Braille resources for uPar
Before you start using the protocol, you’ll need to print out the braille or large print files.
You can print them all at once or choose targeted grades. That depends on the student and the time you have.
Using braille resources with uPar
You'll need to direct students to StartPar.com to begin the protocol. Students should select their grade, voice highlighting and so on.
You'll see the uPar accommodation option first - text-to-speech. Let the protocol run through all the accommodation passages.
Note: if a third party accessibility tool, for example, Windows Eyes is used, the embedded uPar text-to-speech voices must be manually paused by the teacher. This is to avoid confusing double reading of the same text.
Choose your story
Before the independent reading passages - without text-to-speech accommodation tools - you’ll have the chance to read or view the story choices.
Help your student pick one, then provide the printed materials for them to use. This should include the passages and associated questions.
Put your student response to each question into StartPar.com - this keeps the uPar protocol moving forward. If the student response causes the uPar algorithm to adjust downward to show an independent reading level, you'll need to repeat this a few times.
This step will take a bit longer, so the 'Time Benefit' recommendation probably won't be a valid for result for students.
Working independently
Based on how your student responds, uPar may ask if they want to continue with higher-level text-to-speech passage.
They can do this on their own - unless third-party accessibility tools are being used. In that case, the teacher will need to manually pause uPar’s built-in text-to-speech.