Internet Resources for Language and Literacy Development in AAC
Picture Supported Literacy Sites, No Cost:
Ask Ability: Symbol-based news forum for students to learn about the world and share their
views. Based in the UK, this may be a model for developing a similar web-based forum in
symbols in local areas. www.askability.org.uk
Symbol World: Symbol-based reading materials in varied formats including eLive (online
magazine); film reviews and stories; and customizable stories. www.symbolworld.org
Tools For Inclusion Symbol Rainforest Web-site: Online curriculum materials designed to teach
about rainforests, designed in three levels. www.widgit.com/rainforest/html/start.htm
Online Demonstration, No Cost
Literacy Instruction for Individuals with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, and Other
Disabilities: Janice Light and David McNaughton developed this website based on their research
that provides guidelines for teaching literacy to children with special needs, particularly those
with complex communication needs. Specific guidelines and strategies to teach emergent and
early literacy skills and multiple examples are provided, with video demonstrations.
aacliteracy.psu.edu/
Vocabulary Building Materials, No Cost
AAC Messaging and Vocabulary: Research-based vocabulary lists are provided for all levels of
communication and learning, from preschool to adult. Teachers will find this a valuable resource
to develop core vocabulary activities and to pair print with pictures in emergent literacy
activities. aac.unl.edu/vocabulary.html
Downloadable Literacy and Language Materials, No Cost
Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning: Scripted stories for young
children to support social emotional development, positive behavior, and relationships are
provided at no cost for teachers. In addition, many teacher resources for positive social
development are available. www.vanderbilt.edu/csefel/resources/strategies.html
Judith Kuster’s Website: Examples of materials that can be adapted for therapy are included in
downloadable formats. www.mnsu.edu/comdis/kuster2/sptherapy.html
Miami- Dade County Public Schools: Boardmaker downloads for vocabulary development,
literacy centers, shared reading, and phonological are available at no cost.
prekese.dadeschools.net/BMD/activityspecific.html
New York City Public Schools: Downloadable adapted books in Boardmaker, Power Point,
Writing with Symbols and PDF formats are available at no cost.
http://schools.nyc.gov/Offices/District75/Departments/Literacy/AdaptedBooks/default.htm
Priory Woods School and Arts College, Middlesbrough, UK: Resources are available for online
viewing and downloading in the format of Talking Books. A wide range of topics and ages are
covered with high-interest books. Instructions to make Power Point Talking Books are also
provided.
http://www.priorywoods.middlesbrough.sch.uk/page_viewer.asp?page=Resources&pid=4
Special Education Technology, British Columbia: Activities, games and songs in downloadable
Boardmaker format are available for young children and school-age students.
www.setbc.org/pictureSET/SubCategory.aspx?id=18
Thames Valley Public Schools Speech and Language Resources, Canada: Many Boardmaker
downloads for children’s books are available at no cost.
www.accpc.ca/elp-ts-intduringstory.htm#ex1234
Online Libraries, No Cost
Bookshare: This project is a searchable online library, funded by a grant from the USDOE,
Office of Special Education Programs and free to individuals with students with qualifying
disabilities (information on the website) and schools. For all other readers, there $75 annual fee.
Bookshare offers approximately127,000 digital books, textbooks, teacher-recommended reading,
periodicals and assistive technology tools. http://www.bookshare.org/
Clifford's Interactive Storybooks: Four interactive stories about Clifford the Big Red Dog in
flash format, presented by Scholastic. teacher.scholastic.com/clifford1/
GenieBooks in PowerPoint: Decodable books for beginning readers in HTML or PPT, with
books identified by phonics.
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/bookindex.html
Inkless Tales: A variety of online early reader/emergent and Dolch stories are available at no
cost. www.inklesstales.com/stories/
Kennedy Center's Storytime Online: This website provides four video storybooks online at no
cost. Real media player is required to open and navigate the stories. www.kennedycenter.org/multimedia/storytimeonline/
Kids' Corner from Wired for Books: Online audio stories from Beatrix Potter (English, French,
German, and Japanese) and Alice Adventures in Wonderland, Frog Prince, Christmas Carol,
Grimm's Fairy Tales, and more are available at no cost. Read Media Player is required.
wiredforbooks.org/kids.htm
Magic Keys: Children's storybooks online with over 30 illustrated children's stories in html
format at no cost to use. www.magickeys.com/books/
RIF Reading Planet: Reading Planet offers a collection of read aloud books that change monthly
(Flash format). www.rif.org/readingplanet/content/read_aloud_stories.mspx
Screen Actors’ Guild Foundation: A collection of children’s stories are available on this
website, read aloud by celebrities. There are extension activities available for reading
comprehension and writing also. http://www.sagfoundation.org/childrens-literacy
Snee: Snee provides 16 free epublications of children's picture books.
www.snee.com/epubkidsbooks/
Starfall: Starfall is designed for first grade readers, with over 75 FLASH reading/writing
resources that are also useful for pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and second grade.
www.starfall.com/
Storyline Online: Storyline Online, from the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) provides 19 stories read
by members of the screen actors’ guild, including modern classics such as Stellaluna and the
Polar Express. Stories are read and displayed through streaming video. www.storylineonline.net/
StoryPlace PreSchool Library: The website links the reader to15 Stories and associated books
and activities for young children. www.storyplace.org/preschool/other.asp
Tarheel Reader: Easy-to read books for all beginning readers are available in online format.
Authoring and personalized books are also enabled. tarheelreader.org
Language and Literacy Curriculum Materials, No Cost
Kiz Club: Early reading materials that include reproducible books, props, phonics games,
alphabet flash cards, and resources for teachers that are continually updated.
http://www.kizclub.com/
Preschool Rainbow: The website includes information about organizing and creating a thematic
unit and includes preschool book themes available with activities.
www.preschoolrainbow.org/book-themes.htm
PRC AAC Language Lab: Extensive resources to build use of core language components, using
the Unity system. www.aaclanguagelab.com/resources
Webbing Into Literacy: Downloadable reading activities designed for HeadStart teachers and
families in rural areas. www.teach.virginia.edu/go/wil/
Language and Literacy Curriculum Materials for Subscription or Purchase
Accessible Literacy Learning (ALL): Developed by researchers Janice Light and David
McNaughton of Penn State University, ALL is a curriculum designed to teach reading skills to
students with a range of disabilities. Cost is approximately $600. www.mayerjohnson.com/products/all-curriculum/
Creative Communicating, Books Made Easy! & Adapted Stories: Many tips are provided for
adapting books and making literacy-rich environments for young children of all ages, at no cost.
Subscription resources are also available for cost to download adapted books in multiple formats.
www.creativecommunicating.com & www.adaptedstories.com/index.cfm
Early Literacy Skills Builder (ELSB) by D. Browder: Designed to teach pre-reading skills with
children with significant disabilities. Cost is approximately $700.
www.attainmentcompany.com/featured/elsb/
Language is Key: Training resources are available that focus on developing language through
shared bookreading strategies in multiple languages. A DVD or VHS is available for purchase
and free parent handouts in seven languages are provided. http://www.walearning.com/
News 2 You: Weekly news in symbol-based formats. Designed in curriculum levels to link to
standards. Subscription costs vary from individual to institutional.www.news-2-you.com
One More Story: One More Story is an online library of classic and contemporary children’s
literature. The site makes books accessible to pre-readers and early readers to engage in and
enjoy literature. Subscription cost is based on individual or network use, with a range of costs.
http://onemorestory.com/index.html
Pragmatically Organized Dynamic Display (PODD): The PODD system was developed by
Gayle Porter and Linda Burkhart as a means of organizing print-based symbols in
communication books for individuals with complex communication needs and partners for ease
of navigation in functional communication sequences. Templates for making PODD books can
be purchased from Mayer-Johnson for $325, and more information is available at this website.
http://www.lburkhart.com/podd.htm
Raz Kids: Online reading library, organized by curriculum levels. Subscription cost from $50$80. www.raz-kids.com/
Read, Write, Go: Based on the work of Karen Erickson, the Read, Write, and Go Curriculum
provides assessment and a comprehensive eliteracy curriculum for students with disabilities.
Content includes levels for different abilities and curriculum standards. Cost is $250 for
individual purchase.
www.ablenetinc.com/CurriculumSoftware/ReadWriteGrow/tabid/137/Default.aspx
Route 66 Literacy: Route 66 is designed to support adolescent and young adults who are
struggling readers. The project is currently operated as a partnership between The Center for
Literacy and Disability Studies (CLDS) of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and
Benetech. The program has a 45-day free trial and an annual subscription of $145.
http://www.benetech.org/literacy/route66.shtml
Tumble Books: This is an online library with books for young children, school age and beyond.
While it is subscription based, there are free trial options. http://www.tumblebooks.com/
Unique Learning: Online, standards-based curriculum with monthly thematic units.
Subscription costs vary from individual to institutional. unique.n2y.com/