Assistive technology is one of the cornerstones of creating a lived experience for people that’s accessible and equal. From opening up the world of reading to facilitating easier mobility, it’s an important part of the tech field that’s developing further with every passing day, and it has the power to effect a paradigm shift in how we experience the world as people, and especially as those people who live, move, learn and think differently.

But that’s not to say that everybody properly understands the idea of assistive tech and the role that it has the potential to play in our futures. It’s a complex subject, and wires can get crossed – so that’s why today, we’re taking a look at 10 of the biggest myths about assistive tech, reading aids and Text-to-Speech technology that still persist in 2022, and just why it is that these statements are inaccurate.

1.     ‘Assistive tech’ is just another way of saying ‘reading supports’. Actually, according to .GOV, assistive technology is a phrase that simply means products or systems that support and assist individuals with disabilities, restricted mobility or any other impairments to performing functions that may otherwise be difficult or impossible. It can mean a reading aid or a reading support system, but it’s not limited to these at all – it could be speech input software, hearing support or eye-tracking typing mechanisms, or even something as simple as a magnifier or a telephone handset with large, easy-press buttons. 

2.     Assistive technology is a new thing. Assistive tech has a long and interesting history- it’s certainly not something that popped up in the mid-1990s, although the modern tech field and assistive tech developments are, of course, intertwined. It’s hard to nail down a starting point for the genesis of assistive tech owing to just how broad the definition is and how pioneering early disability support often had to be, but we have to remember that the first hearing aid was invented in 1876, and the first iteration of the Braille system even earlier, in 1829. The first recognisable ‘reading aid’ came in 1935, with the production of the first read-along ‘talking book’ on a phonograph cylinder.

3.     Assistive tech is expensive. This one’s relative. Anything is expensive when you can’t afford it, but assistive technology – and in particular, reading support devices – are generally becoming more price-accessible in many places as the decade rolls on. The pandemic has seen many grants and bursary systems implemented at a governmental level that can be used by schools and boards to access assistive tech solutions to support students in their learning recovery, too. It’s also worth considering that a one-time purchase of a Text-to-Speech device is often far less damaging to an allocated budget than employing a human reader for every single exam that a learner sits.

4.     Using Text-to-Speech in exams is cheating. Sadly, there are a lot of people who still think that someone using a piece of text-to-speech tech in an exam is giving themselves an unfair advantage over their peers. It couldn’t be less true – a text-to-speech device like Reader 2 or Exam Reader 2 is a JCQ-approved way of levelling the playing field and starting learners off on a more equal footing. It functions more like a hearing aid or a pair of glasses: just a way of making sure that everything is clear and understood so that the learner can focus on the important business of answering the questions.

5.     Text-to-Speech devices make for lazy readers. Nothing could be further from the truth- reading support tech actually fosters more independence and confidence in readers and supports developing vocabularies, as well as opening up the general business of reading for people who might otherwise find it difficult or daunting. By creating a relationship with reading where readers feel able to tackle what comes at them using support methods they trust, it actually makes them far more likely to read for pleasure and read more challenging things, as well as read with greater confidence and accuracy in their learning sphere too.

6.     Reading support devices are a stand-in for goodteaching. Wrong: the foundation of any successful classroom is a dedicated and trained professionals base, comprised of teachers, teaching assistants, SENCOs and other specialists. Reading supports aren’t designed to replace these people, and can’t offer the experience, skills and knowledge that they have the power to impart. A reading support is simply a means of setting a class on more equal footing and making sure that access to reading is open and available for everybody there, regardless of whether they have dyslexia or literacy differences. What is true, however, is that these devices can free up time for these professionals by supporting learners in becoming strong, independent readers.

7.     Reading support is all high-tech. The idea of reading support devices might look like they’re all high-tech at first glance, but in reality, many devices that can make a lot of difference to learners with dyslexia and literacy differences are incredibly simple. Low-tech supports such as reading windows, fidget toys and reading slopes can also have a profound positive effect on developing and struggling readers – they’re the foundation of a good Reading Support Toolbox, and can be used alongside Mid-Tech and High-Tech supports to great effect.

8.     Reading support devices are only for people in education. Whilst assistive tech devices might be a hugely important part of somebody’s educational career, it doesn’t stop once they graduate. Part of developing these relationships with reading support devices in education is creating a lifelong methodology for reading, with a tech support net that they’re familiar with and can rely on. Using assistive tech in the workplace is becoming more and more commonplace, and Text-to-Speech reading support is allowing people with dyslexia and literacy differences- as well as other conditions too- to thrive in reading-heavy careers where they may have previously felt daunted. It can also facilitate reading for pleasure as a lifelong activity.

9.     Text-to-Speech support only makes a difference for people with dyslexia. Pretty much anybody learning to read can benefit from these reading support devices – they can inspire confidence, foster independence, and offer alternative ways to learn and revise as well as support the processes of language acquisition. They can also benefit people with other neurodivergences such as ADD/ADHD and support people with dyslexia. They’re a great means of support for people learning a language too, or people learning in a language that isn’t the one they’ve grown up speaking until that point – the ability to self-support and tackle words on the go is a great boost to language learners too.

10. The same assistive technology and reading support devices work for everyone. It’s impossible to take a one-size-fits-all approach to assistive tech, particularly reading support. Different people respond to different methods and means of support depending on what their needs, skills, and preferences are, and it’s important to try different things to find out which one works the best for you and supports you in ways that make a difference. Reading is a personal process, and whilst we can take a look at what works for most people and what’s having the most success in raising reading attainment and confidence across the board, what matters is the comfort and trust that a user develops with that particular method of support and whether it’s allowing them to reach their full potential as a reader and a learner.

You can find out more about the dedicated, award-winning Text-to-Speech technology that drives us at Scanning Pens, and how assistive technology can revolutionise experiences of education and the workplace for people with dyslexia and literacy differences.