Dyslexia is a neurological disorder that affects reading and writing skills. Students with dyslexia find it harder to read and spell words, as it can significantly affect their educational performance in school. It has been found that one in five students struggle with dyslexia. Fortunately, technology companies like Microsoft are helping in the fight against dyslexia by creating tools to help students overcome this challenge. To this end, Microsoft has developed a suite of tools, including Immersive Reader and Reading Coach.  

Microsoft Immersive Reader

Immersive Reader is a free tool available through Microsoft that helps users read and comprehend text. Immersive Reader is available as a tool on Microsoft Apps like Word, Forms, Outlook, and Teams. It can also be integrated into partner programs like Lumio, Nearpod, Pear Deck, and more. It allows students to customize features such as text layout, size, style, font type, and spacing. This makes it a personalized reading experience for individuals with dyslexia and other learning issues. Immersive Reader also employs a text-to-speech feature, enabling users to hear the text read aloud to them, helping them decode challenging words and improve comprehension. Furthermore, the tool has a picture dictionary as well as an option to break down words by syllables, like we used to do by clapping in the classroom. 

Microsoft Reading Coach

Another Microsoft tool that can help students with dyslexia is Reading Coach. Reading Coach is an interactive and fun tool for students that can help them improve their reading speed and accuracy. Immersive Reader helps students with written text, while Reading Coach is a tool to help students with oral fluency. It uses a virtual assistant to listen to and correct a student’s reading mistakes, while also providing feedback to help improve their comprehension. Reading Coach, which is built into Immersive Reader, also creates focused practice exercises for each student. Students can track their progress, as the tool provides cumulative statistics that help identify areas they need to improve. 

In conclusion, Microsoft has developed great tools and inclusive technologies such as Immersive Reader and Reading Coach, with the goal of making reading and writing accessible to everyone, including those with dyslexia. These tools help improve reading accuracy, speed, and comprehension. They also empower individuals with dyslexia to achieve academic success. Microsoft offers other effective tools including Microsoft Translate, Reading Progress, and Flip (formerly known as Flipgrid). Make sure to watch our accompanying course, Dyslexia and Technology, Using Microsoft Tools in the Classroom on OTIS. For more tips and strategies, check out our Edu Resources section and follow us on social for the latest on all things Teq.

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