"Rewordify is a free site that was developed by a special education teacher and former computer programmer for the purpose of helping students read complex passages. At its most basic level Rewordify takes a complex passage and rephrases it in simpler terms."
Here is a tool you might want to try with students whom have difficulty reading complex passages. Rewordify rephrases passages (simply cut and paste text into a "yellow box" or type directly into it). Users may select setting so they only see the "easier version" (although they may see the more difficult words as they mouse over the word) or have this option in reverse. You may also enter in a website and have them rewordify the site. There is much additional information on the site including a teacher and student demo. The site is free, and also works on tablet and smartphones. As we move to more informational text and more complex (think Common Core) this site may be quite valuable for many students.