Accessible Agencies for Parents

Agencies and Services

Parents can access resources and agencies that are available to them via the web. These types of websites offer the parent a wide range of useful information that will help them better serve their child.

• Texas Education Agency: assists and offers support and resources for students in Texas school
• Texas Dyslexia Services: offers a safe and comfortable environment for children and adults, who are experiencing difficulties with reading, spelling, handwriting, math and/or organizational skills.

Parent Organizations

• Decoding Dyslexia Texas: A Texas based movement driven by families that are affected by dyslexia. Focuses on raising awareness, supporting children with dyslexia in Texas schools, and inform policy makers on the best practices. 
• International Dyslexia Association (IDA): National organization set up to help students with learning disabilities. Helps promote effective teaching approaches and education intervention strategies for individuals with dyslexic. 
• National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD): Helps parents make informed decisions that affect their children with learning needs. Help advocate educational rights and opportunities for all students with learning disabilities. 

Educational Services

Round Rock ISD has a dyslexia program that students may be eligible for if their assessment tests indicate they have dyslexia. This program is available outside of Special Education and the goals center around short time  Services are provided to students from grades K-12.

          "Such services provide the students with the skills and strategies to “unlock” the code of reading and to improve reading fluency. Students are instructed using Orton-Gillingham based reading programs and/or multi-sensory structured language approaches." 

The purpose of this program is to help students acquire mastery concept skills and be able to return to the regular classroom and apply them successfully. This program centers around the idea that students will be independent and have the skills they need to succeed.

Common Accommodations
 By Learning Ally

READING 

• Provide access to audiobooks

• Provide access to text-to-speech software

• Provide a set of textbooks for home use 

• Only ask the student to read aloud if he volunteers 

• Provide extra time for reading assignments

• Provide a quiet environment for reading 

• Allow student to preview reading materials

 SPELLING 

• Reduce spelling lists 

• Design spelling tests with a common phonetic skill

• Do not take off points for spelling errors on written work

• Allow access to a spellcheck 

• Provide access to word prediction software 

WRITING 

• Provide a scribe 

• Provide access to speech-to-text software

• Offer alternative projects instead of written reports 

• Provide written copies of notes 

• Allow student to use a keyboard to take notes 

• Allow student to tape record lectures 

MATH

• Allow use of calculator 

• Allow use of math tables 

• Allow use of manipulatives

• Provide graph paper or scrap paper

• Highlight the operation to be performed

 HOMEWORK 

• Reduce homework 

• Allow student to dictate answers 

• Allow typewritten homework 

• Limit time spent on homework • Email list of assignments to student or parent • Provide written list of assignments

 TESTING 

• Allow student to take tests orally

• Provide for extra time 

• Read directions aloud 

• Read test questions aloud 

• Provide alternatives to testing (oral projects or videos)

• Provide a quiet testing area with minimal distractions 

• Grade in collaboration with special educator 

• Clarify or simplify written directions

For services provided by Round Rock ISD visit their website 

Laws & Policies

Both state and federal legislation emphasize on early identification and intervention for students who may be at risk for reading disabilities, such as dyslexia. Those professionals responsible for working with students with reading difficulties should be familiar with the legislation listed in Figure 2.1. (Dyslexia Handbook)

Texas Education Agency Dyslexia Handbook

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Resources 
Dyslexia Handbook revised 2014. (n.d). Procedures Concerning Dyslexia and Related      
   Disorders. Retrived September 22,      2014,from http://www.region10.org/r10website/assets/File/DHBwithtabs10214.pdf

Diagnostic Procedures

Assessments and Testing 

Determining if a student has dyslexia a series of assessments will be conducted. Identification and intervention are encouraged as early as possible. Assessments are vital in determining if a student has dyslexia. A series of assessments will be administered that will help determine the appropriate program best suited for the student. These assessments are done on campus and are administered by assessment specialist. 

Texas Education Agency Dyslexia Handbook 

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Resources 

"Dyslexia Q&A." Round Rock ISD. Round Rock ISD, n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2016. <https://roundrockisd.org/departments/state-and-federal-programs/dyslexia/dyslexia-qa/>
.
Dyslexia Handbook revised 2014. (n.d). Procedures Concerning Dyslexia and Related      
   Disorders. Retrived September 22,      2014,from http://www.region10.org/r10website/assets/File/DHBwithtabs10214.pdf

What Is Dyslexia

The International Dyslexia Association defines dyslexia as

“Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities." (GSpeech)

Dyslexia is one of the more common learning disabilities. 

1 in 5 students will have dyslexia.

Characteristics 

• Problems in learning the names of the letters of the alphabet

• Difficulty in learning to read.

• Difficulty in learning to write the alphabet correctly in sequence

• Reversal of letters or sequences of letters/numbers Cramped or illegible handwriting

• Repeated erratic spelling errors

• Ability to learn to spell a “list” of words sufficiently to “pass” a weekly test, but may be unable to spell any of the words the next week

Myths

• Read words backwards or upside down. 
• You can’t outgrow dyslexia
• There is no cure
• Not gendered specific
• Not a vision problem

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Resources 

GSpeech, By. "Definition of Dyslexia." International Dyslexia Association. International Dyslexia Association, n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2016. <https://dyslexiaida.org/definition-of-dyslexia/>

"How to Help Kids Set People Straight About Dyslexia * The Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity." How to Help Kids Set People Straight About Dyslexia * The Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity. The Yale Center For Dyslexia & Creativity, n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2016. <http://dyslexia.yale.edu/EDU_dyslexiastraighttalk.html>.

"Dyslexia Q&A." Round Rock ISD. Round Rock ISD, n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2016. <https://roundrockisd.org/departments/state-and-federal-programs/dyslexia/dyslexia-qa/>.