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Should I use Dys-add (Bright Solutions for Dyslexia)?

Free dyslexia resources, Barton Reading & Spelling System tutorials, and expert guidance by Susan Barton - dys-add.com

Worth it. Use it: free, well-regarded dyslexia guidance for parents, teachers, and homeschoolers. Don't expect treatment — actual Barton instruction is paid and sold separately.

Confidence

Medium. Based on ~25 public sources; mostly forum mentions, library lists, and educator citations. No formal product reviews found.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of useNo usability evidence in sources
  • Feature depth
  • Support qualityNo support-quality evidence found
  • Security posture

Pricing

$0

Free resources

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes

Best for

  • Parents suspecting dyslexia
  • Homeschoolers comparing reading programs
  • Teachers needing accommodations guidance
  • Tutors researching Orton-Gillingham-based methods

Not for

  • Anyone wanting software or an app
  • People expecting free therapy or tutoring
  • Schools needing progress-tracking tools
  • Buyers unwilling to pay for Barton levels afterwards

Gotchas - check before you buy

medium

Barton levels are pricey; the free site ends where paid tutoring begins

medium

Budget for certified tutors — the site itself sells no instruction

low

Long forum threads describe tutor and parent fatigue with Barton pacing

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Completely free dyslexia research, warning-sign checklists, and videos
  • Widely recommended by parents, tutors, and libraries in forums
  • Susan Barton cited by news outlets and educators as an expert resource
  • Clear guidance on finding testers and tutors
  • Published privacy policy and security page

Cons

  • Information only — no tutoring, software, or treatment included
  • Barton system it promotes costs real money, level by level
  • Some forum users report Barton's demanding pace causes burnout

Sources & method

Analyzed 10/06/2026 - 12 sources - No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

official x5review x4security x2news x1

Key stats

  • Value for money: 5/5

    Rating

  • $0

    Starting price

  • 12

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 5/5. Entire site is free; costs live elsewhere
  • Ease of use. No usability evidence in sources
  • Feature depth: 3/5. Videos, checklists, research library; no software
  • Support quality. No support-quality evidence found
  • Security posture: 3/5. Publishes security and privacy pages; no issues found
  • $0 Cost All site resources and videos are free
  • Paid separately Barton system Retail price discussed in parent groups
  • Not listed Review platforms No major-platform ratings found in sources reviewed
  • Published Security page dys-add.com/security plus privacy terms

Pricing

Free resources

$0

  • Free online videos
  • Warning-signs checklists and research articles
  • Newsletter

Security

No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

Alternatives

Compare Dys-add (Bright Solutions for Dyslexia) with each alternative.

Companies that use it

  • Milan Middle School10
  • Johnson County Library11
  • Connecticut SERC
  • Atlanta Reads
  • Developmental Therapy Associates
Full analysis

Based on ~25 public sources; mostly forum mentions, library lists, and educator citations. No formal product reviews found.

Free, trusted dyslexia info site for parents and teachers. Guidance only — the Barton tutoring system itself costs extra.

Methodology

Based on ~25 public sources; mostly forum mentions, library lists, and educator citations. No formal product reviews found.

Sources

  1. Bright Solutions for Dyslexia (official site)dys-add.com
    official
  2. Product security pagedys-add.com
    security
  3. Privacy Policy / Terms and Conditionsbartonreading.com
    security
  4. How to Get Helpdys-add.com
    official
  5. Anyone use/d the Barton system? : r/Dyslexiareddit.com
    review
  6. Barton Reading and Spelling system retail price discussionfacebook.com
    review
  7. Anyone else fed up with Barton?forums.welltrainedmind.com
    review
  8. Barton Reading and Spelling Reviewshiningtheloveofjesus.wordpress.com
    review
  9. Resources are available to ID, help with Dyslexia (First Coast News)firstcoastnews.com
    news
  10. Dyslexia Resources — Milan Middle Schoolmilanmiddle.org
    official
  11. Dyslexia Resources — Johnson County Library listtpl.bibliocommons.com
    official
  12. Reading Methods That Work With Dyslexiahomeschoolingwithdyslexia.com
    official

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