A Teacher's comments on Read:OutLoud, August 18, 2011
By Kelly Key, Illinois
Product Setting: Throughout the school day and at home. Skill Development: The challenge of reading textbooks for students with learning disabilities/ reading challenges.
This is an e-mail that a teacher sent to me during a workshop that I presented this week on SOLO version 6.0.3 and she gave my permission to share...
Every year I have a new group of students who need to become comfortable with nonfiction reading by using their textbooks. Read:OutLoud has been of great value for those students who are reading below grade level and are included in the mainstream setting. The challenge of reading these textbooks becomes much less as the students listen to and view the text. Relief is reflected in their expressions as the use Read:OutLoud. This relief has enabled the students to proceed through their reading material with confidence and greater understanding of the topic at hand and has increased their self-confidence in classroom discussions and in completing assessments.
Jeannette Van Houten
, Assistive Technology Curriculum Specialist
Video Testimonial - Access to Literacy Equals Independence
April 2011 - Jeanette shares experiences about students who use Read:OutLoud, the accessible text reader in New Jersey schools. (0:57)
Linda's Read:OutLoud Review, March 21, 2011
By Reviewer from Virginia
Product Setting: Self-contained classroom. Skill Development: Encourage writing skills for non-verbal students with autism.
My student has learned that what he writes can be read out loud without involving another human! He writes on a portable word processor, downloads it into a Word document, saves it as rich text and then opens it in Read Out Loud. : )
Increases Research Options for Students Who Read Below Their Grade Level, August 29, 2010
By Reviewer from Virginia
Product Setting: Self-Contained LD classroom. Skill Development: To improve research skills for students with learning disabilities.
A special education teacher and I worked with a small class of middle school students on a research project on Alcatraz. In addition to using the Alcatraz Start-to-Finish book (another Don Johnston product) students were responsible for researching Alcatraz and presenting their research to the class. Read:OutLoud allowed students who had difficulties in reading and in writing to search the Internet, quote references, and put their research findings into their own words. The software allowed students with below grade-level reading abilities to complete a grade-level project.
Read Out:Loud, March 25, 2010
By Cherie Ayala, Texas
Product Setting: English Lab self-contained. Skill Development: Oral administration and reading of fiction.
Students are able to access text that otherwise they would not be able to read. One student enjoys being able to repeat sentences that he does not understand without having the teacher or the whole class know that he did not understand the first time. Students also enjoy reading other students writing and being able to complete assignments on their own. Other kids want to have their turn too, on the computer.
CMC Time Saver, March 25, 2010
By Reviewer from Texas
Product Setting: CMC. Skill Development: Improves reading in students who have low reading skills.
I have a student who comes in and has a very limited set of reading skills. Using Read:OutLoud helps her understanding and absorption of the materials presented. It also helps in CMC when another student is present. I can have the first student use the program instead of having to present it to her while helping others.
Allison's Read:OutLoud Review, February 2, 2010
By Reviewer from Pennsylvania
Version: Read:OutLoud SE Product Setting: Life Skills classroom. Skill Development: Improve ability of students with very low reading levels to follow along with activities that require reading that is substantially above their reading level.
This product helps students who read at a very low reading level to follow along with activities that may be written above their reading level but are crucial to their progress in the Life Skills curriculum. Students who would not normally be able to read an instruction manual still need to learn how to use a machine. By scanning the manual and putting it in Read:OutLoud, the students can have the manual read to them while they actually work with the item.
Read:OutLoud Review, January 28, 2010
By Reviewer from Virginia
Version: Read:OutLoud SE Product Setting: Self-contained classroom. Skill Development: Improve writing outcomes for my students with autism.
My students have autism and are non-verbal. Others thought they were also moderately mentally retarded. However, there is a tremendous amount of knowledge tucked inside their heads that they express when they type. Read:OutLoud gives them the opportunity to hear what they created from a computer! They have a voice! They are empowered!
Patty's Read:OutLoud and Simon S.I.O. Review, September 18, 2009
By Reviewer from New York
Version: Read:OutLoud SE, Simon S.I.O. Product Setting: Self-contained, AIS small group. Skill Development: Improve reading outcomes for AIS students: fluency, vocabulary emergent skills: letter sound association, increasing stamina working in small group.
Shared with group of reading specialists who are eager to use with their student population on a regular basis. Students are fully engaged and eager to continue and gain confidence in their reading/writing ability.
Morina's Read:OutLoud Review, July 9, 2009
By Morina Lamb, Virginia
Version: Read:OutLoud SE. Product Setting: Resource room. Skill Development: The students who use this program are special education students who have difficulty with reading.
The students were immediately excited that they were going to have help with their reading. The adjustment to the reading voice was made into fun when each student was allowed to pick their voice of choice. Once the students understood how to use the program, they were able to not only "read" all of their assignments, but also volunteered to read other material on their own.
Ruth's Read:OutLoud Review, June 5, 2009
By Ruth Santos, Hawaii
Version: Read:OutLoud SE. Product Setting: Self-contained classroom. Skill Development: Improving reading independence for adolescent students who are dyslexic.
As compared to other text to speech programs, the voice is more realistic. Since I am a reading specialist, it is always difficult to teach dysfluent readers they have to interact with the text as they read the words. This product allows the students to split their focus -- to pay attention to the oral and visual words while at the same time providing meaning making with the sideboard outline. Being able to download on-line research is phenomenal for middle school students! This program will provide exceptional support and encouragement for students to read, think, and write.
Tommy's Review, April 7, 2009
By Lorrie Clute, New York
Version: Read:OutLoud SE. Product Setting: Clinical. Skill Development: Improve reading outcomes for student with dyslexia.
Long John Silver: Read story with Read:OutLoud, take notes, created outline and wrote critique of story.
