Why we do what we do
Our Mission
We close every student's specific reading-skill gaps through individualized, intensive instruction.
Our Vision
To be the most cost-effective, convenient option for struggling and dyslexic readers everywhere.
Our Values
Honesty, service, professional excellence, innovation, lifelong learning, and embracing diversity guide everything we do.
The origin story
It started with one classroom
In 1990, our founder, Bob Almack, noticed that many students in his special education classes were creative and capable, but could barely read. Many of them believed they were unintelligent because of it. Bob saw firsthand that these students weren't lazy; they needed a fundamentally different, more effective approach to instruction.
In 2003, grateful parents donated $5,000 to purchase a computer for each of Bob's students so they could train every day, creating what was almost certainly the first reading lab built specifically to help students overcome dyslexia in a Canadian school. By 2005, every student with a reading-related IEP in that program was training five days a week, about 30 minutes a day.
In 2007, Bob received the Durham District School Board Outstanding Teacher Award, recognizing his pioneering work teaching dyslexic teens to read. Upon retirement, he launched Online Reading Tutor to make that same structured, daily approach accessible to families everywhere, not just the students lucky enough to be in his classroom.
What drives us forward
Our approach: we combine the science of reading, technology, and human support to help students (especially those with dyslexia) build confidence and core skills like decoding and fluency.
The problem we saw: students make great progress with consistent, targeted practice, but that kind of practice is hard to get. High-quality 1-on-1 tutoring is expensive, and schools are often stretched too thin to provide it.
How we've evolved: we started as a single classroom intervention and grew into a full digital platform: offering everything from dyslexia screening to personalized daily practice, tutor support, and now, dedicated programs for schools and institutions.
The bottom line: reading is about more than grades: it shapes confidence, life choices, and future opportunity. We're here to give struggling readers a better path forward, and help them feel capable again.
Your child's reading story can change too.
It starts with a free 10-minute assessment.