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Computerized writing and reading instruction for students in grades 4–9 with specific learning disabilities affecting written language
Author(s) -
Tanimoto S.,
Thompson R.,
Berninger V.W.,
Nagy W.,
Abbott R.D.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of computer assisted learning
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.583
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-2729
pISSN - 0266-4909
DOI - 10.1111/jcal.12110
Subject(s) - dysgraphia , handwriting , spelling , dyslexia , psychology , reading (process) , computer assisted instruction , written language , reading comprehension , comprehension , learning disability , mathematics education , computer science , linguistics , developmental psychology , artificial intelligence , philosophy , programming language
Computer scientists and educational researchers evaluated effectiveness of computerized instruction tailored to evidence‐based impairments in specific learning disabilities ( SLDs ) in students in grades 4–9 with persisting SLDs despite prior extra help. Following comprehensive, evidence‐based differential diagnosis for dysgraphia (impaired handwriting), dyslexia (impaired word reading and spelling), and oral and written language learning disability, students completed 18 sessions of computerized instruction over about 3 months. The 11 students taught letter formation with sequential, numbered, coloured arrow cues with full contours who wrote letters on lines added to iPAD screen showed more and stronger treatment effects than the 21 students taught using only visual motion cues for letter formation who wrote on an unlined computer monitor. Teaching to all levels of language in multiple functional language systems (by ear, eye, mouth and hand) close in time resulted in significant gains in reading and writing skills for the group and in diagnosed SLD hallmark impairments for individuals; also, performance on computerized learning activities correlated with treatment gains. Results are discussed in reference to need for both accommodations and explicit instruction for persisting SLDs and the potential for computers to teach handwriting, morphophonemic orthographies, comprehension and composition