Evaluating the implementation of the reading pen on the reading level, comprehension, and oral reading fluency of students with learning disabilities

Third-grade students with learning disabilities (SWLD) struggle to meet reading proficiency levels at the national level in the United States. Specific educational legislation has been enacted to enable SWLD to use assistive technologies such as text-to-speech (TTS) tools to support their reading. T...

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Main Authors: Kawanna McKenzie, Ismahan Arslan-Ari
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: International Forum of Educational Technology & Society 2024-10-01
Series:Educational Technology & Society
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.j-ets.net/collection/published-issues/27_4#h.i5z8r5ydofxz
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author Kawanna McKenzie
Ismahan Arslan-Ari
author_facet Kawanna McKenzie
Ismahan Arslan-Ari
author_sort Kawanna McKenzie
collection DOAJ
description Third-grade students with learning disabilities (SWLD) struggle to meet reading proficiency levels at the national level in the United States. Specific educational legislation has been enacted to enable SWLD to use assistive technologies such as text-to-speech (TTS) tools to support their reading. This study investigated the impact of implementing a TTS tool—the C-Pen—provided to third-grade SWLD on their reading skills. Data were collected from a third-grade classroom teacher and 4 third-grade SWLD using standardized pretest and posttest, classroom observations, a teacher interview, and student interviews. The study’s results indicated that both the student participants’ reading level and reading fluency improved, while their comprehension results were shown to be inconsistent after using C-Pen. The students considered the C-Pen to be a beneficial tool since it helped them to acquire reading skills they would likely not develop without it. Additionally, it enhanced their interest in reading and helped them to become independent readers. The teacher described the C-Pen as a versatile tool that could be valuable to all students, irrespective of any disability, and could be applied to a variety of subjects.
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spelling doaj-art-8a5a6508a0ee47d7bb2cc2766c5c18232025-08-20T02:11:30ZengInternational Forum of Educational Technology & SocietyEducational Technology & Society1176-36471436-45222024-10-01274251266https://doi.org/10.30191/ETS.202410_27(4).SP03Evaluating the implementation of the reading pen on the reading level, comprehension, and oral reading fluency of students with learning disabilitiesKawanna McKenzie0Ismahan Arslan-Ari1Department of Leadership, Learning Design and Inquiry, University of South, SC, USADepartment of Leadership, Learning Design and Inquiry, University of South, SC, USAThird-grade students with learning disabilities (SWLD) struggle to meet reading proficiency levels at the national level in the United States. Specific educational legislation has been enacted to enable SWLD to use assistive technologies such as text-to-speech (TTS) tools to support their reading. This study investigated the impact of implementing a TTS tool—the C-Pen—provided to third-grade SWLD on their reading skills. Data were collected from a third-grade classroom teacher and 4 third-grade SWLD using standardized pretest and posttest, classroom observations, a teacher interview, and student interviews. The study’s results indicated that both the student participants’ reading level and reading fluency improved, while their comprehension results were shown to be inconsistent after using C-Pen. The students considered the C-Pen to be a beneficial tool since it helped them to acquire reading skills they would likely not develop without it. Additionally, it enhanced their interest in reading and helped them to become independent readers. The teacher described the C-Pen as a versatile tool that could be valuable to all students, irrespective of any disability, and could be applied to a variety of subjects. https://www.j-ets.net/collection/published-issues/27_4#h.i5z8r5ydofxztext-to-speechreading penlearning disabilitiesinclusionreading
spellingShingle Kawanna McKenzie
Ismahan Arslan-Ari
Evaluating the implementation of the reading pen on the reading level, comprehension, and oral reading fluency of students with learning disabilities
Educational Technology & Society
text-to-speech
reading pen
learning disabilities
inclusion
reading
title Evaluating the implementation of the reading pen on the reading level, comprehension, and oral reading fluency of students with learning disabilities
title_full Evaluating the implementation of the reading pen on the reading level, comprehension, and oral reading fluency of students with learning disabilities
title_fullStr Evaluating the implementation of the reading pen on the reading level, comprehension, and oral reading fluency of students with learning disabilities
title_full_unstemmed Evaluating the implementation of the reading pen on the reading level, comprehension, and oral reading fluency of students with learning disabilities
title_short Evaluating the implementation of the reading pen on the reading level, comprehension, and oral reading fluency of students with learning disabilities
title_sort evaluating the implementation of the reading pen on the reading level comprehension and oral reading fluency of students with learning disabilities
topic text-to-speech
reading pen
learning disabilities
inclusion
reading
url https://www.j-ets.net/collection/published-issues/27_4#h.i5z8r5ydofxz
work_keys_str_mv AT kawannamckenzie evaluatingtheimplementationofthereadingpenonthereadinglevelcomprehensionandoralreadingfluencyofstudentswithlearningdisabilities
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