The Impact of Accessible Reading Material

The Impact of Accessible Reading Material: A Summary of Academic Research

Visually reading print on a page can be difficult or impossible for some young people with print impairments. These include dyslexia, vision impairment, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), or a physical disability that makes holding a book difficult.

For some students, these conditions may cause words to blur or seem to move around on the page, concentration might wane and comprehension may suffer, any of which can lead to academic disengagement and a loss of confidence.

Assistive technology is revolutionising literacy access. It offers solutions which can be tailored to specific individual needs. Tools such as text-to-speech (TTS), page magnification, colour overlays, audiobooks, read-along features, and braille have transformed how students engage with written content. Using technology to access these features makes reading more inclusive and positively affects learning.

This blog summarises research and insights from respected institutions including British Dyslexia Association (BDA), Royal National Institute for Blind People (RNIB), National Association for Special Educational Needs (NASEN), CENMAC and leading UK and US universities. It explores the positive impact of accessible reading tools and provides insights on ways educators can integrate assistive technology into their classrooms.

1. Understanding Print Impairments & Reading Barriers

Many students face reading challenges due to neurological or sensory differences and disabilities, which can make traditional printed reading material difficult to process. These challenges include:

Dyslexia
May exhibit difficulties with decoding words, spelling, organisation and reading fluency.

Vision Impairment
May present issues with clarity of text on the page, contrast of the words on the page and tracking text while reading. Reading may cause discomfort or pain. Readers may not be able to see the page at all.

ADHD & ADD
Difficulties with holding attention, focus and reading endurance.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
May have issues understanding text structure and implicit meaning.

Without appropriate assistive technology, some students may find it difficult to keep pace with their peers, which can affect their confidence and academic achievement.

2. Academic Research on Accessible Reading & Assistive Technology

Key Findings

• A Chalmers University study found that students using text-to-speech software showed a 40% improvement in reading fluency compared to traditional reading methods.

• Research from the British Dyslexia Association (BDA) indicates that colour overlays significantly reduce visual stress. This can help improve reading speed and comprehension for many dyslexic learners.

• RNIB Bookshare provides thousands of accessible digital textbooks in braille, large print, and audio formats, ensuring that visually impaired students can fully engage with their studies.

• A CENMAC study shows that audiobooks and read-along technology enhance comprehension and learning retention, particularly for students with ADHD and dyslexia.

• University College London (UCL) research highlights the positive impact of digital accessibility tools in higher education, with findings showing it can lead to greater academic success for students with disabilities.

• Reading for pleasure has been identified by the National Literacy Trust research as a key indicator of good mental health. Children who enjoy reading are three times more likely to have good mental wellbeing than those who don’t.

These studies help confirm that assistive technology removes barriers, enhances literacy and supports students in achieving their full potential.

3. Positive Outcomes for Young People Using Accessible Reading

Young people who have access to accessible reading tools that are available during their school, college and university education experience significant benefits. These include:

Improved Reading Fluency & Confidence
Technology that makes reading inclusive includes magnifiers, read-aloud tools, Text-To-Speech and braille. These all support efficient text processing, to build reading fluency and confidence in reading. Students may be more motivated to join in with group discussions and to put their hand up in class.

Enhanced Comprehension
Audio-supported learning helps many students understand and retain information. When students can read along to audio, comprehension skills can improve and they can read books more suited to their age range rather than their ‘reading age’.

A systematic review published in Educational Technology Research and Development confirmed that assistive technology significantly minimises educational disadvantages, allowing students with print impairments to read independently and succeed academically.

4. Success Stories & Teacher Testimonials

Accessible reading tools in classrooms can be transformative for young people who struggle to read the printed page. Educators and students alike testify to the positive impact of assistive technology:

• "I needed a tool that would allow me to engage with my textbooks in a way that worked for me." Eva, is a vision impaired student using EasyReader Premium Education text-to-speech functionality to make study more accessible during her exams "In the end, Dolphin EasyReader App played a pivotal role in helping me achieve excellent GCSE results."
• A teaching assistant described their classroom experience, working with a partially sighted young person: "Accessible information is essential. It allows her to have the same opportunities as her peers and ensures she can be included. [She can] reach her potential and is also good for her mental wellbeing."
  
  

5. How Educators Can Integrate Accessible Reading in Classrooms

Teachers play a critical role in fostering inclusive learning environments. Implementing EasyReader Premium Education in your school will enable you to provide many different types of assistive technology tools at once. It effectively provides assistance for different reading disabilities and is the most inclusive options for your students with dyslexia, vision impairments and other additional reading needs caused by neurodivergence, whether these have been formally diagnosed or not.

• Provide Multi-Format Reading Materials:
  Offer text in print, digital, and audio versions to ensure the whole class has equal opportunities to read and understand the learning materials in ways that are accessible to them.
  
  
• Introduce Colour Overlays, Text Highlights and Dyslexia-Friendly Fonts
  Helps support dyslexic students with reading and can help mitigate some of the difficulties caused by Irlens Syndrome when reading print.
  
  
• Encourage use of Audio Books and Text-to-Speech
  Enables students to listen to text, and read along on the page rather than struggle to decode it visually. This can also help introduce tone, age-appropriate sentence structures, and more complicated words.
  
  
• Support Vision Impaired Readers
  Ensure students who are blind or partially sighted have access to appropriate materials and that they are trained to read braille. Audio and text to speech books can also be made available for vision impaired young people who don’t read braille.
  
  
• Train Staff on Assistive Technology
  Educate teachers on how to incorporate accessibility tools into their curriculum and use it in all classrooms throughout the school.
  
  

Resources such as NASEN’s Assistive Technology Miniguide provide schools with practical strategies to improve reading accessibility for students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Conclusion

Accessible reading is not just an option, it’s essential for an inclusive education system. When you introduce assistive technology in the classroom, it empowers students with print impairments - including dyslexia and vision impairment - to read, learn and succeed in ways traditional methods cannot accommodate.

Educators have the power to transform lives by integrating accessible reading tools into their classrooms: If you are ready to make a change and improve inclusivity at your setting, explore education-specific assistive technology.

Get in touch with the Dolphin Team today to learn more about EasyReader Education. You are welcome to book a demo or a free trial with one of our assistive technology advisors.