For several years the Florida Department of Education has allocated funding to support struggling readers in K–12 public and public charter schools using audio texts, an IDEA funded state project called Learning through Listening. Based on research published in “Effects of Audio Texts on the Acquisition of Secondary-Level Content by Students with Mild Disabilities” (Boyle et al, 2003), the state believed that the accessible, human-narrated versions of textbooks and literature available through the Learning Ally Audiobook Solution® would be effective in helping struggling readers grow.
Targeting “At-Risk” Youth
One group of struggling readers that gets overlooked is transitional age youth, especially if they’re incarcerated. In 2023, 46,000 Florida teens (ages 16 to 19) were not in school and not high school graduates (Annie E. Casey Foundation report). Despite challenges such as restricted communication within juvenile justice facilities, Learning Ally collaborated with an administrator to provide access to audiobooks across multiple facilities in Florida. By offering accessible content and fostering a love of reading, Learning Ally wanted to disrupt the “school-to-prison” pipeline that costs taxpayers billions each year.
Why Audiobooks?
Learning Ally has provided accessible content via assistive technology since 1948 and currently supports students who have a reading deficit, are blind or have a visual impairment, and have orthopedic disabilities. We use a holistic lens focused on learners and educators, including a system of support for the learning itself, to build literacy skills.
The audiobooks students access using Learning Ally’s Audiobook Solution enable them to explore grade-level material regardless of their fluency or decoding ability. Listening to audiobooks requires less of a cognitive load, so learners can better process and understand along the way. Plus, since many students may not have IEPs or disabilities that have been diagnosed, they still get the support they need to make progress.
The Great Reading Games Connection
An administrator registered various Florida juvenile justice facilities for Learning Ally’s The Great Reading Games, which is an annual nationwide reading competition that occurs from mid-January through February. Participants earn points based on daily reading time, pages read, and other metrics, and a leaderboard that’s updated daily keeps them motivated to continue reading. Learners who struggle to decode text can still join the competition because the Audiobook Solution gives them a way to meaningfully engage with literature. Participants have thousands of audiobooks to choose from, so they can follow their individual interests while strengthening their vocabulary and comprehension skills.
“… One of the kids asked if I was the one that sent information about the Great Reading Games. He was so excited and told me, ‘I really love that program! I get to read so many books.’ That student was my top reader at his facility.” –Administrator
The Results Speak For Themselves
Despite the transient nature of the population, Learning Ally Audiobook Solution data showed an eye-opening increase in reading engagement. At the end of the 2024 Great Reading Games, one Florida juvenile justice facility won first place in a bracket of more than 900 schools nationwide, and two other facilities run by the same administrator finished in the top 20 in different brackets.
“Over time while reading books on Learning Ally, I discovered some words I never knew before and then I became remarkably familiar with the words. I noticed I’m reading faster and understanding more, and it has made me a better reader.” –Student
Download the case study to see details and data.