✦ RESOURCES FOR DYSLEXICS ✦
Navigating Together Toward Hope & Success
We are committed to providing individuals with dyslexia with resources and understanding to advance their reading abilities, overall educational achievements, and skills in work and in life. Take action in your own journey by harnessing the tools and knowledge that foster improvement, confidence, and perseverance. Navigate the path of learning with self-compassion, insight, and essential resources, and empower yourself to thrive academically and beyond. Click below for our dyslexia provider list, which includes names of diagnosticians and specialized tutors. We also offer scholarships for dyslexics pursuing post-secondary education. Click the button below to learn more and to apply!
Dyslexia isn't a roadblock—it's a different route to greatness
Overcoming Dyslexia
Overcoming dyslexia is not just a possibility—it's a reality for many who harness their unique strengths and creatively navigate their challenges. With perseverance and the right support, individuals with dyslexia can unlock their potential and thrive in ways they may never have imagined. Every step forward turns struggle into success, proving that dyslexia is a different kind of learning, not a limitation.
THE GIFTS OF DYSLEXIA
Research demonstrates that the dyslexic brain comes with strengths as well as challenges. Dyslexics are more likely to have talents related to verbal comprehension, visual spatial thinking, and are often big picture thinkers. Individuals with dyslexia often pursue careers that allow them to maximize these strengths. Common career pathways include architecture, engineering, construction, entertainment, authorship, artist, and entrepreneur.
BECOME A MENTOR
Are you an adult with dyslexia who would like to share your experience with a student? Join Dyslexia Justice League! Our mentorship program pairs adult mentors with dyslexia with dyslexic students to share experiences, learn advocacy strategies, and engage in fun projects with dyslexic strengths in mind! To learn more or volunteer, contact swida@southwestida.org.
"Once you accept your own way of doing things, trust yourself and your judgment, dyslexia isn't something you have to work around, but something that can propel you forward."
Richard Branson, billionaire
"Dyslexia, for me, has been a bit of a blessing in disguise. I forced myself to learn things I would otherwise never have learned, do things I would never have done."
Jay Leno, TV host
"I had to work very hard to get my reading up to speed, but I had a lot of support and a lot of very good teachers."
Orlando Bloom, actor
Understanding Your Rights
Employment:
Under the ADA, employers are required to provide reasonable accommodations to employees with dyslexia, as long as it does not cause undue hardship on the operation of the business.
Education:
If you are young adult with dyslexia planning to attend a higher education program, you are eligible to apply for SWIDA's higher education scholarship program. Click here to learn more and to apply.
If you are a student with dyslexia, be sure that you understand the accommodations that you are entitled to in your IEP or higher education student plan. Practice advocating for your learning needs in order to develop the skill. Be sure to keep your evaluation current so that you qualify for things like extended time on standardized tests in order to give you the best chance for success.
The ADA ensures that students with dyslexia receive appropriate accommodations in educational settings, including the use of technology aids, alternative formats for textbooks, and services such as tutoring or note-taking.
Access to Services:
The ADA also requires that public services and accommodations be accessible to individuals with dyslexia. This can mean providing clear and accessible communication formats such as audio tours in public institutions like libraries, hospitals, and government offices.
The ADA protects individuals with dyslexia from discrimination in various contexts, including in employment, when accessing public services, and in educational settings. It legally supports the right to accommodations and ensures that individuals with dyslexia can advocate for their needs.
PRACTICAL RESOURCES
Click the links provided below for resources on technology, tools, and information to help dyslexics advance and succeed.
TECHNOLOGY
Text-to-Speech Software:
Speech-to-Text Programs:
TOOLS
LEARN MORE
DYSLEXIA FAQs
Dyslexia is typically diagnosed through a comprehensive evaluation conducted by a trained specialist, such as a neuropsychologist or an educational diagnostician. The assessment process includes a series of tests that evaluate reading, spelling, phonological awareness, oral language skills, and intellectual potential. It also involves gathering a detailed personal and family history, understanding educational background, and observing reading and writing tasks. This thorough evaluation helps to differentiate dyslexia from other learning disabilities and to tailor intervention strategies effectively. It also provides insight into your cognitive strengths.
Dyslexia is a lifelong condition and cannot be "cured" in the traditional sense. However, with the right strategies and support, individuals with dyslexia can manage the challenges it presents. Effective intervention, accommodations, and assistive technology can significantly improve reading and writing skills and change the pathway to success. Understanding and addressing dyslexia early leads to the most successful outcomes, allowing individuals to thrive academically and professionally.
Dyslexia is believed to be genetic. Research indicates that it often runs in families. Neurologically, dyslexia is a difference in the way the brain processes the sounds of the language, with differences observed in areas of the brain that handle key language functions. These differences affect how individuals perceive and process phonemes, the smallest units of sound that make up words.
Dyslexia is not related to intelligence. Individuals with dyslexia are found across all levels of intellectual ability, and the majority of people with dyslexia are average to above average in intelligence. Dyslexia reflects a difference in the way the brain processes language; it is not an indicator of cognitive ability. People with dyslexia often excel in other areas such as verbal comprehension, problem-solving, creative thinking, and visual-spatial skills.
Ongoing research on dyslexia aims to better understand its neurological basis and to develop more effective diagnostic tools and treatments. Studies are focusing on genetic markers and other assessments focused on the way the brain processes the sounds of language to predict dyslexia early, even before reading instruction begins, and to tailor interventions more precisely. All the research demonstrates that the earlier individuals with dyslexia receive specialized intervention, the better their literacy outcomes.
Improve Your Knowledge
FURTHER RESOURCES
Below you will find some of favorite external resources for learning about dyslexia.
We’d love to hear from you
Whether you're eager to discover more about our endeavors in supporting the dyslexia community or interested in collaborating with us we're here and ready to connect. We welcome your inquiries and look forward to engaging with you.
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