David Rosen and Cathy Jenner,
 
Regarding technology text readers (text  converters) for people with limited 
reading skills:
 
Congratulations for your initiatives.  Could you  help us with answers to a 
few questions?
 
-  Since text is often written in a more formal  style compared to 
conversation, it may be harder to understand when  this formal style is auded.  Do you 
rewrite the formal style  to a more conversational style text before converting 
it to  speech? 
 
-  What rate (words per minute) is used in the  spoken text?  Reason for this 
question:  In Tom Sticht's book "Auding  and Reading" 1974, page 104, shows 
that information retention by marginally  literate men falls off sharply for 
spoken rates much faster than 128 words per  minute.`
 
best wishes,
Len and Ceci Doak
 
 
 
In a message dated 4/1/2008 8:43:45 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
AnnPk at olis.ri.gov writes:

Could you tell what screen readers you use and what they cost. I am  looking 
good screen readers at a reasonable cost. Thanks.
 
Ann Piascik
Library Program Specialist III
RI Office of Library and  Information Services
One Capitol Hill - 4th Floor
Providence, RI  02908
Tel: 401-574-9314
Fax:401-574-9320
_annpk at olis.ri.gov_ (mailto:annpk at olis.ri.gov) 



>>>  cjenner at rtc.edu 3/31/2008 12:50 PM >>>



 
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_ (mailto:cjenner at rtc.edu) 
_http://www.rtc.edu/AboutUs/DSDPGrant/_ 
(http://www.rtc.edu/AboutUs/DSDPGrant/) 
_http://webs.rtc.edu/ii/dsdp.html_ (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_ 
(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_ (mailto:djrosen at comcast.net) 
 



 
  
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