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Technology & Literacy:
Supporting the Diverse Needs of Students
at the Secondary Level, Grades 7-12



Presented by Julie Coiro
Literacy Initiative Professional Development Series at SERC
November 30, 2004



Transforming Text To Provide Access for All Readers

Let's first take a quick look at how CAST has integrated many of these elements of universal design into their website!
See additional resources from their Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age online book and activities.
You can also access information about Tom Snyder's Thinking Reader.

Explore the links below, keeping in mind the needs, interests and ability levels of the
students in your classroom. 
  1. To what extent might these environments motivate your students to "read"(learn) on the Internet?
  2. How (for what purposes) might these electronic supports be used in your curriculum?
  3. What might be some short and long term effects of accessing supportive resources on students'
    reading comprehension? 

Web-Based Multimedia Reading Supports and Reinforcement:  Multimedia tools built into the interface to enable readers to access the text in multiple formats (audio, video, text-based).  Includes electronic supports for skill practice and reinforcement. 

Multi-Leveled Text: The same information is presented at multiple reading levels and readers are given control of which level to access. 
  • NASA's StarChild
  • 5Tigers Website
    • Adults (click "5 Tiger Subspecies)
    • Kids (click "The 5 Kinds of Tigers")
  • Enchanted Learning
    • Young readers visit the alphabet
    • Older readers explore further (try clicking on Habitat, Haiku, Half Moon or Hammerhead Shark)
Language Translators:  Text from any website or other electronic file can be copied and pasted into this tool and then translated into multiple languages.  You can also translate an entire webpage and continue the translation as you link to other webpages. 

Alternative Information Formats:  These webpages provide examples of how students can access  information via interactive applets, video, animation, hypertext glossaries, discussion boards and much more. (SEE BELOW)
Science:
Any Subject: 		Language Arts:
  • Visual Thesaurus: try "look it up" for a whole new way of thinking about connections
  • Word Central: enter the hallway to explore interactive word games like The Daily Buzzword, Coding Chamber, Rhyming Dictionary, Verse Composer and much more
Social Studies Math:
Text to Speech Online Supports: These software supports read text aloud and follows along with a highlighted cursor.  You can also save audio files as MP3 files and students can listen to them on their walkman!
Try these out with informational websites like NYTimes, Learning Exchange or Scholastic's NewsZone

Enhancing Traditional Comprehension
Activities with Technology