Compensatory strategies
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The instructions should be clear and short
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The path to the actual activities should be shorter
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The programme should offer learning small steps
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The language spoken should be professional and clear ;the speed should be adjustable
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Written materials could be in bigger letter size.
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Preparing a document for text-reading software:
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Listening to a document using a text reader will take longer than visual reading.
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Put full stops after headings to make the voice drop and pause; a pale tint similar to the background colour will make the dots less visually distracting.
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Put semi-colons, commas, or full stops after bullet points to make a pause.
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Use Styles in Word to organise headings and formatting.
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Avoid automatic numbering as some text readers will not read these. Use manual.
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Contents Page listings should be hyperlinked to the relevant section to aid
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navigation. Number menu items.
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Use internal and external hyperlinks for ease of navigation.
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Avoid text in capital letters in mid-line, as they may be read as single letters.
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Include as few signs and symbols as are necessary, e.g. asterisks or dashes (both short and long), as these will be spoken.
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Long dashes should be avoided: use colons to make the voice pause.
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Use straight quotation marks. Curly or slanting ones may be read out as ‘back quote’ by some screen readers.
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Avoid Roman Numerals and No. for number.
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Consider whether abbreviations and acronyms need full stops.
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Text readers may have difficulty with tables in Word and may not automatically
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move on to the next cell without manual use of the Tab key.
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Avoid text in images. Listeners cannot hear it. Repeat in the main text.
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Use hyphens in compound words to aid text reading pronunciation.
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Give the child the written text of the exercise and not ask him to write it. In this way, he will use his cognitive energy to solve the task and not to understand it.
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Allow them to use laptop or tablets to write in the classroom and to do homework.
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Use software that helps them to understand the materials well that they should read, using oral language (listening the text while they read).
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Focus on the idea that for them, it´s better to access to the contents with oral language and with visual help.
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