Kent ISD
Assistive Technology
Technology Supports for Literacy
Kent Reading Council – November, 2008
Educationally Relevant Search Tools:
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http://42explore.com/ - links and resources for finding a thematic topic
http://www.tekmom.com/search/ - search tools and topics for students
http://www.kidsclick.org/ - web search for kids by topic
Scaffolded or Scaled Reading Content:
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http://bensguide.gpo.gov - guide to US government by grade level
http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov - space and astronomy, with targeted reading levels
http://www.windows.ucar.edu/ --Space and beyond, with targeted reading levels
Sites that help determine “readability” of text:
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http://juicystudio.com/services/readability.php - input a URL or website location and the readability
will be calculated
http://www.usingenglish.com/resources/text-statistics.php - Cut and paste into this site for
Readability stats
Digital Graphic Organizers:
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http://www.bubbl.us/index - free online brainstorming and mapping tool
http://www.mindomo.com/ - free online brainstorming and mapping tool
http://www.giffy.com/ - free online brainstorming and mapping tool
Vocabulary, Dictionary and Thesaurus Tools:
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http://www.visualthesaurus.com - a very visual thesaurus
http://www.wordsmyth.net - look up words on any webpage, create quizzes, make a glossary,
create a crossword puzzle, etc.
Text-to-Speech Tools:
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www.readingmadeeasy.com - Universal Reader will read any text aloud
www.premierathome.com - Kent area schools and families have free access to this text reading
software
http://www.naturalreaders.com - free text to speech tool
http://www.readplease.com/ - free text to speech tool
Turning Text into Audio MP3:
 http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ -- free audio conversion software
 www.readingmadeeasy.com – Text To Audio will convert text to MP3
 www.premierathome.com - free text to mp3 conversion software for all Kent area schools and
families
 http://www.nextup.com/ - Listen to text aloud on your PC or convert to MP3
E-Text Resources:
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www.google.com – search books for “full view” versions
www.kdl.org – search for audio books or e-books available for loan
http://mel.lib.mi.us – seach the Michigan E-Library for e-books or audio books
http://www.221bakerstreet.org/ - electronic version of Sherlock Holmes books/stories
http://www.raz-kids.com/ - interactive e-books for children
http://tarheelreader.org/ - a collection of free easy to read and accessible books
http://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/ - a collection of free stories and poems in MP3 format
http://matnonline.pbwiki.com/E-Text+Resources – a wiki with comprehensive lists of e-text and ebook resources
http://gigglepoetry.com/ - free online poems and poetry activities
http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/childrenindex.html - a collection of electronic short
stories
Plagarism Checking Websites:
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http://www.plagiarism.org/
http://www.turnitin.com
http://www.plagiarism.com
http://www.copycatchgold.com
Teacher Resource Wikis:
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http://literacychanges.wikispaces.com/ - building tools for literacy and growth
http://wiki.woodward.edu/hannalee/doku.php?id=hannalee - a 5th grade wiki, with students
contributing information for the unit "Turn Homeward, Hannalee"
http://monsonclassroom.wikispaces.com/ - Mr. Monson’s 5th grade classroom wiki
http://libraryzone.wikispaces.com/ - students work collaboratively on research projects. Create
information resources, write stories and exchange their ideas through wiki, email and discussion
pages
http://mswebster.wikispaces.com/ --second and third graders who are using technology to help
share with the world, what they are learning
“We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary egg. We must hatch or go
bad.” --C S Lewis
“I have a feeling we are not in Kansas anymore.” --Dorothy/ Wizard of Oz