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For people who struggle to read text, technology can be a lifeline. Actually, assistive technology (AT) tools for reading can also be useful to students who just need some extra assistance to aid reading fluency or comprehension. These tools are inexpensive and easy to find. They open up the wonderful world of reading, making text accessible to students of all abilities. But with so many tools out there, it's not always easy to know which ones to use.

To help, here's a guide to some best ones.

• Graphic organizers

They are visual representations, like diagrams and mind maps, of ideas and concepts. You can use graphic organizers to help with comprehension while reading. Graphic organizers can be digital or pen and paper.

• Annotation aids

They let you take notes and write comments while reading. This can make it easier to keep information. Annotation aidscan be part of software or apps, or they can be traditional pens, markers, and sticky notes.

• Display control

It allows you to control how text is displayed. When reading on a screen, you can change the font(字体), font size, and spacing of text. You can also cover parts of the screen to lessen distractions(干扰) while reading.

• Text-to-speech (TTS)

It lets you see text and hear it read aloud at the same time. To use this tool, you click on words, and you'll hear the words read by computer-generated voices. You can even read after it and record your own voice. TTS can also be used to change any digital text files into audio files.

• Optical character recognition (OCR)

Itcan read aloud text from images and pictures. You can use OCR by taking photos of worksheets, paper documents, and even objects like street signs. Like TTS, OCR uses computer-generated voices.

Keep in mind that using AT reading tools won't prevent people from learning to read. For example, experts say audiobooks can actually help kids become better readers.