Reading Pen

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Electronic pen that scans hard-copy text and then reads it out loud, defines it, saves it, and/or translates it.

  • Academic
    • Reading

High Tech

Considerations

Take the following considerations into account when selecting and implementing AT to ensure that the chosen tools are well-suited to the student’s needs, align with their goals, and seamlessly integrate into their educational journey. By embracing a collaborative approach and considering the specific skills, tasks, and implementation context, educators can provide students with the necessary support to thrive academically and functionally, promoting inclusivity and fostering their overall success.

Find potential contacts within your LEA and at your ESC for support.

Need Support

Find potential contacts within your LEA and at your ESC for support.

  • Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI): A TVI is a licensed teacher who has received specialized training and certification in meeting the educational needs of students who have visual impairments ages birth to 21 years. This role may involve adapting teaching methods and materials to accommodate the unique needs of students with varying degrees of vision loss. They are skilled in using and teaching students to use assistive technologies such as screen readers, braille displays, and audio books.

What skills or tasks will the student utilize this tool for? What areas, functional or academic, does this tool support?

Reading

In what activities, classes, or environments will the student utilize this tool?

A Reading Pen is an assistive technology device designed to help individuals with reading difficulties or language learning challenges. It typically looks like a pen or a stylus and contains built-in technology such as a scanner, OCR (optical character recognition), text-to-speech functionality, and dictionary capabilities. 

Here's how it generally works: 

  • Scanning: The user scans the pen over printed text, such as words in a book, newspaper, or worksheet. 
  • OCR: The pen's optical character recognition software identifies the text and converts it into digital data. 
  • Text-to-Speech: The digital text is then converted into spoken words, which the user can listen to through a built-in speaker or headphones. This feature assists individuals who struggle with decoding written words or who have visual impairments. 
  • Dictionary: Some Reading Pens have a built-in dictionary feature that allows users to look up the meaning of words by scanning them with the pen. 

Overall, Reading Pens provide a portable and discreet solution for individuals who need assistance with reading comprehension, pronunciation, or vocabulary building. They can be particularly helpful in educational settings or for independent study.

Resources and Training

CFR 300.324(a)(2)(v) requires the Admission Review and Dismissal (ARD) committee to consider whether a child needs assistive technology devices and services in the development, review, and revision of their IEP. This resource is intended to serve as a repository of the most commonly used AT resources to assist users with understanding the purpose of each AT tool, aspects of use for consideration within IEP development for students, and additional AT implementation resources.

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