ERIC Number: EJ980764
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012
Pages: 11
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1040-0435
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Use of Reading Pen Assistive Technology to Accommodate Post-Secondary Students with Reading Disabilities
Schmitt, Ara J.; McCallum, Elizabeth; Hennessey, Jenna; Lovelace, Temple; Hawkins, Renee O.
Assistive Technology, v24 n4 p229-239 2012
Reading pens are a form of assistive technology that may be used to bypass weak word decoding and vocabulary skills of students with reading disabilities. Only two known studies have examined the effects of reading pens on the comprehension of school-aged students, and no known studies have been published regarding post-secondary students. The present study investigated the effects of reading pen assistive technology on the comprehension accuracy and rate of three post-secondary students with university-recognized reading disabilities. An alternating treatments design was implemented to compare the effects of (1) a reading pen decoding accommodation, (2) concurrent reading pen decoding and vocabulary accommodations, and (3) a no-accommodation control condition on the comprehension of the three participants when provided college level difficulty reading passages. Results indicate that use of a reading pen did not uniformly improve the comprehension of the post-secondary students. However, the student with the poorest reading skills benefitted the most. Discussion focuses on explanations for the results, practical implications for post-secondary students with reading disabilities, and future directions for study. (Contains 2 tables and 2 figures.)
Descriptors: Disabilities, Instructional Effectiveness, Educational Technology, Assistive Technology, Reading Skills, Reading Difficulties, Vocabulary Skills, Academic Accommodations (Disabilities), Postsecondary Education, Reading Comprehension, Program Effectiveness, Undergraduate Students, Control Groups, Experimental Groups, Reading Achievement, Reading Improvement
Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 325 Chestnut Street Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Fax: 215-625-2940; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A

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