VIDBE-Q Volume 68 Issue 4
65
Read Naturally provides a set of adapted materials in braille for students
with visual impairments who use that medium, but there is no provision for large
print readers. In addition, there is a document providing minimal guidelines for
teachers using the program. However, there are no adaptations of the placement
strategy or procedures beyond these minimal guidelines. The document provided
includes a section called Note to Teachers About Large Print, which states the
following:
If a student requires a font size of 24 pt. or larger, very few words can
be placed on each line…When a student reads very few words on each
line and must move frequently from line to line, the student's fluency
is not efficient." This note continues to say that "We find that
enlarging the font beyond 24 points defeats the purpose of our
program. Rather than enlarging beyond the recommendations, it
should be determined whether the student could benefit from the
program by accessing the materials through the use of a magnification
device (CCTV), software (Zoomtext), or possibly learn braille. These
decisions should be made after consultation with a teacher of students
with visual impairments. (Read Naturally, 2021, p. 2)
The point is well made that guidance from a TVI is necessary for any
successful adaptation of a reading intervention for students with low vision.
However, this document may discourage educators from using this intervention
with students with low vision, not only because of the lack of guidance on
appropriate adaptations, but by stating that enlarged font sizes "defeat the purpose"
of the program. However, Layton and Koenig (1998), Patillo et. al. (2004), and
Saviano and Hatton (2013) found that interventions based on repeated readings
