This document discusses assistive technologies for individuals with print disabilities. It defines print disability and outlines several free and accessible technology solutions to support those with print disabilities, including structured documents, text and document modifications, audio books, text-to-speech, and linking text and audio using DAISY. Research evidence is presented showing the benefits of these technologies in improving independence, reducing reliance on support, and improving learning outcomes. Next steps discussed include implementing accessible documents and exploring the Load2Learn project.

1. Assistive
Technologies for
Print Disabilities

2. Outline
 Introductions
 Problem: Print Disability
 Solutions: Free Accessible Technology
 Next steps

3. Introducing Load2Learn
Project to create an online catalogue of adapted secondary
curriculum books and images for learners with print disabilities.

4. What do we know about reading
difficulties?
 Many children are able and understand but
they just cannot read
 This leads to learnt helplessness
 Inability to access text effects behaviour
and attendance
 There is a need to develop independence
from both the learner and the school

5. What is the answer?
Research has demonstrated that the use
of accessible formats can support
pupils with a print disability in becoming
independent learners, reducing their
reliance on adult support.

6. Key new terms to remember
 Print disability: New term covering
existing disabilities and reflected in
copyright regulation.
 Accessible documents: Can be modified
to suit learners’ needs and can be
converted into alternative formats.

7. Definition and legal provisions
for print disabilities
“A print-disabled person is anyone for whom
a visual, cognitive or physical disability
hinders the ability to read print. This
includes all visual impairments, dyslexia, and
any physical disabilities that prevent the
handling of a physical copy of a print
publication.” -- CLA License
(CLA License, http://www.cla.co.uk/data/pdfs/print_disability/cla_guidelines_for_the_pdl_aug10.pdf)

8. Key legal provisions
 Make an accessible copy of a document
for a print disabled person under the CLA
PD Licence
 Accessible document: large print,
electronic copy, audio version (MP3),
Braille
 Unless a suitable commercial alternative
exists

9. Solution: Making text accessible
1. Structured documents with easy
navigation (Word, PDF)
2. Modification of font colour, font type, font
size, background colour (PDF, Word)
3. Audio books
4. Text-to-speech (PDF, Wordtalk,
Balbolka, voices, screen reader)
5. Audio and text linked (DAISY,
WordTalk)

10. Solution 1: Structured
documents
 All sections have titles marked with
Heading styles
 Word documents, PDFs, Web Pages

11. Solution 2: Text and document
modification
 Change font size proportionally
 Change font colours and background
colours

12. Solution 3: Audio books and
other audio

13. Evidence for Audio Books
 Boys found audio-reading enjoyable and
their self-confidence as readers improved.
 ‘a marked reduction in the quantity of
errors … when reading independently’
 The boys found audio reading was
relatively effortless yet they perceived that
they were reading books appropriate to
their age and could read ‘hard words’ like
their peers (Byrom, 1998, p.5)

14. Audio as spectacles
‘By the same token that some children require
spectacles to enable them to read a book, others
may require an audio tape to enable them to read
the same book in order that they might all contribute
to a stimulating discussion about the content’
(Byrom, 1998, p. 6)
‘Today some of these people with dyslexia even
regard the computer as their equivalent to the
glasses of the weak-sighted’. (Tank & Frederikson,
2007, p.947)

15. Audio books at home
 parents reported that audio-books
appeared to have ‘a positive influence in
reducing emotional– behavioural
problems’
 and that the use of audio-books within the
home environment appeared to reduce
their child’s sense of frustration and
distractibility attributed to greater ease in
studying. (Milani et al, 2003, p.93)

16. Solution 4: Text to speech
 Synthetic voice (Anna, Brian, Jess,
Jack, …)
 Reader software (Balabolka, WordTalk)

17. Evidence for text to speech
Students took their SQA standard grade
examinations in ‘Accessible PDF’ format.
 Staff praised “independence offered by
the electronic format.”
 Students “all found them easier to use
than a scribe.”
 “mean score was 8.93 compared with
8.00 for scribes.” (Nisbet et al, 2005, p.1)

18. More evidence for text to speech
 Text to speech can ‘relieve the burden of
decoding for struggling readers, allowing
them to focus on comprehension.’
(Wise, Ring, and Olson, 2000).
 students ‘could double or triple the time
that they could sustain reading’ (Elkind et
al, 1996, p.160).

19. Solution 5: Text and audio linked
by DAISY
 Structured document linking audio and text
 Text is highlighted in sync with audio

20. Next steps
 What are the easy things you can do first?
 What do you need to do to personally to
get comfortable with accessible
documents?
 Are there barriers to having accessible
documents implemented at your school?
 Would you be interested in Load2Learn?