Whether you are choosing texts for intensive, individualized instruction, for shared reading, or for your classroom library for self-selected reading, it is important to include books in multiple formats that are accessible to learners with many characteristics.
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Electronic texts have many advantages because of their flexible formats. Many are interactive, text can be read aloud, some offer highlighting to support tracking, and in some cases, fonts and images can be magnified or changed to increase visibility. If digital texts do not have a read aloud feature, they may be read with screen reader software (e.g., Read Outloud).
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Special Education Technology British Columbia (SETBC): Free electronic book downloads www.setbc.org/setbc/accessiblebooks/freebooksforyou.html
Starfall's Learn to Read Website www.starfall.com
Clifford Interactive Storybooks teacher.scholastic.com/clifford1/
Eduscapes Electronic Books eduscapes.com/tap/topic93.htm#5
Animal Riddles www.learn-ict.org.uk/projects/primary/bigbooks/AnimalRiddle/bookcover.htm
Baglan's Big Books www.learn-ict.org.uk/projects/primary/bigbooks
Internet Public Library's Kidspace www.ipl.org/div/kidspace
The Accessible Book Collection www.accessiblebookcollection.org/SubProcess/subscribe.htm
Tumblebooks www.tumblebooks.com
It is easy to create your own digital texts using MS Powerpoint, Boardmaker, or other software templates. You can use your own photos or images (e.g., photos, clip art) from other sources. Your electronic books can include animations and sound (including read aloud features). For more information and tips for making your own digital books, see these Downloads on Special Education Technology British Columbia site:
"Making an Accessible Book Tutorial (MS Powerpoint)"
"What Makes a Great Accessible Book?"
"Making Books Using Powerpoint and Digital Camera"
www.setbc.org/setbc/accessiblebooks/freebooksforyou.html
SAMPLES OF TEACHER-MADE AND STUDENT-MADE ELECTRONIC TEXTS: