There are many ways in which technology can support study skills for dyslexic students. The programs tend to offer help for different aspects of learning and so this web page has been divided into sections:
1. Time management and Organisation.
2. Memory.
3. Planning.
4. Note Taking.
5. Reading and Writing.
6. Examinations.
Study Skills for Students with Dyslexia is a complete set of interactive animated slides. They provide ideas for reading, writing, and organisation skills with audio and text notes produced by the University of Sheffield.
Brunel University has a very comprehensive accessible series of web pages, called Study Skills Online. These are suitable for the student at college or university. There are many very useful sections covering general learning skills, as well some that discuss the subheadings above. Fonts and colours for the background of the text can be changed via the website.
WordsWork is a multi-sensory approach to improving study skills for older dyslexic learners (secondary, tertiary, higher and further education). Wordswork uses graphics, voice-overs, colour and humour to develop a variety of language skills.
The BT Education Program web site has many free resources to encourage communication and learning skills for all ages.
1. Time management and Organisation.
This is about making sure that you arrive on time, complete tasks on time and allow enough time to relax and enjoy life.
It may be easier to use a paper diary or Filofax as methods for remembering when and where you are meant to be and for a more general overview about managing time try the links below:
Dyslexia At College (Editor: John Bradford) has notes on time scheduling with further links at the bottom of the page.
Hull University have a useful collection of time table templates, articles and mind maps related to organisation and time management for those studying in further or high education institutions.
Helping Your Child with Organization and Study Skills from LDOnline – an American website with many useful resources.
Computer based diary options with some on-screen calendars, sticky note reminders or screen savers with alarm settings.
Microsoft Office comes with an Outlook calendar. It can be adapted to suit your needs with colour changes and various themes. You can set up appointments and add tasks you need to complete with warnings appearing days, hours or minutes before they need to be finished! This Calendar works in a similar way to iCal on the Apple Mac OS X operating system and can be synchronised with some mobile phone services along with the online and mobile version of Google Calendar. Google calendar offers reminders by email or text message and can be used offline in read only mode.
Windows 7 does not have a built in calendar so you may wish to consider the calendar in Windows Live Mail – which is free and offers synchronization with an on-line calendar and the chance to have many calendars for different uses.
ReadyToPrint Organizer from NSN Software synchronises with Outlook Express addresses and has many ways of customising calendars and to do lists including the use of pictures.
Say the Time 10.1 from Provenio Software says the time and is a free to try (30-day trial); $24.95 to buy program with a pop up calendar and sticky notes.
MinuteMan Project Management Software for those who need or organise more than just their course work, but have larger projects that need tracking.
Smartphones / mobile phones offer diaries with alarms, address books, note pads, To do lists, expenses and many other facilities. The more expensive ones link to computers and have e-mail and even text to speech or voice command recognition.
eXpansys sell smart phones and have good descriptions for each product.
Schwab Learning.org offer advice about electronic organisers.
If time really is an issue there is a watch that can be set with alarms going off or vibrating at regular intervals.
2. Memory.
For day-to-day short-term memory difficulties electronic organisers can help as well as any type of recorder but when it is related to learning and sequences this can be more problematical. Pictures and audio placed alongside text will often help but there are very few programs designed to encourage memory skills. When using a wordprocessor highlighting notes, bold headings, using bullet points and different colours can assist revision.
CALSC offer Mastering Memory and Timely Reminders as well as other strategies for helping with revision.
Hagger Electronics offer a wide range of recorders – tape, digital and mini disk.
Audio Notetaker allows you to download your recordings onto a Windows PC. It is possible to organise recordings and make notes alongside the track. This software is sold by Iansyst and works well with WMA, WAV or MP3 files.
3. Planning.
Over the years study skills classes have often included sessions on planning, brainstorming ideas and the organisation of thoughts and there are now several programs that can offer support.
Bangor University has an overview of the subject in their ‘Online Study Skills Help’. It is possible to generate ideas in a pictorial way by using mind maps or concept maps and there are a few programs that offer similar facilities but each one looks different so it is worth exploring the comparison chart and explanations available on Iansyst’s website.
If planning is preferred in a linear fashion with bullet points and indented paragraphs it may be easier to use Microsoft PowerPoint or the outliner in Microsoft Word or Apple Works and the updated iWork.
Jot+ Notes is easy to use and works rather like a card file program which can be cut and pasted into any word processing package.
DraftBuilder from Don Johnston offers a complete solution with text to speech.
TextHelp Read and Write Gold also has a mapping element (Fact Mapper) to sort and store in a graphical way, research gathered from the fact folder or to generate new ideas. Inspiration and ClaroIdeas both offer mind mapping templates to help with planning.
4. Note taking.
Note taking by hand can be very difficult if the teacher or lecturer talks quickly and has numerous slides. Mind or concept mapping by hand or with a handheld organiser or Tablet PC is an option or even using a laptop if keyboarding skills are good. Notes about computer based mind mapping have been included under Planning.
In lectures or talks using a recorder is another note taking option and this has been mentioned under the Memory subheading. An illustration of Mind mapping for an essay from notes can be found at the James Cook University Study Skills online site.
MindManager for mobile phones or PC and Tablet PC with good exporting to Microsoft Office applications.
MindGenius brainbloom for Tablet PC and easy use with a keyboard when used on a desktop computer.
MindView for excellent integration with Excel for calculations plus good project management outlines as well as the different diagram views it offers for all maps.
Inspiration is good for those at school as well as in any other setting with text to speech and spell checking – notes can be made in both the outline and diagram view with simultaneous updating.
ClaroIdeas is one of the easiest mouse based mapping programs with clear menus and images for use in maps.
Kidspark has also been designed with many images and text to speech support.
There is also the free mind mapping software called Freemind, reviewed by Chuck Frey and Xmind; both can be used on a pendrive.
Tips on taking notes from books and at lectures for dyslexic students at college or university.
5. Reading and Writing.
There are many technologies that can support reading and writing skills, from the hand held pocket dictionaries to assist with comprehension, to spell checkers with speech and the computer based text to speech software packages that allow the user to hear the words that are displayed on the screen.
AbilityNet have a comprehensive guide to all the technologies that can be used in their ‘Dyslexia Toolkit’ as well as guidance on making websites more ‘dyslexia friendly’. Using voice or speech recognition instead of typing is an option that needs to be approached with care as although the programs are now much improved and results can be excellent this method does not suit everyone’s writing styles or thought processes. It is often helpful to practice dictating into a recorder before trying with a computer. Call Scotland offers very useful advice on ‘Speech Recognition in Schools’ in their collection of guides.
The Open University has a wide ranging collection of tips on how to help students cope in different learning situations, including those with specific learning difficulties /dyslexia. There are videos from students and staff, links to other resources and a section on assistive technology.
6. Examinations.
It is hard to prepare for examinations and do well on the day if one is worried about how much work has to be remembered, or there are concerns about coping with the time allowed for writing answers.
Many of the technologies already mentioned can be used in the lead up to examinations and they have been added to each element mentioned below. Sadly, few are allowed in examination rooms on the day.
- Contact your advisor in plenty of time to check whether extra time is available for examinations – use a computer based diary, electronic organiser or mobile phone to put in the appointment date with an alarm.
- Check timetabling of examinations and location – use the same technologies as above to make notes of these details. Set up a mind map or outline with To Do notes that can be ticked off.
- Keep the key points in your pocket, or short voice notes on your recorder. Notes can also be held on a mobile phone. Use the program ‘Timely Reminders’.
- Make a checklist of all the items required in the examinations such as spare pens, batteries for calculators and coloured overlays etc.
- Check the computer being made available, if this is an option. Make sure the desktop settings are appropriately set-up to suit your needs, with background colour and font settings ready for when you begin writing.
- Once in the examination room, check the table and chair are comfortable, make sure you have a timing device that you can see clearly and try to relax.
- Having read the paper through, check times for each section, allowing sufficient time to check over work at the end. Some mobile phones and electronic organisers have stopwatches and timers but these may not be allowed in examinations, so a watch is preferable.
- If you are stuck, think of the mind maps you have created, the colours you have used for highlighting and the pictures that went with certain topics. Mind maps may also help for generating ideas and planning in a hurry.
- Finish well in time in order to proof-read, which may take longer without text to speech.
