Inclusive Digital Class: Supporting DYS Students
Dyslexia, dysorthography, dyspraxia, dyscalculia: how digital tools can compensate for difficulties and highlight the talents of DYS students.
DYS disorders (dyslexia, dysorthography, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, dysphasia) affect approximately 6 to 8% of school children. In a well-equipped digital classroom, these students find compensatory tools that transform their approach to learning and reveal their true abilities.
🧠 Understanding DYS disorders
DYS disorders are specific learning disabilities of neurological origin. They are not related to intellectual deficits but to different brain functioning in certain areas.
Dyslexia
Reading disorder: decoding, fluency, comprehension
Dysorthography
Spelling disorder often associated with dyslexia
Dyspraxia
Coordination and gesture disorder (writing, manipulation)
Dyscalculia
Math calculation and reasoning disorder
Dysphasia
Oral language disorder (expression and/or comprehension)
Multi-DYS
Several associated disorders (common)
⚠️ Remember
DYS students often have normal or superior intelligence. Their difficulties are specific and can be compensated for with appropriate accommodations. Digital technology is a major lever for compensation.
🛠️ Digital compensatory tools
Digital tools offer powerful compensatory tools that allow DYS students to bypass their difficulties and access learning.
Speech synthesis
The text is read aloud by the computer
Voice dictation
The student speaks, the computer writes
Adapted fonts
OpenDyslexic and other fonts facilitating reading
Spell checkers
Automatic correction and contextual suggestions
Magnification
Text zoom and letter spacing
Colorization
Colored syllables, alternate lines
💡 Adapted educational material (AEM)
Students with a PPS or PAP can obtain a computer with adapted software through adapted educational material funded by the Ministry of Education. Inquire with the referring teacher.
📖 Digital tools and dyslexia
Dyslexia is the most common DYS disorder. Digital offers many solutions to facilitate reading and writing.
For reading
- Speech synthesis: Natural Reader, Voice Dream Reader
- Adapted fonts: OpenDyslexic (free), Lexie Readable
- Formatting: Syllable colorization, increased spacing
- Reading ruler: Hide text above and below the line being read
For writing
- Word prediction: Word suggestions while typing
- Adapted spell checkers: Antidote, Cordial (understand phonetic errors)
- Voice dictation: Google Docs, Dragon Naturally Speaking
⭐ Recommended application
The cognitive games from COCO work on phonological awareness and language in a playful way, skills often lacking in dyslexic students. The short and varied activities keep motivation up despite the difficulties.
🧠 COCO: Games adapted to DYS profiles
COCO offers language, memory, and logic activities accessible to DYS students thanks to its intuitive interface and audio instructions.
Discover COCO →🖐️ Digital tools and dyspraxia
Dyspraxia makes handwriting difficult and tiring. The computer often becomes an indispensable tool for these students.
Essential digital accommodations
- Keyboard: Learning touch typing
- Adapted mouse: Trackball or ergonomic mouse if necessary
- Geometry software: GeoGebra replaces compass and set square
- Scanner: Digitize handouts to respond on the computer
💡 Learning the keyboard
A dyspraxic student should learn to type on the keyboard as early as possible. Software like Tap'Touche or Typing Club enables this learning process to be gradual and fun. It's an investment that changes their schooling experience.
🔢 Other DYS disorders and digital tools
Dyscalculia
- Allowed calculator: To compensate for mental calculation difficulties
- Manipulation software: Visual representations of quantities
- GeoGebra: Visualization of mathematical concepts
Dysphasia
- Pictograms: Visual aids for communication
- Speech synthesis: Model of correct pronunciation
- Recording: Listen to oneself to progress
🎓 Implementation in a digital classroom
Integrating compensatory tools into a digital classroom requires organization and empathy.
Best practices
- Train all teachers on compensatory tools
- Normalize the use of computers to avoid stigmatization
- Prepare digital documents in advance
- Accept digital products on an equal footing with handwritten ones
- Encourage achievements and progress
⚠️ Don't forget breaks
DYS students often make more cognitive efforts than others. Breaks are essential to avoid fatigue. COCO BOUGE offers active breaks that help recharge energy and maintain concentration.
🎓 Train for digital inclusion
DYNSEO offers Qualiopi-certified training sessions to support professionals in accommodating students with specific needs.
Discover our training →🎯 Conclusion
Digital technology is a tremendous lever for inclusion for DYS students. By providing them with appropriate compensatory tools, we allow them to reveal their true potential and succeed in their schooling.
An inclusive digital classroom benefits all students: adaptations for DYS students (digital documents, speech synthesis, automatic correction) also facilitate their classmates' learning.
Need support for an inclusive digital classroom?
DYNSEO offers tools and training adapted to specific needs.