This is the story of a print-first EdTech product and it's packed with nuggets about UX Research with teachers.

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Ethan Pierce, founder of Adaptive Reader, shares his personal journey from struggling with literacy in his early school years to founding a company dedicated to enhancing reading accessibility for students of varying developmental and linguistic backgrounds. 

He discusses the iterative process behind Adaptive Reader, focusing on extensive user research that led to a print-first approach due to educator preference and practical in-classroom usage. 

Alicia Quan and Sarah Mondestin also explore Ethan’s thoughts on the role of technology in education, the importance of user research, and his vision for making literature accessible worldwide through adaptive texts.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction and Personal Story

01:20 - Founding Adaptive Reader

02:01 - Journey into Startups

03:30 - Creativity and Career Paths

06:00 - Challenges in Literacy and Education

07:10 - Designing Adaptive Reader

11:56 - User Research and Insights

18:42 - Balancing Print and Digital in Education

29:27 - Future of Adaptive Reader

35:45 - Closing Thoughts and Contact Information

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