Dr. Elaine Jett, who became aware that there was a deficiency in the development of children to read and spell correctly, developed DIA in the fall of 1997.  Some of these children were highly intelligent and sometimes even gifted individuals, in good health, but not responding to specific remedial instructions in reading comprehension and vocabulary development.  These persons were dyslexic. 

Through extensive studies and use of various contemporary methods of working with dyslexics, a therapeutic clinic evolved.  In working directly with clients, problems with therapy, its delivery, organization, assessment and content became obvious.  Thus the DYSLEXIA INSTITUTES OF AMERICA evolved under the direction of Dr. Jett.

Dr. Jett’s dyslexia program addresses both the phonological and cognitive aspects of dyslexia. The program has been shown to be successful in clinical use for hundreds of dyslexics throughout the U.S., and has been independently validated in a statistical study performed by John C. Ory, Ph.D. from the University of Illinois Department of Human Resource Education. Dr. Jett is also the author of the basic and academic reading programs that have been used nationally. DIA Clinics are currently open in Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, and Illinois, Georgia, Wisconsin and Colorado.

Although the DIA program for dyslexia shares its multi-sensory approach with a variety of Orton-Gillingham-based programs, it expands significantly upon those programs in several ways.

First, the DIA program provides cognitive therapies that strengthen the deficits commonly exhibited by dyslexics, such as visual and auditory memory, visual perception and motor integration, and sequencing. Our approach to addressing cognitive deficits associated with dyslexia goes beyond what is provided in other programs. We provide this additional emphasis because it assists the dyslexic in being more successful in becoming fluent in new sight words and retaining and utilizing phonics rules. DIA does not suggest, imply or otherwise degrade other programs that handle a dyslexic’s cognitive deficiencies to a lesser degree than our program. We simply believe, and our client successes prove out, that such additional emphasis is beneficial.

The first six-months of the DIA program stresses cognitive therapy to ensure that each client has the skill level necessary to make successful progress in acquiring and recalling the English Language’s extensive phonetic rules and sight words. Additional benefits from the cognitive therapy may include increased fine motor skills that can help to improve poor handwriting, and increase sequential task performance such as following a series of verbal directions. DIA provides cognitive therapies only as needed based on a client’s assessment results. In addition, DIA does not exclusively work on cognitive therapy in the first six months, we stress it – meaning we spend more time on it (note the word “stress”). In the first six months new sight words are taught and phonics lessons provided.


Second, the DIA program integrates a comprehensive diagnosis that in turn dictates a strictly controlled, monitored and documented application of the therapy program. The full diagnostic assessment performed by DIA diagnosticians identifies the type of dyslexia present, severity and, most importantly, specific characteristics that can be individually addressed by therapy, whether they are phonological or cognitive in nature.

DIA Therapists are trained teachers, occupational therapists and/or speech pathologist that have experience teaching reading to children with learning disabilities – many of them have previous experience using other dyslexia programs. DIA Therapists are extensively trained, including many hours of hands-on observation, and are re-certified every 6 months. Extensive records of each session are maintained by the Therapist and are open for review by the client or client’s guardians at the end of each session. Program progression is controlled by very strict and consistent guidelines.

DIA’s clinical and methodical approach to providing therapy provides for an unprecedented level of consistency and repeatability. While each child is different and responds differently to therapy, our clinical approach provides a level of consistency and accountability that does not exist in traditional tutoring environments.

Third, the DIA program includes cognitive and phonological home therapy materials that provide the forum for the repetition needed for a dyslexic to learn and retain language skills. It has been shown that without daily therapy dyslexics do not retain basic skills.

DIA uses a variety of Assessments depending upon the age of the client to determine Dyslexia. Some of our Assessment materials include, but are not limited to, the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement, Learning Efficiency Test, Visual Auditory Discrimination, Dyslexia Determination Test, and Test of Visual Analysis.