know a dyslexic

Assistive Technology blogger Brian

I'm dyslexic and a senior in high school. I've used assistive technology for many years to help me read and write. In third grade I started use the Alpha Smart computer to help me with writing. As I got older I started using Kurzweil 3000, Bookshare, and Learning Ally to help me with reading. In middle and high school the technology became increasingly important and allowed me to participate in interesting classes. Now in school I read all of my books with Bookshare and I use Kurzweil to read handouts. I'm definitely an ear reader.

A few years ago I started an assistive technology blog: bdmtech.blogspot.com. I write about a variety of technologies, but focus on technology that is useful for dyslexics. My first blog posts was about the Intel Reader.* I was very excited about winning it in a contest and it got me started on blogging. I thought it was really cool. I got it just before final exams and I used it to study. The Intel Reader was so helpful because some of the hand-outs and study material I had were only in hard copy. I decided that I wanted to let other people know about it, so that people who couldn't read would know there were solutions. Because technology is so helpful to me and so few people seemed to know what is available I wanted to share all the things that I found to help spread the word. —Brian Meersma

Brian got in touch with us a few weeks ago and we wanted to share his story here as a young dyslexic who has found the right technoglogies to empower him in school and in life. Brian lives in New Jersey and has been a passionate advocate for using assistive technologies and empowering dyslexics and the LD community. You can subscribe to Brians' blog here and follow him on Twitter here: twitter.com/bdmtech.
*Many people have written to us about purchasing an Intel Reader and we want to make sure the right information gets out there. There are few retailers currently selling the Intel Reader at present and it appears that it is reaching the end of its 4 year run on the market. Please visit our Workplace Accommodations page and look at "Expanding your tech toolkit" and our Classroom Accommodations page ("Taking Notes the Easy Way") for alternatives.

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