READING AND WRITING ASSISTANCE THROUGH AUDACITY AND

PREMIER’S TTA

CHIP ALDRICH

Digital Audio Learning Tools

“ When a child is unable to complete an academic task, how much failure data do we need to in order to determine that he cannot do the task? Do we continue to withhold the use of a ‘cognitive prosthesis’ in hopes that he’ll learn to do the task someday?”

(Prof. Dave Edyburn, 2006).

Remediation v. Compensation

Typical Accommodations:

Reading: Shortened readings Reading w/ peers Reading w/ 1 to 1

+ Removes decoding/fluency issues

May help improve comprehension

- Lack of independence- Poor social perception- Labor intensive

Written Expression: Typing responses Dictated to transcriber Fill-ins/Mult. Choice

+Demonstrates learning/comprehen.

- Spelling/Handwriting issues- Weak keyboarding skills- Lack of independence- Labor intensive

Reading Written Expression

Removes decoding issues Can supplement or replace

reading Allows independent and

multiple uses Weaker readers are often

stronger in auditory skills Flexibility of access

No spelling, handwriting, keyboarding issues

Easy to edit/multiple trials Improves independent

demonstration of learning Weaker writers may have

stronger verbal skills Flexibility for responses

Advantages of Digital Audio Tools:

Truth in Advertising

May be labor intensive at first- Requires some training/setting up - Works best when there’s advance planning

Requires Hardware /Software – - computer access, program access- microphone(s), headphone(s)

Requires minimum level of cognition/verbal skills

- not for every student

• AS ALWAYS, THERE’S NO ONE SOLUTION FOR ALL CASES.

• PLAY– THE MORE YOU USE THEM, THE BETTER YOU GET WITH THEM.

• aldrichc@naugy.net• Hillside MS – ext. 5261

• http://www.lifelonglearner.us/other/audacity/index.html• http://curriculum.union.edu/tips/audacity.php • http://www.readingmadeez.com/training/videos.html (look for Text-to-Audio)

Keep them in your Toolkit