Prizmo
Scanning, OCR and VoiceOver
How to access Prizmo
You can currently access Prizmo on any iOS8 device by downloading the app or by clicking here.
Summary
- Take pictures of any text document, business cards, images and exports them as pdf readable text
- creates a PDF document to be exported to other apps
Why use Prizmo?
Prizmo allows users to take any word document, scan the information and have text be read aloud. Having text read aloud can help with phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension and vocabulary. This app also provides users with the availability to determine how they will interact with text (Douglas et al., 2009). Students can hear correct pronunciations of words, have words or sentences read multiple times and/or listen orally to the text. By allowing the flexibility with text in the classroom enables students to further develop their reading skills.
Cumley (2009) states that in order build comprehension when reading, instruction must have emphasis on both automatic word identification and phonics or decoding skills (pg.3). Thus, successful readers have the ability to effortlessly recognize words they encounter and have the skills to figure out unfamiliar words (Cumley, 2009). For struggling readers, comprehension is affected when reading as they often will focus on the skills required to decode an unfamiliar word, skip a word and/or use a word incorrectly.
Providing students and struggling readers with the ability to have text read to them (regardless of the format of the text), reduces any reading barriers that may exist. In doing so, this will enable the learner to fully comprehend text and essentially their learning.
Students who would particularly benefit from Prizmo
- struggling readers or individuals who are reading below grade level
- individuals with a cognitive or learning disability specifically in the area of reading and writing
- individuals with visual impairments
- individuals who struggle with pronunciations, word identification or have attention difficulties
- individuals learning English as a second language
Critique
Prizmo is an App created to act as a scanner for multiple users (such as students, teachers, struggling readers, individuals who have a visual impairment, individuals with a learning disability or for individuals with special needs). The App allows the user to take photos of printed text and convert the text to be read aloud using an iOS device.
Prizmo opens up to a screen that has 3 different buttons on the bottom of the screen. The bottom on the left hand side (a blue paper) allows the user to take a quick photo of text. This feature does not allow you to edit or save the text. The button in the middle (a camera) allows the user to specifically identify what they would like the photo to scan for (e.g. text, image or card). This feature allows the student to crop, edit, omit, and reorder text. Within this feature, users can also scan multiple pages and save them all within the same document. The button on the right (the universal app for volume), opens up the last document that was read aloud.
Most users typically require some time with the App before feeling completely independent using it in multiple settings. Taking a photo (or scanning for text), requires a steady hand and often for the individual to stand above the document (so that the device is flat with the document and the entire text can be scanned). Editing the text and familiarizing yourself with these features also requires time and trial use before becoming independent.
Overall, the App supports users with reading deficits and reduces many of the learning barriers that exist for struggling readers.
Benefits
- increase accessibility of materials to a much more diverse group of individuals or learners making text to speech a possibility
- allows for the ability to input photos, documents or PDFs from other apps
- requires no internet connection to scan images
- easy to use in the classroom environment
- works with textbooks, worksheets, tests and/or articles
- quick camera shot feature
- can translate text to multiple languages
- great tool with ability to process text quickly and make it accessible for learners who cannot read a printed format
- fairly user-friendly program
- can send documents to other apps
Constraints
- costs $11.99
- students' need to stand up and have a steady hand to take pictures using their phone or iPad
- you cannot write on the documents that have been scanned (example Question and Answer sheets)
- you must become familiar with the editing features after taking a picture of a document as it doesn't always recognize text in a readable format
- photo taking requires a steady hand
- may have to take photo multiple times as there are some recognition issues
- text with multiple images and or graphics are difficult to recognize
- does not read tables or math symbols
- user must be careful with the curve of the page near the binding when scanning books or text books as this will affect the scan
- updates to the app in the past have reformatted the design of the App which requires retraining of how to use the features
What you need to use Prizmo?
- Universal Application (iPhone or iPad requiring iOS8 or higher)
- Any iPad with at least a 5-MP camera (iPhone 4S or newer models, iPad 3 and newer models, iPad mini)
References
Cumley, G. D. (2009). Assistive Technology for Reading. In Gierach, J. (Ed.). Assessing students' needs for assistive technology (ASNAT).
Douglas, K.H., Ayres, K.M., Langone, J., Bell, V., & Meade, C. (2009). Expanding literacy for learners with intellectual disabilities: The role of supported etext. Journal of Special Education Technology 24(3), 35-44.
Prizmo. (2015). Prizmo - Scanning, OCR, and Speech. (Version 4.1.1.) [Mobile application software]. Retrieved from http://itunes.apple.com
Douglas, K.H., Ayres, K.M., Langone, J., Bell, V., & Meade, C. (2009). Expanding literacy for learners with intellectual disabilities: The role of supported etext. Journal of Special Education Technology 24(3), 35-44.
Prizmo. (2015). Prizmo - Scanning, OCR, and Speech. (Version 4.1.1.) [Mobile application software]. Retrieved from http://itunes.apple.com