Inclusion in Action:
EMPOWERING THE DYSLEXIC:

How ICT Can Help Identify and Motivate Pupils with Dyslexia

It is the legal responsibility of schools to make their learning environment more accessible to pupils with physical or mental disabilities. For the physically impaired, the objectives of the Act can be easy to ascertain - changes to the structure of a building or equipment may be required - but what does the legislation mean for pupils with so-called invisible disabilities like dyslexia?

According to the Disability Discrimination Act 2001 it is the duty of each school to make necessary adjustments to ensure all pupils have access to the curriculum. This means a school must make reasonable efforts to identify pupils with dyslexic tendencies and once identified, these pupils must have access to learning resources appropriate to their disability. In this article, we examine how ICT can help schools meet the requirements of the Act for the 375,000 pupils with dyslexia in the UK today.

It is estimated that around 20% of school children have some degree of Special Educational Needs but only a small proportion of these have been statemented. With dyslexia, this often means that many schools may have pinpointed pupils with profound dyslexia, but there may be 3 or 4 others in each class with dyslexic tendencies that, so far, have remained unidentified. Within the spirit of the Disability Discrimination Act, the school must make reasonable efforts to identify these pupils. This is where ICT can play a vital role. Computer programs are now available that can administer the initial screening tests for dyslexia, enabling schools to make preliminary assessments without the need for an educational psychologist.

One such program is Dyslexia Screener. Developed by SEMERC with input from The Dyslexia Institute, Dyslexia Screener can help teachers assess all pupils and uncover those with dyslexic tendencies who may require learning support. Six key areas are tested using the computer program, including non-verbal reasoning, phonological awareness, reading and spelling. For each area, a profile of the pupil is given, both in graphical and written form. This profile indicates a student's strengths and weaknesses and ascertains whether further detailed assessment is required.

The benefit of using a computer-based assessment such as this, is that the test is relatively quick, in this case approximately 30 minutes per pupil. The simplicity and speed of these tests means that is now realistic for a school to screen every pupil, increasing the chances of early identification - one of the keys to success with dyslexic learners.

Once the dyslexic pupils have been identified, ICT can play a important function in making the curriculum more accessible. Many dyslexics do not have a great deal of self-confidence when answering questions in class. To a dyslexic, the computer is a non-judgmental medium. There is no embarrassment involved if an incorrect answer is entered. This environment often gives the dyslexic pupil more confidence and their motivation improves.

According to Neil Mackay, widely acclaimed as the dyslexia-friendly school specialist, learners with dyslexia often enjoy and excel at ICT. Using a computer means a dyslexic pupil can learn through a multi-sensory experience. The same task can be presented in different ways to maximise the learning opportunities. A computer program gives students the chance to make mistakes without being permanently wrong. A task can be repeated many times until the correct answer is given.

According to The Dyslexia Institute, around 60% of dyslexics have problems with phonological awareness the connection made between the sound of a word and how it is spelt. SEMERC has developed a series of Tracking programs specifically to meet these needs. They are a series of motivational literacy resources to facilitate learning at the individual's own pace and are easily configurable for individual needs.

Through different games and activities, Alphabet Track enables users to learn the names of the alphabet and alphabetic order, that can also improve short-term memory. Spell Track encourages users to look carefully at words and reinforces correct spellings. Word Track also encourages users to look carefully at word order and reinforces correct spellings.

Phoneme Track encourages users to build up skill levels of phonemic awareness so that they can increase their confidence in coping with reading and spelling more complex words. Eye Track is an excellent resource to train visual perception skills and has been developed by occupational therapists and a specialist teacher.

There is considerable evidence to suggest that students can also master spelling by learning the finger patterns associated with typing words on a computer keyboard. Speedy Keys, a program designed to improve keyboard familiarity through spelling, can aid this process. Fun activities are used to encourage pupils to practise typing and each activity can be configured to best address a pupil’s needs or the outcomes a teacher wishes to achieve.

Word processors, and talking word processors as well as on screen grids, help learners present information in a clear format. A talking word processor allows aural feedback to support the learner with any text that they are unable to read. Students like the fact that a small phrase can be altered in isolation eliminating the need to rewrite, or retype parts of a completed document that are correct. The text can be changed to suit an individual’s needs – the size can be increased or the colour changed. In addition, the word processor minimises spelling and handwriting problems, enabling students to concentrate on ideas and how they want to express themselves rather than on the task of writing in itself. This often encourages a more adventurous use of language and syntax.

A good program to use is Granada Writer 3, which offers a thesaurus and a topic related talking word, sound and picture bank to encourage a pupils to scan the bank and expand their vocabulary.

There are also word prediction programs, which can be used in conjunction with a word processor or as stand-alone tool. As a student types the first letters of a word, the program displays a list of words beginning with the letters entered so far, which is great for pupils who struggle with taking notes. Our personal recommendation is Penfriend XP as it reads aloud the suggestions so that pupils can hear the words before they choose.

Mind-mapping tools such as Kidspiration and Inspiration are designed to help students brainstorm their ideas to plan projects. Teachers who have used such programs have found that they have given dyslexic pupils a great deal more motivation for the act of planning. No longer faced with a threatening blank piece of paper, pupils can use pictures or words to map out stories and develop ideas. The visual nature of these programs is what makes them so successful.

On the hardware side, a firm favourite is the Alphasmart 3000. Less expensive, and far smaller than a computer or laptop, this portable word processor is a great note taking tool for those pupils that find they are quicker at typing than note taking.

The AlphaSmart 3000 is compatible with any PC or Macintosh computer and most printers, so users are free to work where they please. An optional text-prediction facility can be added and the combination makes an ideal solution for pupils who become frustrated with handwriting and spelling.

When selecting the resources for a dyslexic student it is important to remember that each dyslexic person has their own pattern of strengths and weaknesses. Our advice is to study each student’s assessment profile to discover which tools would best support each individual’s learning experience. When used in this way ICT can empower dyslexics to participate fully in the curriculum.