Help, My Students Can ’ t Read!

1. Help, My Students Can’t Read! Tips Designed to Help Your Students Access the Curriculum Allison McMahon Assistive Technology Resource Teacher amcmahon@ccps.org

2. Text-to-Speech Options: • Mac OSX Access Options: • Make Safari or Text Edit Speak • Using Key Commands to Speak Text 3. Make Word 2004 Speak Text

3. Using Safari or Text Edit to Speak Text: Open Safari and navigate to web page you want student to access. Highlight text. In Menu Bar go to Safari, then Services, then Speech, then Start Speaking Text.

4. Highlight Text:

5. Choose Safari, then Services, then Speech, then Start Speaking Text.

6. Using Key Commands to Speak Text: Open System Preferences, and click on the Speech Button. Go to Text to Speech tab and check “Selected Text When Key is Pressed”. Set your keys for the key command. To have text read highlight the text and then choose your pre-set key command.

7. Open System Preferences, and click on the Speech Button.

8. Go to Text to Speech tab and check box next to “Selected Text when Key is Pressed”.

9. Set your keys for the key command.

10. Using Word 2004 to Speak Text: Open Worddocument . Highlight the text to be spoken. Click on View, the Toolbars, then Speech. A small box will appear - click on Speak Selection.

11. In Menu Bar go to View, then Toolbars, then Speech.

12. Click on Speak Selection in small box that appears.

13. Kurzweil: • Only text-to-speech software approved by MSDE as an accommodation on MSA and HSA testing. • Software available in Scan and Read and Read Only formats. • Can adjust reading speed, voices, and make fillable worksheets.

14. Victor Reader: • Portable digital CD player that plays AudioPlus digital CDs. • Language of Literature available on CD, as well as novels and expository text. • Need title, author, and ISBN number to order digital books.

15. Helpful Tips: Readability www.readability.info AutoSummarize www.sparknotes.com

16. Readability: In Menu Bar go to Word, then click on Preferences.

17. Click on Spelling and Grammar, check box next to “show readability statistics”, and select Okay. Whenever you use Spell Check readability stats of document will be shown. *To increase written expression uncheck “Check spelling as you type” and “Check grammar as you type.”

18. Readability: www.readability.info • Upload Word document or paste in URL

19. AutoSummarize: In Word, go to Tools, then click on AutoSummarize.

20. Enter the percent of original text, click OK, and then review summarized text and adjust as necessary. Save summarized text.

21. To use the Word Forms Toolbar: 1. Go to View - Toolbars - Forms.

22. 2. Forms toolbar appears. Protect Form Make sure to remove Forms toolbar and lock document before saving. Insert text form field Insert drop-down form field Insert check box form field

23. To increase spacing between words in Word: 1. Go to Edit - Replace 2. Find what: hit space bar 1 time. 3. Replace with: hit space bar 3 or 4 times to add space Between words in document. Then click on Replace All. Hit spacebar once Hit spacebar 3 or 4 times

24. Co:Writer SE (Solo Edition) • Word prediction software • Write:OutLoud • Talking Word Processor

25. www.intellitools.com

26. To Find Activities: -Go to IntelliTools website -Go to menu on left side of page -Go to Activity Exchange -Join the Exchange and receive a username and password. -Go to Find Activity to search for appropriate activities.

27. Sparknotes: www.sparknotes.com • Use websites such as Sparknotes to help • students preview literature by listening • before reading. • Copy and paste chapter summary, etc. into • blank document and have computer read text. • Use as a type of “cognitive rescaling” for • students who may find the idea of reading an • entire chapter overwhelming, or do not • understand plots, themes, etc.