A screen full of text can be intimidating and confusing for students. This can create a barrier for learning if they are visually overwhelmed by the task of reading, and can interfere with their ability to solve math problems. Reading rulers, a translucent overlay that can cover portions of a physical text, are used in many classrooms to support students with managing large blocks of texts. Using a digital version allows students to customize their view of where to focus, and gives them autonomy to decide when they need support and when they don't. The Focus Tool in MATHia helps students by letting them customize what they see. It's like a special tool that can cover up the parts of the text they don't need right now, so they can concentrate better on what's important.
To open the Focus Tool, select the button found at the top of the workspace.
The Focus Tool can be moved freely around the entirety of the screen to guide attention to specific lines of text by clicking anywhere in the gray mask.
Resize the inside portion of the Focus Tool using the lines just below the viewing window.
Resize the entire Focus Tool using the arrows in the bottom right corner of the Focus Tool. The screen can still be accessed through the viewing window of the Focus Tool.
Focus groups conducted by CAST researchers revealed that many teachers found large blocks of text within MATHia to be visually overwhelming for students. Additionally, some research has suggested that students with dyslexia may benefit from colored overlays, which limit the amount of visual information on a page or screen, and allow students to focus on a portion of the text (Niklaus et al., 2023; Razuk et al., 2018). In addition to helping students focus, there is evidence that such overlays or “reading rulers” improve students’ reading accuracy and speed (Jang, 2009).
Speed and accuracy are associated with reading fluency, one of the five components of effective reading instruction. When students read fluently, they are able to group words together within sentences to facilitate comprehension (National Reading Panel Report, 2000).
While there is variability among students who encounter barriers to written text, as well as variability among disability categories, some research has indicated positive reading outcomes, in particularly reading fluency, as a result of reading rulers for students identified with autism (Ludlow et al., 2008), learning disabilities/dyslexia (Northway et al., 2010), and intellectual disabilities (Raymond, 2006).
What is the potential impact: Large blocks of text can be visually overwhelming for students when they begin a math problem. The use of the focus tool in MATHia allows students to customize the display of text, putting them in control of what they are reading and where they focus.
The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Guidelines are a tool for implementing UDL, a framework to improve teaching and learning that is grounded in the learning sciences, and insights into how humans learn. The UDL Guidelines are a set of suggestions for ensuring access and meaningful participation in learning opportunities for every learner. The MATHia vocabulary supports are aligned with the guidelines and checkpoints listed below.
Action and Expression, checkpoint 4.2 (Optimize access to tools and assistive technologies): The UDL principle of action and expression reminds us that learners vary in how they navigate and demonstrate their learning. Checkpoint 4.2 highlights the importance of providing learners with options for utilizing tools and assistive technology that allows them to customize the display to meet their needs.
Representation, checkpoint 1.1 (Offer ways of customizing display of information): The UDL principle of representation focuses on how learners perceive and comprehend information. Checkpoint 1.1 emphasizes that information should be able to be manipulated in order to meet students’ flexible access needs.
