Following Revision of Digital Textbook System, Request Submitted to MEXT Vice-Minister ~"Accessibility for All Children" Urged by Dyslexia Support Group~

Certified NPO Edge (Minato-ku, Tokyo; Chairperson: Eiko Dodo), a dyslexia support organization, has submitted a request to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) in response to moves to revise the digital textbook system. The request calls for ensuring accessibility in regular textbooks and providing appropriate support for students with learning disabilities (LD) and reading difficulties (dyslexia).

This request is jointly submitted by the Japan Society for Learning Disabilities, the National Parents' Association for LD, and NPO Edge. The Act for Partial Revision of the School Education Act, etc., was enacted on June 10, and deliberations on ministerial guidelines, examination standards, and standard specifications will now proceed. In response to this legislative revision, representatives from the three organizations met with a MEXT Vice-Minister on June 19 to directly explain the necessity of ensuring accessibility in regular textbooks.

Background and Objectives of the Request

As MEXT proceeds with the introduction and revision of the digital textbook system, it is urgently necessary to consider children with learning disabilities (LD)/dyslexia (difficulties with reading and writing) who face challenges learning with regular paper textbooks.

Key Points of the Request

- The request centers the system design on "access to the textbook content" rather than the merits of digitalization.

- There is a risk that students in regular classes who have reading and writing difficulties, but have not been diagnosed or applied for support, may become invisible within the system.

- The number of students identified by the system is limited compared to the scale of potential needs. A mechanical calculation applying the prevalence rate (3.5%) from a 2022 MEXT survey to the number of students enrolled in fiscal year 2025 estimates approximately 315,000 elementary and junior high school students in regular classes experiencing significant difficulties with "reading or writing." In contrast, the survey on the demand for audio learning materials for textbooks used in fiscal year 2026 identified only 33,346 elementary and junior high school students by schools, of whom only 12,025 are in regular classes.

- For the short term, we request utilization from the beginning of the school year, additional use during the school year, usage requirements that do not overly rely on medical certificates, and dissemination and support for use by schools and boards of education.

- For the medium to long term, we request a system design that incorporates basic accessibility functions such as text-to-speech, display adjustment, reflow, furigana, and search directly into regular textbooks.

Full Text of the Request

Certified NPO Edge: https://npo-edge.jp/?p=16270

Japan Society for Learning Disabilities: https://www.jald.or.jp/topics/13515/

From Eiko Dodo, Chairperson of Certified NPO Edge, a Support Organization

Eiko Dodo, Chairperson of Certified NPO Edge

The revision of the digital textbook system is an extremely important turning point for children with dyslexia (difficulties with reading and writing) to stand at the starting line of learning. As a support organization for people with dyslexia, we have heard many voices from individuals with reading and writing difficulties and their families. My son and I are dyslexic, and many of our staff members are individuals with dyslexia, their families, or supporters.

Beyond the numbers shown in official surveys, there are many children in schools who are overlooked and struggling silently. How many children are losing excessive energy just to read text, unable to demonstrate their inherent superior intellect and "ability to understand meaning"? For them, accessibility functions like text-to-speech are not just luxurious convenience tools, but essential items that must be available as a matter of course, just like "glasses" for people with poor eyesight.

We earnestly hope that digital textbooks will not be a mere "replacement for paper" but will be institutionalized as "accessible textbooks" that anyone can access independently. We also hope for a society where all children and students can receive consideration without barriers, from daily classes to advanced examinations such as the Center Test (Common Test for University Admissions), and continue to do so in their daily lives and work as adults.

To level the playing field for learning. As a support organization, we will continue to speak out to protect the right to education for children.

[Certified NPO Edge]

Established in 2001. This is a support organization for individuals with dyslexia (a learning disability characterized by difficulties with reading and writing despite no intellectual delays). Chairperson Eiko Dodo has served on government committees for MEXT and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and has been deeply involved in the legislative processes of laws such as the "Act on Support for Persons with Disabilities," the "Textbook Barrier-Free Act," and the "Reading Barrier-Free Act." Aiming for a society where individuals with disabilities can live vibrant lives, we conduct awareness activities, train supporters, and build networks.

Location: Nishiyama Bldg. 4F, 4-7-1 Shiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0014 Official Website: https://www.npo-edge.jp/ Contact: https://npo-edge.jp/contact/