Sorting through Electronic Reading Software
Features of Electronic Reader Software Functionality Version Input (of Text) Features Operating System Text Source input Mac – version _____ Type in Windows – version _____ Built-in Scanning Networkable_____ Cloud ______ Internet (reading live on-line) Capability Version Open Document Scan & Read Text files Read Only PDF files User Version Daisy files Single User MP3 files Multiple User (password, no password) AVI files Color Version Navigation Color Between pages Black & White Between documents Portable Advance by heading CD/DVD Player Bookmarking Audio File Player Reading Features – Visual Presentation Reading Features – Auditory Presentation Page Presentation Synthetic Voice One page at a time Synthesizer Language Multiple page view Tonality/Pitch Adjustments Exact image view Digitized Audio Voice Extracted text view Recording capacity Highlight as Read Voice notes By sentence Unit read By line By sentence By paragraph By line By word By phrase Color By paragraph Text By word Background By highlight Highlight By heading Selection Reading Controls Homonyms Speed Size Adjustability Pacing Of image Pausing Of text Speech Access/Screen Reading Magnification (enlargement as read) Talking menus Masking Text (by line, paragraph, sentence) Talking dialog boxes Study Skill Features Writing Features Highlighting Spell Check (talk, definition linked to dictionary) Color options Homonym Checker (examples, word wizard, Listing/extraction used in a sentence) Create new file with highlights Outlining Word Support Features Outline formatting within text Dictionary Outline created from highlights Syllabication Word Prediction based upon… Spelling Spelling (As letters are typed) Thesaurus Frequency of use Homonyms Grammar Annotations (Adding info to reading materials) Phonetic Text notes (Text to Speech) Custom vocabulary sets Voice notes (Digitized Speech) Testing Features Extract annotations Locked text Bookmarking Formats (essay, multi choice, T/F, fill-in) Immediate feedback to responder 2009 * S.Marfilius & K.Fonner * www.scottmarfilius.com * www.kellyfonner.com Page 1 Sorting through Electronic Reading Software
Assessment Considerations Issues to Consider Classroom Based Tool <> Individual Student Tool Curriculum <> Leisure Stationary <> Portable Visual <> Auditory Print <> Braille Audio <> Digital Read & Navigation <> Read & Comprehension Supports Reading Supports <> Reading & Writing Supports Use of Existing Accessible Documents <> Production of Accessible Documents Eligible for Copyright Exempt Sources <> Commercial/Public Domain Sources
Feature Matching = Match Student Abilities & Needs to Product Features
Individual Technology Needs & Abilities Interface/Input o Motor (Fine motor for tech o how student accesses the tech operation) o how text is entered o Cognition (reading level, fluency) Processing (cognitive interaction w/tech) o Language/ Processing o Navigation features (comprehension, word skills) o Reading features o Sensory (Vision, Hearing, Tactile) . Visual presentation Expectations (work, home, school, etc) . Auditory presentation o Study skill features Output (end result of use) o Auditory features o Writing features o Visual features Properties (OS, price, interfacing, etc)
Book Resources: Biancarosa, G., and Snow, C.E. (2004). Reading Next – A Vision for Action and Research in Middle and High School Literacy: A Report to Carnegie Corporation of New York. Washington, DC: Alliance for Excellent Education. Burgstahler, S.E., & Cory, R.C.(2008). Universal Design in Higher Education: From Principles to Practice. Cambridge: Harvard Education Press. Cavanaugh, T.W. (2006). The Digital Reader: Using E-books in K-12 Education. ISTE Publications: Eugene, OR. Ciborowski, J. (1998). Textbooks and the students who can’t read them: A guide to teaching content. Brookline Books: Cambridge, MA. Council for Exceptional Children. (2005). Universal Design for Learning: A Guide for Teachers & Education Professionals. Council for Exceptional Children: Arlington, VA. Dalton, B., Pisha, B., Eagleton, M., Coyne, P., & Deysher, S. (2001). Engaging the text: Reciprocal teaching and questioning strategies in a scaffolded learning environment. MA: CAST. Oczkus, L. (2004). Super 6 Comprehension Strategies: 35 Lessons & More for Reading Success. Christopher Gordon Publishers, Inc.: Norwood, MA. Paul, R., & Elder, L. (2003). The Thinker’s Guide for Students on How to Study & Learn: A Discipline using Critical Thinking Concepts & Tools. Foundation fro Critical Thinking: Dillon Beach, CA. Rose, D.H., & Mayer, A. (2002). Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age: Universal Design for Learning. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Alexandria, VA.
2009 * S.Marfilius & K.Fonner * www.scottmarfilius.com * www.kellyfonner.com Page2 Sorting through Electronic Reading Software
E-Reader Product Resources Portable EReaders & Software: Amazon www.amazon.com (Kindle 2) American Foundation for the Blind www.afb.org (Book Reader Wizard, Book Reader Producer) Bookeen www.bookeen.com/overview/ebook-overview.aspz (Cybook) BrotherSoft www.brothersoft.com (CHm ebook Reader, IEC Book Reader) Cambium Education Systems Inc. www.kurzweileducationsystems.com (Kurzweil 3000, Kurzweil 1000) Claro Software www.clarosoftware.com (ClaroRead) Colligo www.colligo.us (Scan N Talk) Dolphin Computer Access LLC www.dolphinusa.com (SuperNova, LunarPlus, Cicero, Dolphin Pen, Easy Reader, Dolphin Publisher) Don Johnston Inc. www.donjohnston.com (ReadOutLoud, Solo, Classmate) Freedom Scientific www.freedomscientific.com (JAWS, Open Book, Sara, FS Reader, WYNN, Test Talker, PACMate) Gh LLC www.ghbraille.com/ghplayer.html (GH Player, Math Speak, Accessible Testing System) Guerilla Technologies www.guerillatechnologies.com (Extreme Reader) GW Micro www.gwmicro.com (WindowEyes, Braille Sense, Voice Sense) HumanWare www.humanware.com (Classmate, Victor ReaderSoft, Victor Stream, Victor Reader Wave, Maestro) Innovative Rehabilitation Technology www.irti.net (eClispseReader, eClipseWriter, eClipseWater, eClipseScan) KNFB Reading Technology www.knfbreader.com (kReader, KReader Mobile, Knfb Reader Classic/Mobile) Levelstar www.levelstart.com (Icon) NaturalSoft www.naturalreaders.com (Natrual Reader Personal/Professional) Nch Software www.nch.com.au/index.html (Verbose) Plextor www.plextalk.com (PlexTalk PTN, PlexTalk Pocket) Premier Literacy www.readingmadeez.com (Universal Reader/Plus, PDF Equalizer, E-Text Reader, Scan & Read Pro, Key to Access, Text to Audio) ReadOn Pty Ltd www.readonsoftware.com (ReadOn) Read Please www.readplease.com (Read Please Plus, Reading Bar) Recorded Books LLC www.recordedbooks.com (Playaway) Sony www.sonystyle.com (PRS-505 Digital Book) Springer Design www.bookcourier.com (Book Courier) Telex Communications www.telex.com (Scholar, Talking Book Players) Text Help www.texthelp.com (Read and Write Gold, Read and Write Gold Mobile, Text Aloud)
Freeware Text-to-Speech Software: Adobe Reader get.adobe.com/reader/ AIMS (Adaptive Multimedia Info Sys) daisy-trac.cvsdude.com/amis Browsealoud www.browsealoud.com ClickSpeak/Firefox clickspeak.clcworld.net/ Cliptalk, Powertalk fullmeasure.com.uk/ DSpeech dimio.altervista.org/eng/index.html eBooksReader www.brothersoft.com/ebooksreader-122847.html Emacspeak emackspeak.sourceforge.net/ Google Reader reader.google.com Microsoft Reader www.microsoft.com Natural Reader Free www.naturalreaders.com/free_version.htm Read Please www.readplease.com RSVP Reader addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/2149 Spoken Text www.spokentext.net TPB Reader www.daisy.org/tpbreader Word Speak for Mac www.microsoft.com/downloads/ Word Talk www.wordtalk.org/ug/Home/
2009 * S.Marfilius & K.Fonner * www.scottmarfilius.com * www.kellyfonner.com Page 3 Sorting through Electronic Reading Software
Electronic Text Resources: The following is a list of web sites which have or facilitate access to electronic text of books and articles. Some may have fees, disability requirements, or other requisites associated with membership. Accessible Book Collection www.accessiblebookcollection.org Assistive Media www.assistivemedia.org Audible.com www.audible.com Audio Books for Free www.audiobooksforfree.com Audio Bookshelf www.audiobookshelf.com/educator.html Audio Editions www.audioeditions.com Baen Free Library www.baen.com Blackstone Audiobooks www.blackstoneaudio.com Books Aloud, Inc www.booksaloud.org/home/htm BookShare www.bookshare.org Classic Bookshelf www.classicbookshelf.com Desktop Author www.desktopauthor.com/ Electronic Text Center etext.lib.virginia.edu/ Fictionwise www.fictionwise.com Free Books www.free-books.org Free Classic Audiobooks freeclassicaudiobooks.com Internet Public Library www.ipl.org Learn OutLoud www.learnoutloud.com/Free-Audio-Video#directory LibriVox Librivox.org Lit-2-Go etc.usf.edu/lit2go LoudLit www.loudlit.org/ Michigan Net Library www.netLibrary.com News Currents www.newscurrents.com News-2-You www.news-2-you.com Project Guttenberg www.gutenberg.org On-line Stories web.bsu.edu/00smtancock/edrdg430/430stories.html OverDrive www.overdrive.com/ Questia Online Library www.questia.com Read How You Want www.readhowyouwant.com Recorded Books www.recordedbooks.com Recordings for the Blind & Dyslexic www.rfbd.com Wikibooks en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Main_page
Web Resources: Accessible Instructional Materials Consortium aimconsortium.cast.org Annenberg Media Workshops www.learner.org American Foundation for the Blind www.afb.org Book Wizard www.scholastic.com/bookwizard Center for Applied Special Technology www.cast.org Center for Electronic Studying ces.uoregon.edu/ Closing The Gap www.closingthegap.com Curriki www.curriki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Main/WebHome Daisy Consortium www.daisy.org Division for Learning Disabilities of CEC www.TeachingLD.org Free Reading www.freereading.net Higher Education Accessible E-Text Solutions www.ahead.org/etext/etext_main.htm Keys to Literacy www.keystoliteracy.com LD OnLine www.ldonline.org Learning through Listening www.learningthroughlistening.org Library of Congress www.loc.gov National Center for Supported Electronic Text ncset.uoregon.edu/ National Instructional Materials Access Center nimac.us National Library Service for the Blind & Physically Handicapped www.loc.gov/nls Read Write Think www.readwritethink.org Reading Rockets www.readingrockets.org Teacher Workshops: Literacy www.t2web.us Verizon Literacy Program www.thinkfinity.org Vocabulary University www.thinkfinity.org XML-Tekst www.daisymarkup.com 2009 * S.Marfilius & K.Fonner * www.scottmarfilius.com * www.kellyfonner.com Page 4