2. The Impact of Assistive Technologies on the Reading Outcomes of College Students with Disabilities Gotesman Edith PhD Goldfus Carol PhD Levinsky College of Education

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

4. LD students are learning-disabled/learning- disadvantaged students experiencing one or several of the following impairments:  Dyslexia — a language disorder primarily affecting the ability to read fluently ability to read fluently  Dyscalculia — a learning disorder demonstrated by a poor aptitude with figures  Dysgraphia — a language disorder that affects the ability to write to write

5. Dyslexia refers to a "difficulty in learning to read in a person who has good intelligence, strong motivation, and who has received appropriate teaching". Sally Shaywitz (2003)

6. Assistive technology - AT – is defined as: “ any technology that enables an individual with a learning disability to compensate for specific deficits. ” (Raskind and Higgins,1998) (Raskind and Higgins,1998)

7. “ The use of technology has been shown to be effective in a wide range of content areas. ” (Ashton, 2005; Edyburn, 2004; Okolo, Cavalier, Ferretti, & MacArthur, 2000).

8. 1.word recognition, reading comprehension, spelling and reading strategies (Raskind & Higgins, 1999); 2.spelling (Dalton, Winbury & Morocco, 1990, MacArthur, Graham, Haynes & DeLapaz, 1996); 3.organizing, reading and synthesizing information (Anderson, Inman, Knox-Quinn & Homey, 1996, Anderson, Inman, Knox-Quinn & Szymanski, 1999); 4.proofreading (Raskind & Higgins, 1995); 5.writing (Raskind & Higgins, 1995) 5.writing (Raskind & Higgins, 1995); 6.decoding, comprehension and reading with fluency (Elkind, Cohen & Murray 1993, Higgins & Raskind, 2000).

9. Word processors Spell checkers Text-to- speech programs Proofreading programs Speech-to-text programs Word prediction programs Outlining/ brainstorming programs

10. Specific tasks/functions to be performed Specific technology Specific context of interaction Individual Raskind & Higgins (1998) and Raskind (1998)

11. STUDENTS ’ NEED Decoding Decoding Reading comprehension Reading comprehension Handwriting Handwriting Expressing words Expressing words in written form Spelling Spelling Organization Organization ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY Text-to-speech programs Text-to-speech programs Speech-to-text programs Speech-to-text programs Word processors Word processors Word prediction programs Word prediction programs Proofreading programs Proofreading programs Outlining/brainstorming programs Outlining/brainstorming programs

13. Participants: 14 LD students at the Levinsky College of Education Participants: 14 LD students at the Levinsky College of Education Duration: 2006-2008; Duration: 2006-2008; Design: pre-test, intervention, post-test Design: pre-test, intervention, post-test Independent variable: computer-based reading software Independent variable: computer-based reading software Dependent variable: reading comprehension skills, attitude toward reading and AT. Dependent variable: reading comprehension skills, attitude toward reading and AT.

15. Average90-10080-9070-8060-70Scores73.5 1 student 2 students 3 students 4 students January 2007 68.2 2 students 3 students 5 students June 2007 79.5 2 students 4 students 2 students January 2008

16. decode/read texts in English by significantly gaining in word recognition and reading comprehension; decode/read texts in English by significantly gaining in word recognition and reading comprehension; improve their reading fluency; improve their reading fluency; learn, apply, develop, maintain and generalize new reading strategies; learn, apply, develop, maintain and generalize new reading strategies; become motivated to read in English; become motivated to read in English; increase their level of participation in class or home assignments; increase their level of participation in class or home assignments; achieve better grades; achieve better grades; be better prepared to read articles in their individual field of study. be better prepared to read articles in their individual field of study.

17. INTERNETSITE AT TO CONSIDER TYPE OF DIFFICULTY www.readplease.comwww.naturalreader.comwww.textaloud.comwww.textassist.comwww.kurzweiledu.comReadPlease Natural Reader TextAloudTextAssistKurtzweilReading www.nuance.com/naturallyspeakingwww.intellitools.comDragonNaturallySpeakingIntellitalkWriting www.inspiration.comInspiration Planning and Organization www.wordq.comwww.readingmadeez.comWordQ Predictor Pro Spelling and Word Prediction