SAISD 504/Dyslexia Newsletter

Pictured above - Dr. Hugo Orantes, assistant principal and 504 coordinator, Noemi Davila, principal, Mariesol Benavidez, principal secretary, and Gabriela Menchaca, assistant principal and 504 coordinator.

Section 504 has impacted our students positively by leveling the playing field. It has reduced or eliminated educational barriers and allowed students access to an equitable educational opportunity through appropriate accommodations/supports.

Brackenridge High School provides all of our student’s different opportunities to experience a well-rounded curriculum. Through Section 504 students can enjoy these without the fear of the possible obstacles on the journey ahead of them.

ALL students with disabilities are covered under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Section 504’s definition of “a student with a disability” is broader than the IDEA's definition and is not limited to specific disability categories. Therefore, not all students who qualify for Section 504 are eligible for special education and related services under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA). Some students with disabilities only qualify for Section 504 services (accommodations only), and some students qualify for services through an IEP (accommodations and/or modifications to curriculum).

From Texas Project First

It's estimated that one in five people worldwide have dyslexia, a learning disability. Educators can learn how to respond.

Targeted instruction can be successful

Students with dyslexia can learn to read and write. Strategies based on current understandings of brain circuitry enable educators to design effective learning experiences and interventions. By using this knowledge, educators can help students with dyslexia break the reading and spelling code.

Some of these strategies include:

Michelle Carter grew up with dyslexia and ADHD. Reading and spelling were a challenge for her (they still are), and she struggled to pay attention in school. Then she found her passion and talent: track and field. It motivated her to do well enough in school to be able to continue competing. And it took her all the way to Rio in 2016, where she won an Olympic gold medal in the shot put.

Now she’s using her newfound fame to help other children follow in her footsteps. Hear her story of growing up with learning and thinking differences, and watch her talk to a group of kids about being proud of themselves, finding their passions, and overcoming challenges like she did.

Text-to-speech (TTS) is a type of assistive technology that reads digital text aloud to students. With a click of a button or the touch of a finger, TTS can take words on a computer or other digital device and convert them into audio. This assistive technology is very helpful for kids and adults who struggle with reading. Print materials such as books and handouts, can create a barrier for students with reading difficulties. Since TTS lets kids both see and hear text when reading, it creates a multisensory reading experience. Like audiobooks, TTS won’t slow down the development of kids’ reading skills. Nearly all digital programs and devices have TTS tools available.

From understood.org

For more information please access the following links:

What is text- to-speech technology (TTS)?-https://www.understood.org/en/articles/text-to-speech-technology-what-it-is-and-how-it-works

Kami is an online document annotation and markup tool that can be used in the classroom. You can highlight, underline, and strikethrough text in PDF and other document formats. You can also add text boxes, shapes, and images. Kami works with Google Drive and Google Classroom. With Kami, you can easily collaborate on documents in the classroom digitally and avoid the hassles of printing documents.

In addition, Kami’s Read Aloud tool allows you to listen to text in Kami. You can also change the voice, speed, and user controls of the narration. Read Aloud works for any documents with readable text, including scanned documents, PDFs, or images.

For more information, please access the following links or go to https://www.kamiapp.com/

What is Kami?-
https://help.kamiapp.com/en/articles/2511497-what-is-kami

How to use Aloud Tool-

https://help.kamiapp.com/en/articles/6630914-how-to-use-the-read-aloud-tool-in-kami