Layered EducationWhat it looks like
- Strong ideas out loud, little on paper
- Reads slowly or avoids reading, but understands when listening
- Has the tools on the device but does not know how to use them
Accommodations
Assistive Technology
Text-to-speech, dictation, and other tools already on the device.
Why it happens
Tools like text-to-speech and dictation take the mechanics of reading or writing out of the way so the student can show what they know. Most are already on school devices.
Try this tomorrow
- Turn on read-aloud and voice typing, and teach the whole class how
- Have the student try a tool on a low-stakes task first
- Teach dictation habits: outline first, say the punctuation
- Check the IEP for required assistive technology
If two of you are in the room
Co-teaching pairs can split this between them, and swap who takes which part so both teachers work with every student.
One teacher
Normalizes the tools by modeling them for everyone.
The other teacher
Coaches individual students until the tool is quick and automatic.
What the research can and cannot tell us
Text-to-speech and speech-to-text have supportive research for students with reading and writing disabilities, though results vary by student and task. A tool helps most when the student is taught to use it and uses it routinely.
Resources
11 resources for this topic, drawn from 8 organizations. Everything opens free, and the ones from other organizations open on their own sites.
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How to Personalize the Reading Experience
Device-by-device steps for turning on read-aloud and reading views on Chromebook, iPad, Mac, Android, and Windows.
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Chromebook Accessibility
The built-in dictation, select-to-speak, reading mode, and live captions any student can turn on.
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Dictation (Speech-to-Text): What It Is and How It Works
Coach a student through dictation basics, including saying punctuation and outlining first.
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Text-to-Speech: What It Is and How It Works
A short explainer on having text read aloud, and who it helps.
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Assistive Technology Built Into Mobile Devices
The accessibility tools already on phones and tablets.
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Myths and Facts About Assistive Technology
What the law requires for considering assistive technology in every IEP, in myth and fact format.
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Assistive Technology Consideration Guide
A consideration guide and implementation planner for IEP team discussion.
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Accommodations Toolkit: Research Fact Sheets
What research says about who benefits from a specific accommodation, such as text-to-speech or calculators.
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Assistive Technology: An Overview
Learn to consider, implement, and evaluate assistive technology for students with learning disabilities and ADHD.
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5 myths about assistive technology
An assistive technology consultant answers common worries, including whether dictation and text-to-speech are cheating or an unfair advantage. Transcript included.
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Assistive tech: What it is and how it helps
A special education teacher explains low-tech and built-in tools, how they fit IEPs, and how to respond to teacher doubts. Transcript included.
These resources are shared for professional learning and planning. They are meant to inform your professional judgment, not replace it. Each student's IEP and your district, state and federal requirements always come first. Listing a resource here is not an endorsement by Layered Education. This is educational information only, not legal advice.
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