The Impact of Assistive The Impact of Assistive Technologies on the Technologies on the Reading Outcomes of Reading Outcomes of College Students with College Students with DisabilitiesDisabilities

Gotesman Edith Gotesman Edith PhDPhD

Goldfus Carol Goldfus Carol PhDPhD

Levinsky College of EducationLevinsky College of Education

The investigation is The investigation is designed to validate the designed to validate the competency of Assistive competency of Assistive Technology to solve the Technology to solve the problem of students at risk, problem of students at risk, namely students with namely students with learning disabilities.learning disabilities.

LD studentsLD students are are learning-disabled/learning-learning-disabled/learning-disadvantageddisadvantaged students experiencing one or several students experiencing one or several of the following impairments:of the following impairments:

DyslexiaDyslexia —— a language disorder primarily a language disorder primarily affecting the affecting the

ability to read fluentlyability to read fluently

DyscalculiaDyscalculia —— a learning disorder demonstrated by a learning disorder demonstrated by a a poorpoor aptitude with figuresaptitude with figures

DysgraphiaDysgraphia —— aa language disorder that affects language disorder that affects the the ability ability

to writeto write

DyslexiaDyslexia refers to a "difficulty in refers to a "difficulty in learning to read in a person who learning to read in a person who has good intelligence, strong has good intelligence, strong motivation, and who has received motivation, and who has received appropriate teaching".appropriate teaching".

Sally Shaywitz (2003)Sally Shaywitz (2003)

Assistive technology - AT Assistive technology - AT –– is is defined as:defined as:

““any technology that enables an any technology that enables an individual with a learning individual with a learning disability to compensate for disability to compensate for specific deficits.specific deficits.””

(Raskind and Higgins,1998) (Raskind and Higgins,1998)

““The use of The use of technologytechnology has been shown has been shown to to

be effective in a wide range of content be effective in a wide range of content areas.areas.””

(Ashton, 2005; Edyburn, 2004; Okolo, (Ashton, 2005; Edyburn, 2004; Okolo, Cavalier, Ferretti, & MacArthur, 2000).Cavalier, Ferretti, & MacArthur, 2000).

1.1. word recognition, reading comprehension, word recognition, reading comprehension, spelling and reading strategiesspelling and reading strategies (Raskind & (Raskind & Higgins, 1999);Higgins, 1999);

2.2. spellingspelling (Dalton, Winbury & Morocco, 1990, (Dalton, Winbury & Morocco, 1990, MacArthur, Graham, Haynes & DeLapaz, 1996);MacArthur, Graham, Haynes & DeLapaz, 1996);

3.3. organizing, reading and synthesizing organizing, reading and synthesizing informationinformation (Anderson, Inman, Knox-Quinn & (Anderson, Inman, Knox-Quinn & Homey, 1996, Anderson, Inman, Knox-Quinn & Homey, 1996, Anderson, Inman, Knox-Quinn & Szymanski, 1999);Szymanski, 1999);

4.4. proofreadingproofreading (Raskind & Higgins, 1995);(Raskind & Higgins, 1995);

5.5. writingwriting (Raskind & Higgins, 1995) (Raskind & Higgins, 1995);

6.6. decoding, comprehension and reading with decoding, comprehension and reading with fluencyfluency (Elkind, Cohen & Murray 1993, Higgins & (Elkind, Cohen & Murray 1993, Higgins & Raskind, 2000).Raskind, 2000).

Word processors

Spell checkers

Text-to-speech programs

Proofreadingprograms

Speech-to-text programs

Word predictionprograms

Outlining/brainstorming

programs

     

Individual

Specific context of interaction

Specific technology

Specific tasks/functions to be performed

Raskind & Higgins (1998) and Raskind (1998)Raskind & Higgins (1998) and Raskind (1998)

STUDENTSSTUDENTS’’ NEED NEED Decoding Decoding Reading Reading

comprehensioncomprehension

HandwritingHandwriting

Expressing wordsExpressing wordsin written formin written form

SpellingSpelling

OrganizationOrganization

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGYASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY Text-to-speech programsText-to-speech programs

Speech-to-text programsSpeech-to-text programs

Word processorsWord processors Word prediction programsWord prediction programs

Proofreading programsProofreading programs

Outlining/brainstorming Outlining/brainstorming programsprograms

Participants: 14 LD students at the Participants: 14 LD students at the Levinsky College of EducationLevinsky College of Education

Duration: 2006-2008;Duration: 2006-2008; Design: pre-test, intervention, post-testDesign: pre-test, intervention, post-test Independent variable: computer-based Independent variable: computer-based

reading softwarereading software Dependent variable: reading Dependent variable: reading

comprehension skills, attitude toward comprehension skills, attitude toward reading and AT. reading and AT.

LD Students' Achievement - Final Tests

50

55

60

65

70

75

80

85

90

95

12345678910

Students

Gra

des07-ינואר

יוני-07

ינואר-08 0

ScoresScores60-7060-7070-8070-8080-9080-9090-90-100100

AveragAveragee

January January 20072007

4 4 studentsstudents

3 students3 students2 2 studentsstudents

1 student1 student73.573.5

June June 20072007

5 5 studentsstudents

3 students3 students2 2 studentsstudents

68.268.2

January January 20082008

2 2 studentsstudents

2 students2 students4 4 studentsstudents

2 2 studentsstudents

79.579.5

decode/read texts in English by significantly decode/read texts in English by significantly gaining in word recognition and reading gaining in word recognition and reading comprehension;comprehension;

improve their reading fluency;improve their reading fluency; learn, apply, develop, maintain and learn, apply, develop, maintain and

generalize new reading strategies;generalize new reading strategies; become motivated to read in English; become motivated to read in English; increase their level of participation in class or increase their level of participation in class or

home assignments;home assignments; achieve better grades;achieve better grades; be better prepared to read articles in their be better prepared to read articles in their

individual field of study.individual field of study.

TYPE OF TYPE OF DIFFICULTYDIFFICULTY

AT TO AT TO CONSIDERCONSIDER

INTERNETINTERNET

SITESITE

ReadingReadingReadPleaseReadPlease

Natural Natural ReaderReader

TextAloudTextAloud

TextAssistTextAssist

KurtzweilKurtzweil

www.readplease.comwww.readplease.com

www.naturalreader.comwww.naturalreader.com

www.textaloud.comwww.textaloud.com

www.textassist.comwww.textassist.com

www.kurzweiledu.comwww.kurzweiledu.com

WritingWritingDragonNaturalDragonNaturallyly

SpeakingSpeaking

Intellitalk Intellitalk

www.nuance.com/www.nuance.com/naturallyspeaking naturallyspeaking

www.intellitools.com www.intellitools.com

Planning and Planning and OrganizationOrganization

InspirationInspirationwww.inspiration.comwww.inspiration.com

Spelling and Spelling and Word Word PredictionPrediction

WordQWordQ

Predictor ProPredictor Pro

www.wordq.com www.wordq.com

www.readingmadeez.comwww.readingmadeez.com