Increasing Reading Comprehension
Kevin’s reading level increased by two grades in a single year. Thanks to Bookshare, he is more confident in school and doesn’t feel different from his classmates.
Kevin Leong sustained an organic brain injury at age six that forced him to have to relearn everything from walking to using the bathroom. It also caused optic atrophy which made his vision blurry and reading normal size print grueling. As a result, Kevin had difficulty keeping up with his academics and his classmates. Kevin’s parents, Drake and Jessie, signed Kevin up for a Bookshare individual membership. The accessibility features of Bookshare ebooks enable Kevin to enlarge fonts and see highlighted words in color on a screen.
“I am really happy about being able to have Bookshare. My self-esteem has increased greatly because I am able to keep up with my classes and get my assignments done on time.” – Kevin Leong, Bookshare member
The flexibility of manipulating digital content encourages Kevin to read more. His reading level increased by two grades in a single year, and his grades overall continue to improve. In addition to his academic progress, he has become more social. He is more confident in school and doesn’t feel different from his classmates. Says Kevin’s father, Drake, “Accessibility and portability are two very important factors in Kevin’s ability to learn and to be independent. Kevin likes to read Bookshare books directly in a browser with Bookshare Web Reader and use his iPhone to read on the go. It’s wonderful to watch Kevin’s progress and know that he is well on his way to accomplishing his dreams.” “The reading technologies allow Kevin to be more independent and self-reliant with his reading assignments,” says Jessie. “He can adjust the brightness and contrast of text according to how his eyes feel.”
When Kevin and his classmates visit the school library, Kevin launches the Read2Go app on his iPad, logs into his Bookshare account, searches for a reading assignment, and downloads the book. He can immediately start reading or save the book for later. “I’ve always been good at math and science, but now I’m good at reading and using technology. A couple of minutes on Bookshare and I’m ready to go!”