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Learning Ally Introduces Innovative Student and Content Management Portal for Education

Categories: Press Releases

National nonprofit rolls out new services to support teachers and students with learning disabilities through differentiated instruction PRINCETON, NJ – Learning Ally, a nonprofit organization supporting thousands of schools and students across the U.S., is launching innovative new services to help teachers and special education professionals more effectively customize learning for students who have visual, learning and reading-based disabilities like dyslexia. With 65 years of experience, Learning Ally serves public and private schools as well as state departments of education around the country through its membership programs, professional development programs, and robust advocacy. By providing the world’s largest and most advanced library of audio textbooks and assistive technology for use in the classroom and at home, Learning Ally addresses reading interventions specified in the IEP and 504 plans for students who cannot access standard print. Students receive unlimited access in school to more than 75,000 books, giving them the ability to stay on pace with their peers and thrive within their surrounding “reading community.” Now educators, administrators and specialists at these schools will benefit from a new set of services Learning Ally has developed to enhance their ability to help students succeed:
  • Teacher Ally is an online management tool that simplifies the implementation of audiobook learning in the classroom. Through an efficient dashboard interface and personalized “bookshelf” for each student, teachers can provide individualized instruction, assign specific audiobooks to students, and track student reading progress.  Parents can also use the tool to monitor their child’s reading activity and communicate directly with teachers and administrators.
  • The Professional Development Program consists of training workshops for general and special education teachers, assistive technology specialists and parents of students with learning challenges. The program comprises three full-day educator workshops focusing on effective instruction methods for diverse learners. A two-hour workshop is available for parents, advocates, and providers who serve students with learning challenges – enabling them to work together with teachers more effectively.
  • VOICEtext coordinates the display of text and audio playback for Learning Ally’s most popular titles, boosting enjoyment and reading comprehension for students.
“Our goal in rolling out these new services and products is to help educators create personalized learning environments, promote reading and independence, instill confidence in their students, and become even more collaborative with parents and others in the learning community,” says Andrew Friedman, Learning Ally’s President and CEO. “Over the past few years, we’ve seen our institutional members enthusiastically support our migration to popular playback devices like iPads, iPhones, PCs, and laptops. Now with these new tools and services, we’re committed to making their jobs as educators easier and more productive.” For more information on Professional Development or Learning Ally school membership, call 800.221.4792 or Email Custserv@LearningAlly.org. About Learning Ally™ Founded in 1948 as Recording for the Blind, Learning Ally serves over 300,000 K-12, college and graduate students, as well as veterans and lifelong learners – all of whom cannot read standard print due to blindness, visual impairment, dyslexia, or other learning disabilities. Learning Ally’s collection of more than 75,000 digitally recorded human-read textbooks and literature titles – featuring a heavy emphasis on STEM resources – is delivered through internet downloads, assistive technology devices, and mainstream devices like iPhone and iPad, and is the largest of its kind in the world. More than 5,000 volunteers across the U.S. help to record and process the educational materials, which students rely on to achieve academic and professional success. Learning Ally, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, is partially funded by grants from state and local education programs, and the generous contributions of individuals, foundations and corporations. For more information, visit https://learningally.org.