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Newsletter 313: Google Just Validated Everything We've Been Saying

Newsletter 313: Google Just Validated Everything We've Been Saying

🧠 Learn Your Way Shows Us the Future of Neurodivergent Learning

Matt "Coach" Ivey
November 12, 2025

A Wednesday Morning Note (With Aurora Borealis on My Mind)

My feed this morning is full of incredible photos—red and pink aurora borealis dancing across night skies. People across the country stayed up late watching the northern lights reach far south of where they normally appear. Nature's light show, unexpected and breathtaking.

I couldn't see them from my location. But I woke up to something almost as remarkable: messages from a few of you who read Friday's newsletter and explored what we've built at dyslexic.ai.

If you're one of the many who didn't get to it yet—and I completely understand, Friday afternoon publication followed by Veterans Day on Monday doesn't exactly optimize for newsletter reading—let me quickly catch you up before we dive into today's topic.

Last Friday, I published Newsletter 312. I called it one of my most important newsletters in almost 320 editions. I finally shared what I've been building for two years: the full dyslexic.ai platform with 90+ prompts, interactive demos, the Triangle Tool, research frameworks, and community access.

But I also did something I've never done before—I asked for help. I was honest that I've been funding this from personal savings, that I need research partnerships and validation, that proper development of cognitive-inclusive AI requires more than one person bootstrapping.

The response from those who did read it has been encouraging. A few have joined the community. Several have taken the survey. Some have reached out about research connections.

But I know most of you haven't seen it yet.

Friday afternoon publication. Weekend. Veterans Day Monday. Wednesday now.

So before we talk about the exciting Google announcement that validates everything in that newsletter, let me ask: Did you get a chance to read Newsletter 312?

Have you visited dyslexic.ai to see what's actually there? We've added more than just the newsletter now—there's the full prompts library, agent workflows you can use, and if you need help setting up custom cognitive partners for yourself, your clients, or your child, you can book a call directly on the site.

Have you tried any of the 90+ prompts? Used the Triangle Tool? Taken the survey that helps us understand what neurodivergent minds need most?

If not, I'll link to it at the end of this newsletter. Because what Google just announced makes Newsletter 312 even more relevant than when I published it.

Today's newsletter is about validation. About proof. About a major AI research team building exactly what we've been describing and proving it works through peer-reviewed research.

But that validation only matters if our community engages with what we're building too.

So let's talk about Google's Learn Your Way. And then let's make sure you've seen what we've built at dyslexic.ai that connects directly to it.

What You'll Learn Today

What Google's Learn Your Way actually is and why it matters
The research proving AI-augmented textbooks work (11% better retention!)
Why this is specifically transformative for dyslexic and neurodivergent learners
How this validates the cognitive partner concept we've been developing
The learning science foundations that make this approach so powerful
How you can experience and access this technology today
What this signals about the future of education for different minds
Why Newsletter 312's launch matters even more in light of this validation
How our community features at dyslexic.ai fit into this bigger picture

Reading Time: 16-18 minutes | Listening Time: 12-14 minutes if read aloud

The Moment I Realized Everything Changed

September 16, 2025. Google's LearnLM team published a research paper titled "Towards an AI-Augmented Textbook."

I almost missed it in my feed. Almost scrolled past.

Then I clicked through to their demo at learnyourway.withgoogle.com.

And within five minutes, I felt something I haven't felt since I first discovered ChatGPT could help organize my scattered thoughts.

Recognition.

This wasn't just another AI tool. This was the future I've been describing in almost 320 newsletters, rendered real by one of the world's leading AI research teams.

But more than that—it was proof.

Proof that personalizing learning to individual cognitive styles isn't just a nice idea. It measurably works. Students learn better. They remember more. They feel more confident.

And if it works for the general student population in their research trial, imagine what it means for dyslexic learners who have spent their entire lives being told they need to adapt to the textbook instead of the textbook adapting to them.

That era is ending.

Let me show you what the future looks like.

What Learn Your Way Actually Does (And Why It's Revolutionary)

Imagine opening a textbook for your eighth-grader. It's about the immune system. Dense scientific terminology. Abstract concepts. The kind of chapter that would typically take hours to wade through, with your child getting increasingly frustrated as words blur together and concepts refuse to stick.

Now imagine that same textbook could instantly transform into this:

The reading level adjusts to exactly where your child is comfortable. Not dumbed down—the core scientific concepts remain intact—but explained in language that makes sense to their brain right now.

The generic examples about "cells fighting infection" become examples drawn from video games your child loves. Because Google's Learn Your Way asked what they're interested in, and suddenly immune cells are described like video game characters with shields and power-ups.

The wall of text breaks into digestible sections, each accompanied by an AI-generated illustration that makes the abstract concrete. After each section, a quick quiz checks understanding—not to grade, but to guide. If something didn't click, the system knows and can adjust.

But here's where it gets really interesting.

Your child doesn't have to read at all if they don't want to. They can switch to slides with narration—an AI-generated presentation where a voice walks them through the material, complete with fill-in-the-blank exercises to keep them engaged.

Or they can listen to an audio lesson—a conversation between an AI teacher and AI student discussing the material, modeling exactly the kind of questions and clarifications a real learner might need.

Or they can start with a mind map—seeing all the concepts laid out visually, understanding the big picture before diving into details, clicking through to explore whatever interests them first.

All from the same textbook chapter. All personalized to the same learner. All accessible through one interface.

This isn't science fiction. This is working technology that Google just validated through controlled research with real students.

And the results prove it works better than traditional textbooks in every measurable way.

The Research That Changes Everything

Google didn't just build a cool demo. They did the science we've been asking for in Newsletter 312.

They recruited 60 high school students in Chicago. Split them randomly into two groups. Both groups studied the same material—a chapter on adolescent brain development. Both had up to 40 minutes.

The only difference: one group used Learn Your Way. The other group used a standard digital textbook reader.

Then they tested immediately and again 3-5 days later to measure retention.

The results:

Students using Learn Your Way scored 9% higher on the immediate comprehension test. That's significant, but not shocking—personalized content should help initial understanding.

But here's what matters: they scored 11% higher on the retention test days later. They remembered more of what they learned. The average scores were 78% versus 67% in the control group.

That's not just better learning. That's deeper learning. The kind that sticks.

When researchers surveyed the students, the numbers got even more interesting. Every single student using Learn Your Way—100% of them—said the tool made them feel more comfortable with the assessment. Only 70% of students using the regular digital reader felt that way.

And 93% of Learn Your Way users wanted to use it again for future learning, compared to just 67% in the control group.

One student told researchers it felt like "having a teacher with me while studying." The interactive, personalized nature of the content reduced anxiety and increased confidence.

But Google didn't stop at student outcomes. They had expert educators evaluate the AI-generated content across 10 different textbook sections covering everything from history to physics. They rated accuracy, completeness, alignment with learning objectives, and adherence to learning science principles.

The average ratings were 0.85 or higher on a 0-1 scale. Despite being AI-generated, the personalized materials maintained the same quality and pedagogical soundness you'd expect from materials a skilled teacher spent hours preparing.

Translation: This isn't just an interesting experiment. This is validated educational technology that demonstrably improves learning outcomes.

And for those of us in the neurodivergent community who have spent years advocating for personalized, multi-modal learning approaches, this research is vindication.

Everything we've been saying about how different brains need different presentations? Google just proved we were right.

How It Actually Works (The Two-Stage Magic)

The elegance of Learn Your Way lies in its architecture. It's not just throwing AI at textbooks randomly. It's a carefully designed two-stage process that mirrors how a skilled teacher would personalize instruction.

Stage One is Personalization. When you start a lesson, the system asks you two simple questions: What grade level or reading complexity works best for you? And what are you interested in?

Maybe you're reading at a sixth-grade level but studying eighth-grade material. Maybe you love basketball, or music, or art, or video games. The system takes that information and does something remarkable—it rewrites the entire textbook section to match both your reading level and your interests.

Not just a few examples here and there. The whole thing. Every explanation. Every analogy. Every example. It preserves the core content completely—you're still learning Newton's laws or immune system function or whatever the chapter covers. But now it's in language your brain processes easily, with examples that connect to what you already care about.

This personalized version becomes the foundation for everything else. It's like the system creates your custom textbook before it does anything else.

Stage Two is Transformation. From that personalized text, Google's AI generates multiple representations of the same content. This is where the learning science really shines.

The system creates immersive text—your personalized chapter broken into sections, each with AI-generated illustrations that make abstract concepts concrete, and embedded questions that turn passive reading into active learning. You're not just consuming information; you're engaging with it.

It generates interactive quizzes at logical break points. Not to grade you or catch you failing, but to help you discover what you've mastered and what needs another look. Formative assessment built right into the learning experience.

It creates slide presentations with narration. Key concepts in visual format, scaffolded step-by-step, with an AI voice explaining each point like a teacher giving a mini-lecture. For auditory learners or anyone who benefits from hearing information explained, this is transformative.

Perhaps most innovative is the audio lesson—a simulated dialogue between an AI teacher and an AI student discussing the material. It sounds like eavesdropping on a tutoring session. The student asks questions, voices misconceptions, works through confusion. The teacher clarifies, encourages, guides. It models the learning process itself, showing you it's okay to be confused, here's how to work through it.

And it generates mind maps—visual concept maps showing how all the ideas connect, letting you zoom in for detail or zoom out for the big picture, perfect for understanding structure and relationships.

All of this from one textbook chapter. All personalized to one learner. All accessible through a unified interface where you can switch between formats whenever you want.

This is Universal Design for Learning at scale. Multiple means of representation. Multiple means of engagement. Student agency in choosing their path. All the principles we know work for neurodivergent learners, now automated and available to everyone.

Why This Changes Everything for Dyslexic Learners

For years, we've been told that dyslexic students need accommodations. Extra time. Audio versions. Simplified text. Special formats.

And all of that is true and important. But it's always been framed as "making allowances" or "providing support for deficits."

Learn Your Way flips that entire narrative.

What if the problem wasn't the dyslexic brain? What if the problem was the format?

Think about what this system does for a dyslexic learner. The text automatically adjusts to a reading level that doesn't create decoding overload. You're not fighting to translate symbols into meaning—you can focus on understanding the concepts.

The examples connect to your interests, which means your brain has hooks to hang new information on. Instead of abstract descriptions that float away, you're learning through contexts that matter to you. Memory formation improves dramatically when new information connects to existing passion.

You can choose to learn primarily through audio instead of text. "Ear reading" versus "eye reading"—a strategy dyslexic readers have been developing forever, now built into the core experience. The audio lesson with its dialogue format models comprehension in real-time, showing you what engaged learning sounds like.

The visual representations—the mind maps, the AI-generated illustrations, the slide presentations—turn linguistic information into spatial and visual information. For dyslexic thinkers who often have strong visual-spatial processing abilities, this is gold. You can see the relationships between concepts instead of trying to extract them from paragraph structure.

The short sections with embedded quizzes prevent cognitive overload. You're never facing an overwhelming wall of text. You're moving through manageable chunks with immediate feedback about whether you've got it. The anxiety of "did I just read three pages and understand nothing?" disappears.

And perhaps most importantly, you have control over your learning path. You can start with the mind map to get the big picture. Jump to the audio lesson if you're tired of reading. Check your understanding with quizzes. Return to the text when you need specific details. All paths lead to the same conceptual understanding, but you choose the route that works for your brain on this particular day.

This isn't accommodation. This is optimization.

It's not "here's a workaround for your deficit." It's "here's content that matches how you process information best."

And when Google's research shows that students using this approach feel more confident, remember what that means. Confidence isn't just emotional—it's cognitive. When you're not anxious about your ability to understand, your working memory isn't consumed by worry. You have more mental resources available for actual learning.

For dyslexic learners who have spent years believing they're "bad at learning," this kind of system doesn't just teach content better. It teaches them that their brains work differently, not deficiently.

That's transformative at a level beyond test scores.

The Cognitive Partner Connection (This Is What We've Been Building Toward)

Everything I just described—the personalization, the multiple formats, the learner agency—sounds familiar if you've been reading these newsletters.

Because it's exactly what we mean by cognitive partner AI.

In Newsletter 308, we talked about AI as your career thought partner. In Newsletter 310, we shared prompts designed to work with dyslexic thinking patterns. In Newsletter 312, we introduced frameworks like the 10-80-10 Rule and Cognitive Load Reduction.

Learn Your Way is those concepts rendered at scale.

The 10-80-10 Rule says dyslexic minds excel at the idea generation (the first 10%) and final polish (the last 10%), while AI handles the middle execution (the 80%). Learn Your Way implements this perfectly: you provide your interests and level, AI handles the content transformation, you engage with the result and demonstrate learning.

The Cognitive Load Reduction we've been calculating? Google just measured it. When students using Learn Your Way scored 11% higher on retention and reported 100% confidence versus 70%, that's cognitive load reduction in action. Less mental energy spent decoding or fighting format, more available for actual understanding.

The multi-modal approach we've advocated? That's dual coding theory made real. Text plus images plus audio equals stronger memory formation. Multiple pathways to the same concept mean more robust mental models.

The personalization we've been building into our 90+ prompts library? Learn Your Way automates that personalization at the textbook level.

But here's what makes this moment so significant for our community: Google just validated that these approaches work through peer-reviewed research.

For two years, I've been describing these frameworks as hypotheses based on lived experience and learning science. Compelling theories. Logical predictions. But not yet proven at scale.

Google proved them.

When we talk about cognitive partner AI—AI that adapts to your thinking style rather than forcing you to adapt to it—Learn Your Way is perhaps the clearest example yet of what that means in practice.

It's not AI replacing teachers. It's AI enabling a level of personalization that would be impossible for even the most skilled teacher to provide for 30 students simultaneously. The teacher can focus on coaching, guidance, and higher-order support while the AI handles the fine-grained adaptation work.

And it's not just for students. Think about what this model means for adult dyslexic learners trying to upskill. For professionals reading technical documentation. For anyone facing complex written material that their brain processes differently than neurotypical text processing.

The cognitive partner model works. We have proof now. And the implications extend far beyond one Google experiment.

A Personal Note on Validation (And What We've Built While Waiting for It)

Newsletter 312 was vulnerable. I shared that I've been funding this work from personal savings while working other jobs. That I couldn't continue indefinitely without research partnerships or community support. That I needed help validating whether these frameworks and hypotheses were real or just one founder's wishful thinking.

Some of you reached out. Some joined the community. Some connected me with researchers. Thank you for that.

But what Google announced did something I couldn't do for myself: it provided external validation from a credible source with significant resources and proper research methodology.

When I describe the 10-80-10 Rule or Cognitive Load Reduction or multi-modal learning benefits, I'm no longer just citing learning science research from decades ago or describing personal experience. I can point to Google's 2025 research showing measurable improvements in learning outcomes.

When I advocate for personalized, adaptive content, I'm no longer fighting against "but that doesn't scale." Google proved it scales. They built it. It works.

When I talk about the future where AI adapts to neurodivergent cognition, I'm no longer describing a hypothetical. I'm describing a trajectory that one of the world's leading AI companies is actively pursuing.

That validation matters practically—it makes conversations with potential partners and collaborators easier. But it also matters emotionally.

For two years I've been building in relative isolation, taking on faith that this direction was right, hoping that others would eventually see what I was seeing. Wondering sometimes if I was seeing patterns that didn't exist or solving problems nobody else cared about.

Google's announcement isn't just "cool, someone else built something similar." It's "you weren't wrong, this matters, keep going."

And while we were building toward validation, we didn't wait to create tools.

If you haven't visited dyslexic.ai since Friday's newsletter, you should know we've grown beyond just being a newsletter. We now have:

The full 90+ prompts library you can search and filter by your role, situation, and needs
Agent workflows you can implement immediately for different cognitive tasks
The Triangle Tool for three-dimensional thinking that combines AI + Dyslexia + Your Domain
Interactive demos showing what cognitive partner AI looks like in practice
Community access from free resources to Pro membership to Founders Club coaching

And if you need help setting up custom cognitive partners—for yourself, for a client you're coaching, for your child who's struggling with traditional approaches—you can now book a call directly on the site.

Because while Google builds for general education at massive scale, we're building for neurodivergent individuals who need someone to help them implement these concepts in their specific context.

We're not waiting for the perfect AI platform to exist. We're using the tools available now to create cognitive partnership today.

That's what Newsletter 312 was about. That's what dyslexic.ai provides.

And now Google's research validates that this entire approach—the personalization, the multi-modal access, the cognitive partnership model—actually works.

So the work at dyslexic.ai continues. The community grows. The research deepens. The tools improve.

And now we do it with the wind at our backs instead of pushing uphill.

What This Signals About the Future We're Building

Google's Learn Your Way isn't the finish line. It's the starting gun.

When one of the world's leading AI research labs publishes validated research showing that AI-augmented, personalized learning improves outcomes by double-digit percentages, every education technology company pays attention. Every school administrator takes note. Every teacher wonders what this means for their classroom.

We're standing at an inflection point in education technology.

For the past century, textbooks have been static one-size-fits-all artifacts. They were expensive to produce, impossible to customize at scale, and fundamentally limited by the economics of publishing. Every student got the same text regardless of their reading level, learning style, interests, or cognitive profile.

We accepted this limitation because we had no alternative. Teachers did their best to differentiate instruction manually, but there are only so many hours in a day and only so much a single person can customize.

AI removes that limitation entirely.

Now—not someday, now—we can generate personalized versions of educational content automatically. We can adapt to each learner's needs in real-time. We can provide multiple representations without anyone having to spend weeks creating them manually. We can scale what previously only worked in one-on-one tutoring.

The question isn't whether this will transform education. Google's research proves it already does. The question is how fast we implement it and how equitably we distribute access.

And that's where the neurodivergent community needs to be leading the conversation.

Because while Learn Your Way was tested with general student populations, the benefits are even more dramatic for learners whose brains process information differently. The dyslexic student who struggles with dense text but thrives with audio explanations. The ADHD student who needs short chunks with immediate feedback to maintain focus. The autistic student who benefits from predictable structure and visual organization.

These aren't edge cases requiring special accommodation. These are learners whose needs push us toward better design for everyone.

When we build systems flexible enough to serve neurodivergent learners well, we build systems that serve all learners better. That's universal design. That's what Learn Your Way demonstrates.

And it's what we need to keep advocating for as this technology evolves.

Because right now, Learn Your Way is a research prototype. It's not in every classroom. It's not available to every homeschooling parent. It's not integrated into the curriculum materials most schools use.

But it will be. Or something very much like it will be.

The technology works. The research validates it. The economic model makes sense—AI-generated content is cheaper than human-created content at scale. The educational outcomes are better.

The future where every student has a textbook that adapts to their brain isn't hypothetical anymore. It's inevitable.

Our job in the neurodivergent community is to ensure that future is designed with us, not just for us. To make sure that as these tools develop, they incorporate the insights we've gained from years of developing workarounds and accommodations. To position neurodivergent thinking not as special cases requiring support, but as valid cognitive styles deserving first-class design.

Google's research shows it's possible to personalize learning at scale. Now we make sure that personalization truly serves all minds.

How You Can Experience This Today

Google has made Learn Your Way available as a research experiment through Google Labs, though access is currently limited as they continue development and testing.

You can visit learnyourway.withgoogle.com right now and explore several guided demo experiences. They've created sample lessons on topics like the immune system, economic principles, and sociology concepts. These demos let you see the different formats—the immersive text with embedded quizzes, the narrated slides, the audio lessons, the mind maps—and experience how the interface lets you move between them seamlessly.

The demos are worth exploring even if you can't yet upload your own textbooks, because they illustrate the possibilities clearly. Try switching between formats. Notice how the same information feels different when presented as text versus audio versus visual map. Pay attention to how the quizzes guide understanding rather than just testing it.

If you want fuller access—the ability to upload your own materials or use it more extensively—you can join the waitlist through Google Labs. When you do, consider mentioning that you're interested in applications for neurodivergent learners specifically. Google has indicated they're using Learn Your Way as a research platform to conduct studies with partners worldwide, and they may be particularly interested in understanding how it works for different cognitive profiles.

For educators and homeschooling parents, the demos can serve as proof of concept when advocating for similar approaches in your context. You can show administrators or other parents what personalized, multi-modal learning looks like in practice. You can use it to explain why static textbooks may not be serving all learners well.

And you can start thinking about how to apply these principles with the tools you have access to now.

While you can't yet use Google's full system, you can use AI tools you do have access to—ChatGPT, Claude, or others—to personalize learning materials. Take a challenging text. Ask the AI to rewrite it at a different reading level. Ask for examples related to your child's interests. Ask for the information presented as a visual diagram or a conversation between characters.

The principles Learn Your Way implements are applicable immediately, even if you're implementing them manually rather than through an automated system.

That's exactly what we've been building at dyslexic.ai. Our 90+ prompts library includes many designed specifically to transform educational content for different learning needs. Our agent workflows help you implement these transformations systematically. And if you need help setting it up for your specific situation, you can book a call with me directly on the site.

Consider exploring our resources alongside Google's demos to see how these approaches can work together. Google shows what's possible at scale. We show you how to implement it for your specific neurodivergent needs today.

Have a Great Rest of Your Week—The Future Looks Bright

It's Wednesday morning. My feed is full of aurora borealis photos from last night's spectacular show. Nature reminding us that sometimes the most beautiful things appear unexpectedly when conditions align just right.

That's how Google's Learn Your Way announcement feels.

We've been building toward this for two years. Describing cognitive partnership. Developing frameworks. Creating prompts. Advocating for personalized, multi-modal learning.

And suddenly, conditions aligned. A major AI research team built it at scale. They validated it with peer-reviewed research. They proved it works.

The northern lights of education technology just appeared, and they're stunning.

But unlike aurora borealis, which we can only observe and photograph, this is something we can actively participate in shaping.

So this week:

If you missed Newsletter 312: Read it. Visit dyslexic.ai. See what we've built. Use a prompt. Take the survey.
Experience Learn Your Way: Visit learnyourway.withgoogle.com and try the demos
Share widely: Teachers, parents, administrators, neurodivergent learners need to see this
Apply the principles: Even without Learn Your Way access, start personalizing learning materials with AI now
Join our community: Help ensure these tools serve neurodivergent learners well
Book a call if you need it: Get help setting up cognitive partners for your specific situation

Because validation isn't the end of the work. It's permission to accelerate.

Google showed it's possible at scale. We show you how to implement it today for the neurodivergent learners who need it most.

Have a wonderful rest of your week. Keep looking up—whether for aurora or for the future of learning.

Both are worth witnessing.

— Matt "Coach" Ivey, Founder · LM Lab AI

TL;DR - Too Long; Didn't Read For Fellow Skimmers: The Essential Points

🎯 What It Is: Google's Learn Your Way transforms textbooks into personalized, multi-modal learning experiences using AI

📊 Proven Results: 11% better retention, 9% better comprehension, 100% student confidence in research trial

🧠 How It Works: Two stages - personalize content to reader's level/interests, then transform into text/audio/slides/quizzes/mindmaps

✨ Why It Matters: Validates everything we've said about cognitive partner AI and adaptive learning (Newsletter 312)

💡 Dyslexic Benefits: Adjusted reading level, multi-sensory input, flexible pathways, interest-based engagement, reduced anxiety

🔬 Research Validated: Peer-reviewed study, expert educator approval, learning science foundations

🌟 The Future: The era of one-size-fits-all textbooks is ending; personalized learning is here and proven

🎓 For Our Community: We lead conversations about how these tools should serve different cognitive profiles

🔗 Experience It Now: Visit learnyourway.withgoogle.com for demos, join waitlist for fuller access

🛠️ Or Start Today: Use our 90+ prompts and agent workflows at dyslexic.ai to personalize learning immediately

📞 Need Help: Book a call on our site to set up custom cognitive partners for you, clients, or your child

📧 Last Week: Newsletter 312 launched the full platform—if you missed it, catch up (link below)

Bottom Line: Google proved the cognitive partner concept works. We help you implement it for neurodivergent learners specifically. Both matter.

Take Action This Week

Catch Up if You Missed It: Newsletter 312 from Friday: https://dyslexic.ai/newsletter/312 Visit dyslexic.ai and explore the 90+ prompts, agent workflows, demos

Experience Learn Your Way: Visit https://learnyourway.withgoogle.com/ and try the demo lessons

Join the Waitlist: Google Labs access for fuller features when available

Read the Research: arXiv paper: "Towards an AI-Augmented Textbook" - arXiv:2509.13348

Use Our Tools: 90+ prompts at dyslexic.ai for personalizing learning today Agent workflows for systematic transformation

Book a Call: Need help setting up custom cognitive partners? Schedule directly on our site

Take Our Survey: Help us focus on neurodivergent-specific needs and applications

Join Our Community: From free resources to Pro membership to Founders Club coaching

Share Widely: Both Learn Your Way and Newsletter 312 with anyone who needs to see this