Assistive Technology in Education


Nearpod Math Launches with Emphasis on Flexible Instruction Design, Standards-Aligned Content

Nearpod, the interactive instructional platform that lets teachers view students’ progress in real time, today is launching Nearpod Math as an additional curriculum channel for K–8 educators, the company told THE Journal, with 5,000 math lessons, activities, and tools — all searchable and aligned to standards and to many of the curriculum providers used by U.S. school districts.

Texthelp's New OrbitNote Adds Accessibility Functions to PDF Files

Texthelp, a provider of literacy and accessibility technology, has launched a new web app called OrbitNote that adds accessibility features to PDFs, including the ability to type, highlight, and leave voice memos on documents, the company said in a news release.

CodeSpark Academy Adds New Adventure Game Design Tools

CodeSpark Academy, a popular learn-to-code app for kids ages 5–10, announced today the launch of “Adventure Game,” a powerful new set of design tools that allows users to use code to create open-ended role-playing games, inspired by classic hit games like “The Legend of Zelda” and “Animal Crossing.”

Literacy and Accessibility Software Firm Texthelp Acquiring Don Johnston Inc. Edtech Division

Literacy and accessibility technology company Texthelp said this week it is acquiring the edtech division of Don Johnston Inc., adding DJI’s Snap&Read, Co:Writer, Word Bank, Quizbot, and uPAR tools to its suite of products, while the DJI products ReadTopia and First Author will be folded into the new spin-off company, to be called Building Wings.

PresenceLearning Acquires Global Teletherapy and Secures New Majority Stakeholders, Preparing for Expanded K–12 Special Education Offerings

PresenceLearning, a provider of teletherapy software for special education and mental health providers in K–12 schools, has completed two transactions that pave the way for significant growth and will help build the next generation of technology for therapists to expand student services, the company said.

How Teachers Can Tackle Noise and Hearing Loss

Schools can be noisier than many think, but for those who struggle to hear, technology can help teachers communicate better and live healthier lives.

Education Technology Must Be Accessible For All Students

We’ve seen the use of education technology become more prevalent this past year. We’ve also seen an additional disruption in education as COVID-19 impacted student achievement, particularly in diverse student populations with accessibility needs. Aside from the overarching challenges of learning from home, the nation’s nearly 7 million students with disabilities had additional obstacles to overcome during the pandemic. For these students, the move to Zoom wasn’t a fixall solution for remote learning.

Tutoring Program Adds Specialized Texts for Dyslexic Readers

New Century Education Foundation is embedding lessons into its adaptive, online tutoring system, to address the needs of dyslexic students of any age. New Century, a nonprofit that focuses on helping teachers and parents improve the learning of students with specific needs, is working with Noah Text to add its stories into the organization's "Intelligent Tutoring System."

Microsoft Immersive Reader Now Freely Available in Canvas LMS

Instructure, which produces the learning management system Canvas, recently announced that it is making Immersive Reader from Microsoft freely available in its application.

7 Steps to Making Your School’s Website Accessible to All

With districts around the country relying on their websites to convey essential information to their communities, accessibility is more important than ever.