Bookshare makes reading easier. People with dyslexia, blindness, cerebral palsy, and other reading barriers can customize their experience to suit their learning style and find virtually any book they need for school, work, or the joy of reading.
Bookshare® is a FREE, federally funded library of eBooks designed for students with learning differences. Students who struggle to read traditional books are empowered to read in ways that work for them with specialized eBooks in audio, audio with highlighted text, large font, and braille. Paired with popular reading tools, reading is easier.
Bookshare ebooks are designed specifically for students with learning differences, providing more ways to access text and customize their reading experience. Students can focus on comprehension and learning, rather than struggling to decode or access text.
To join Bookshare, students must have a qualifying disability, and membership is FREE for all U.S. students of any age. Students can also get free access to Bookshare through their school. Sign up HERE and start reading today!
With a timely diagnosis, structured literacy instruction, and support from families and educators, students with dyslexia can succeed in school. The resources below detail how families and schools can support students with dyslexia.
Is Your Child Struggling with Reading? – This tool below guides families in identifying whether their child is struggling in reading and provides ways to support their child’s reading development at home and at school. The tool is available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Accommodating Students with Dyslexia in All Classroom Settings The International Dyslexia Association (IDA) prepared this fact sheet describing reasonable accommodations involving materials, interactive instruction, and student performance to help children with dyslexia in all settings.
Games to Support Early Literacy The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) has assembled this resource of games and activities that can be played at home to help boost early reading skills. There are games for pre-readers, early readers, and older students to improve reading and comprehension.
Tutoring Resources RIDE has established a list of vetted tutor providers for use by school districts. These vendors have been approved by RIDE for tutor recruitment, training, and/or instructional materials. Ask your child’s district if they have partnered with any of the listed providers.
What is Structured Literacy? This International Dyslexia Association (IDA) infographic details the components of structured literacy and explains how effective literacy instruction supports students with dyslexia.
Dyslexia is the most common learning difference and affects up to 20% of people. The International Dyslexia Association defines dyslexia as “a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede the growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.”
Dyslexia affects about 15 to 20 percent of the population, making it the most common learning disability. Although dyslexia impacts many students, it remains one of the least understood disabilities. The resources below guide families in understanding what dyslexia is and is not.
Dyslexia Fact Sheet– This resource provides a brief, yet succinct overview of what dyslexia is and looks like, and addresses some of the overlying misconceptions.
What is Dyslexia – Dyslexia is a learning disability in reading. People with dyslexia have trouble reading at a good pace and without mistakes. They may also have a hard time with reading comprehension, spelling, and writing. But these challenges aren’t a problem with intelligence.
Dyslexia Resources– The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) provides resources regarding dyslexia and related disorders to help educators and families work together to better support students who struggle with reading, as well as writing, and math.
TED-Ed – What is Dyslexia (4:35) – Dyslexia affects up to 1 in 5 people, but the experience of dyslexia isn’t always the same. This difficulty in processing language exists along a spectrum – one that doesn’t necessarily fit with labels like “normal” and “defective.” Kelli Sandman-Hurley urges us to think again about dyslexic brain function and to celebrate the neurodiversity of the human brain. This short, animated video explores this concept.
Understanding Dyslexia – NCIL The National Center on Improving Literacy is a source for improving outcomes for students with literacy-related disabilities, including dyslexia. They provide multiple resources on Dyslexia for Parents & Families, Schools & Districts, and State Agencies.
