Search

Background: Assistive technology has been used to mitigate reading disabilities for almost three decades, and tablets with text-to-speech and speech-to-text apps have been introduced in recent years to scaffold reading and writing. Few scientifically rigorous studies, however, have investigated the benefits of this technology. Purpose: The aim was to explore the effects of assistive technology for students with severe reading disabilities. Method: This study included 149 participants. The intervention group received 24 sessions of assistive technology training, and the control group received treatment as usual. Results: Both the intervention and control groups improved as much in 1 year as the normed population did. However, gains did not differ between the groups directly after the intervention or at 1 year of follow-up. Conclusions: The use of assistive technology seems to have transfer effects on reading ability and to be supportive, especially for students with the most severe difficulties. In addition, it increases motivation for overall schoolwork. Our experience also highlights the obstacles involved in measuring the ability to assimilate and communicate text.

Purpose: Reading and writing applications (with text-to-speech, TTS and speech-to-text, STT functions), used as assistive technology (AT) for students with reading difficulties are increasingly used in education, however, research has not sufficiently enough evaluated its potential. The purpose of this study was to explore how assistive reading and writing applications were perceived to function with regard to students’ possibilities to assimilate (i.e., “read”) and communicate (i.e., “write”) text. Methods: Following a six-week app intervention, this follow-up survey contained 54 special education teachers’ perceptions of how the use of apps impacted student motivation, learning, and its usability in special education. A total of 59 students with reading difficulties from Grade 4, Grade 8 and from high school, were assessed. Analyses included quantitative and qualitative analyses of teachers’ responses and written material. Results: The results showed individual differences in how teachers perceived app usage for text-interaction purposes, including how app usage affected student motivation and autonomy for text-based learning. Eighty-two per cent of the younger and forty-seven per cent of older students continued to use the technology after the intervention, but in various degrees. Conclusions: Based on these findings, students with reading difficulties seem to be able to use AT in order to assimilate text (i.e., to read) and to communicate text (i.e., to write), and, thus, AT has the potential to promote participation in regular education. Future research should focus on how to customize assistive technology support in order to better utilize the potential.

Summer reading loss is a documented reality for many students. Research has established differences in the contribution of summer reading activity between children from families with different economic status. In this study, 120 students in Grade 2 and 115 students in Grade 3 from a socioeconomically vulnerable area participated in a summer reading intervention. In addition, a control group from the same schools comprised of 106 students from Grade 2 and 94 students from Grade 3. Almost 90% of the participating students did not have Swedish as their native language. The participants were tested on reading skills, including word decoding, nonsense-word reading, word comprehension and reading comprehension, before and after the summer vacation. The intervention was planned together with teachers from three participant schools and leisure centers. Before the summer holiday the schools arranged reading weeks and library visits. The students were encouraged to read at home during the vacation and record the number of books read on a digital platform. The results showed that the largest effect sizes between groups (intervention and control) were observed for word decoding in Grade 2 and word comprehension in Grade 3 where the intervention group improved more than the control group. If summer learning loss can be avoided or limited, the treatment can be considered worth implementing

The aim of this study was to examine and describe the use of a formative assessment support regarding reading instruction in grades 1-3, viewed from a teacher perspective. Sixty-five teachers from all parts of Sweden responded to a questionnaire, who had used the support for at least one year. Of the participant teachers, nine were interviewed for the purpose of performing an in-depth analysis of the questions. The teachers stated that the primary use of the assessment results was to identify students in need of extra support, as a basis for performance appraisals, as well as for further lesson planning. Formative assessment was, on the one hand, described as a concrete practical method and, on the other hand, as an attitude. The results also indicate a feeling of frustration that, notwithstanding the current deeper insight into what every student needs, the teaching still proceeds on some middle-ground path or level.

Purpose How can teachers optimize reading instruction in Swedish schools? This poster presents findings from two studies investigating A) grade 1-3 teachers’ use of a forward-looking assessment and teaching system (LegiLexi) and B), its effect on student reading gains in Grade 1. The purpose of study A was to support teachers with an assessment system which included teaching recommendations for individual students and to study how that support enabled teachers to individualize instruction. The purpose of study B was to gather evidence that such support is superior in relation to “teaching as usual”. Method In study A, focus group meetings of eight active LegiLexi teachers were used as to answer the question of the extent teachers managed to individualize instruction in their everyday practice. In study B, we randomly assigned schools to three conditions; full access to LegiLexi (8 schools/217 students), access only to part of LegiLexi (4 schools/86 students) and control (9 schools/208 students), following estimated effects of LegiLexi across three test occasions containing reading measures. Results/conclusions In study A, results revealed that teachers were supported by LegiLexi, and were able to individualize instruction primarily by creating dynamic reading groups of students. However, individualizing further proved challenging. In study B, findings revealed that the group with full access to LegiLexi improved their word decoding (d=1.79 vs 1.33 and 1.20) and reading comprehension the most (d=1.75 vs 1.45 and 1.16). Thus, the findings show promising results for Swedish schools of how to improve reading instruction by focusing on students’ individual needs., Ej belagd 20201204

Purpose How can teachers optimize reading instruction in Swedish schools? This poster presents findings from two studies investigating A) grade 1-3 teachers’ use of a forward-looking assessment and teaching system (LegiLexi) and B), its effect on student reading gains in Grade 1. The purpose of study A was to support teachers with an assessment system which included teaching recommendations for individual students and to study how that support enabled teachers to individualize instruction. The purpose of study B was to gather evidence that such support is superior in relation to “teaching as usual”. Method In study A, focus group meetings of eight active LegiLexi teachers were used as to answer the question of the extent teachers managed to individualize instruction in their everyday practice. In study B, we randomly assigned schools to three conditions; full access to LegiLexi (8 schools/217 students), access only to part of LegiLexi (4 schools/86 students) and control (9 schools/208 students), following estimated effects of LegiLexi across three test occasions containing reading measures. Results/conclusions In study A, results revealed that teachers were supported by LegiLexi, and were able to individualize instruction primarily by creating dynamic reading groups of students. However, individualizing further proved challenging. In study B, findings revealed that the group with full access to LegiLexi improved their word decoding (d=1.79 vs 1.33 and 1.20) and reading comprehension the most (d=1.75 vs 1.45 and 1.16). Thus, the findings show promising results for Swedish schools of how to improve reading instruction by focusing on students’ individual needs., Ej belagd 20201204

In this theoretical paper we describe and compare two forward-looking approaches to assessment, Formative assessment (FA) and Response to intervention (RTI). The purpose is to provide researchers and practitioners with insights that enable more informed decisions regarding forward-looking assessments that support students learning. In the descriptions of FA and RTI a number of key aspects were identified. For FA; classroom context, students involvement, feedback to students, qualitative focus and for RTI; systematic organisation, data based decision making, evidence based instruction and standardized tests. In a subsequent analysis we use a Venn-diagram to highlight the unique key aspects of FA and RTI and common key aspects termed; forward-looking assessment, goals and criteria, and assessment competence. Finally, we argue for a pragmatic view on assessments, that a wide scope of adjustments needs to be considered and that teachers need a comprehensive knowledge about assessment practices and to carefully follow students progress.

PURPOSE: This pilot study investigated the possible transfer effect on reading ability in children with reading difficulties after a systematic intervention to train and compensate for reading deficiencies by using applications in smartphones and tablets. The effects of using assistive technology (AT) one year after the interventions were completely studied. School related motivation, independent learning and family relations were also considered. METHOD: 35 pupils aged 10-12 years participated. They were assessed five times with reading tests. The participants, their parents and teachers were surveyed with questionnaires regarding their experience of using AT. The data from the assessments were analyzed with paired t-tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. The data from the questionnaires were analyzed using content analysis. RESULTS: The paper shows that using AT can create transfer effects on reading ability one year after the interventions were finished. This means that reading impaired children may develop at the same rate as non-impaired readers. Also, increased school motivation and an increase in independent learning and family effects have been shown. CONCLUSIONS: This paper provides implications in how to facilitate reading impaired pupils' learning process and realizes the need to challenge the concept of reading to change to fit modern means of gaining information. Implications for rehabilitation Children with reading impairment could benefit from assistive technology in regards of their reading development process and increase their chances of not falling behind peers. Assistive technology as applications in smartphones and tablets may aid children with reading impairment to have an equal platform for learning in school as their peers without reading difficulties. Assistive technology could facilitate the information gaining process and subsequently increase motivation to learn and increase interest in reading activities. Assistive technology had wider ef

Purpose: Reading impaired students can read and write with the aid and support of tablets and apps. This study explores how teachers perceive the usefulness of tablets and apps for reading impaired students in Grade 4, 8 and in upper secondary education as well as perceptions of usefulness for pedagogical practice after leading a six-week assistive technology intervention. Method: After participating in the training, and after leading a six-week intensive intervention, the teachers were surveyed on their experience and the perceived usefulness of tablets and apps. The survey contained both closed and open questions and the responses were analyzed in terms of the social validity of the technology. Quantitative measures of teacher and student characteristics as well as reading measures were linked to teacher perceptions. Results and Conclusion: Results show that the teachers perceived the tablets and the apps as very useful for a majority of the students regarding motivation to read and write as well as facilitating the reading and writing ability. Several teachers also meant that the digital tools may be essential for their students to succeed in school and nearly all were positive of using tablets and apps as part of their pedagogical practice. Additional analyzes, involving the quantitative measures, are discussed at the presentation.

Fifty-six specific poor reading comprehenders (SPRC) were selected in Grade 4 and retrospectively compared to good comprehenders at preschool (age 5) and at the end of kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 2. The results revealed deficits in vocabulary, grammar, verbal memory and early deficits in phonological awareness in most of the SPRC sample, beginning in preschool. The reading comprehension deficits in children with SPRC were not as marked in earlier assessments in Grade 1 and 2, probably because of the greater dependence on word decoding in reading comprehension in the early grades., Funding Agencies|National Institute of Health [2 P50 HD27802, 1 R01 HD38562]; Swedish Research Council [345-2002-3701, PDOKJ028/2006:1]; Riksbankens Jubileumsfond; Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation [PDOKJ028/2006:1]

Fifty-six specific poor reading comprehenders (SPRC) were selected in grade 4 and retrospectively compared to good comprehenders at preschool age 5 and at the end of kindergarten, grade 1 and 2. The results showed a widespread language-deficit profile in children with SPRC, including deficits in vocabulary, grammar, verbal memory and early phonological awareness in a large part of the sample beginning in preschool. The reading comprehension deficits in children with SPRC were not as apparent in earlier assessments at grade 1 and 2, likely because of the greater dependence on word decoding in reading comprehension in the early grades.

Compromised reading comprehension will invariably influence future academic achievements. In reading research there has been an emphasis on early identification of poor decoders to reduce future difficulties. Only a few studies have examined preschool prediction of reading comprehension impairments beyond the first grades of school, and these studies have presented different patterns of results. As studies have mostly been conducted in English; it is unclear how the results generalize to languages with transparent orthographies. In this study, a Swedish and a Norwegian twin sample were used to predict reading comprehension and decoding impairments in grade 2, 4 and 8/9 from preschool. The results suggested an important role for RAN and verbal memory. Compromised RAN was consistently associated with the poor decoders, as well as in identifying poor reading comprehenders in grade 8/9. Verbal memory tasks at preschool contributed to the identification of children with reading comprehension impairment across grades.

An increase in hyaluronan (HA) synthesis, cellular uptake, and metabolism occurs during the remodeling of tissue microenvironments following injury and during disease processes such as cancer. We hypothesized that multimodality HA-based probes selectively target and detectably accumulate at sites of high HA metabolism, thus providing a flexible imaging strategy for monitoring disease and repair processes. Kinetic analyses confirmed favorable available serum levels of the probe following intravenous (i.v.) or subcutaneous (s.c.) injection. Nuclear (technetium-HA, Tc-99m-HA, and iodine-HA, I-125-HA), optical (fluorescent Texas Red-HA, TR-HA), and magnetic resonance (gadolinium-HA, Gd-HA) probes imaged liver (Tc-99m-HA), breast cancer. cells/xenografts (TR-HA, Gd-HA), and vascular injury (I-125-HA, TR-HA). Targeting of HA probes to these sites. appeared to result from selective HA receptor-dependent localization. Our results suggest that HA-based probes, which do not require, polysaccharide backbone modification to achieve favorable half-life and distribution, can detect elevated HA metabolism in homeostatic, injured, and diseased tissues.

It is generally believed that early academic failure in school develops into a downward spiral of negative motivational and behavioral consequences. In this study, children with reading difficulties were compared with typical readers on questionnaires measuring ADHD symptoms and other behavior problems such as withdrawn symptoms, somatic complaints, anxiety/depression, social problems, and aggression. The results revealed that reading difficulties and problem behaviors appear more independent of each other rather than problem behaviors being a consequence of reading failure. In addition, gender differenceswere negligible when examining the relationship between reading difficulties and subsequent problem behavior. Some implications for special educationand intervention are suggested.