Inclusive, student-centered learning environments increase success by empowering every learner to achieve more, regardless of their ability. This year, many students are missing the in-person support they would typically receive with the shift to remote and hybrid learning. For one school, this was an opportunity to prove how innovation, dedicated educators, and the right tools can help all students find success.
Hamlin Robinson, a Seattle-based school serving students with dyslexia and other language-based learning differences, understood that it would need accessible, inclusive technology to help its students succeed during remote learning. As we recognize Dyslexia Awareness Month, we’re spotlighting Hamlin Robinson’s commitment to supporting students, across a wide range of learning needs.
The school was drawn to Microsoft Teams because of its built-in Learning Tools like Immersive Reader, which helps improve reading comprehension for students with visual impairments, hearing loss, cognitive disabilities, and more. The tool uses proven learning techniques to create a tailored experience to meet the unique learning needs of every Hamlin Robinson student. Through the Immersive Reader, students gain confidence and independence as they grow their reading skills. Students with dyslexia, in particular, benefit from features that range from Focus Mode, which helps sustain attention and improve reading speed, to Read-Aloud Math, which helps students both see and hear math equations out loud.
Hamlin Robinson students are noticing the difference. The tutor of one seventh-grader at the school said her student feels less pressured when typing using Immersive Reader than when writing by hand. The typing allows the student to share his thoughts more freely, knowing he can refine them more easily than if he was using a pencil and eraser. “His ideas are flowing in ways that I have never seen before,” the tutor noted.
As we spread awareness about learning differences this October, we believe the right tools, technologies, and educators can enable success in any learning environment. To learn more about Hamlin Robinson’s approach to accessibility, read the full story of the school’s transition to remote learning. And if you don’t have Microsoft Teams yet, remember that students and educators at eligible institutions can sign up for free.
