Race; The Technology and Literacy Discussion List
Cc: Glenn Young
Subject: [Technology 1585] Access to text, a social justice issue

 

Colleagues,

 

On the Learning Disabilities discussion list this past week there has been a fascinating discussion initiated by Glenn Young. He has proposed that it is time to focus on helping adults with learning disabilities learn to read -- get meaning from text -- using technology, i.e. having computers and hand-held devices read text out loud, focusing on getting meaning, not on learning how to decode text. The archives of the discussion will be found at 

http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/learningdisabilities/2008/date.html

 

Glenn wants to see his idea piloted and evaluated.  I think that's a good idea -- not that I think we should stop teaching reading, but that we should help learners get access to information from text, especially when learning to read text well may take a very long time, or when it might not be possible. Inexpensive electronic text readers can help those with learning disabilities get access to the meaning of text that might not otherwise be available to them. I think this is an issue of social justice.

 

I wonder what readers on this discussion list think of Glenn's idea. For example, should adult basic literacy programs routinely help basic literacy learners get access to electronic text readers, as they also help them to learn to decode text?

 

David J. Rosen

djrosen at comcast.net

 

 

 

________________________________

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