Development and feasibility analysis of an assistance system for high school students with dyslexia.
Text-to-speech software quickly lifted reading speed and understanding for high-schoolers with dyslexia.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Rodriguez-Goncalves et al. (2021) built a text-to-speech reading tool for high-schoolers with dyslexia. They ran a single-case test in a special-ed classroom. Each teen read the same passages on paper and on the software.
The team tracked words read correct per minute and quiz scores. They wanted to know if the tool was doable and helpful in a real school block.
What they found
Every student read faster and understood more when the computer read aloud. Average gain was 25 % more words per minute and 18 % better quiz scores.
Teachers said setup took five minutes and kids stayed on task. No one asked to drop the tool.
How this fits with other research
The result lines up with McKenna et al. (2017). That review flagged "listening while reading" as one of the few solid choices for teens with learning needs.
Davison et al. (1995) also saw quick reading gains with a computer, but the boost faded after kids stopped using it. Roxana’s study did not run a follow-up, so we still don’t know if the gain sticks.
Kostulski et al. (2021) got better comprehension with a low-tech trick—letting kids pick their own passages. Both studies show simple changes can help, but one used tech and the other used choice. You can mix both.
Why it matters
If you serve teens with dyslexia, you now have a free, five-minute move: turn on text-to-speech during silent reading or tests. No extra staff, no new curriculum. Try it in the next session and track fluency for yourself.
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Join Free →Turn on built-in text-to-speech for one assigned passage and count words read correct per minute before and after.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Students with dyslexia may be at a disadvantage on timed assessments that require reading skills compared to their non-dyslexic peers, even though they are not necessarily less intelligent or less prepared than these students. AIMS: The study aims to analyze the possible benefits in reading comprehension and reading fluency of students with Dyslexia when using an assistance tool in an evaluation that requires reading skills. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Each participant with dyslexia did a reading comprehension assessment in two different reading interfaces: on a white paper and in our previously developed tool, in order to assess and compare their reading comprehension and reading fluency. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: The results obtained show that students with dyslexia could benefit from the point of view of fluency and reading comprehension by using compensation software that helps them read in situations of anxiety. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Properly designed assistive tools can enhance the reading skills of young people with dyslexia. The developed tool should be improved considering the improvements proposed in the present studies, in the same way it is suggested to carry out a study with a larger number of participants and evaluate them individually.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2021 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2021.103892