[Athen] Academic Outcomes and Electronic Text

[Pratik Patel]

Hello,

The effectiveness of electronic/digital text can also be measured from the
delivery perspective.  The use of electronic text certainly can be claimed
to be delivered in a more timely fashion than other alternative formats.
Even reviewers can't argue with the fact that the difference between a
student possessing a book and not having access to it until a month into the
semester can mean failure for the student--especially for higher ed whether
semesters are typically 3 months long.

Pratik



-----Original Message-----
From: athen-bounces at athenpro.org [mailto:athen-bounces at athenpro.org] On
Behalf Of Kathleen Cahill
Sent: Sunday, November 12, 2006 6:08 PM
To: athen at athenpro.org
Subject: Re: [Athen] Academic Outcomes and Electronic Text

Hi;

This citation may be too dated, but worth a try:

Higgins, E. L. & Raskind, M. H. (1997). The compensatory effectiveness of
optical character recognition/speech synthesis on reading comprehension of
postsecondary students with learning disabilities. Learning Disabilities: A
Multidisciplinary Journal, 8, 75-87.

Kathy Cahill

Quoting Ron Stewart <ron.stewart at dolphinusa.com>:


> Sorry for the typo should be "Learning Disabilities Quarterly" Volume 26,

> Summer 2003

>

> EFFECTS OF AUDIO TEXTS ON THE ACQUISITION OF SECONDARY-LEVEL CONTENT BY

> STUDENTS

> WITH MILD DISABILITIES

>

> Elizabeth A. Boyle, Michaels. Rosenberg, Vincent J. Connelly, Shah Gallin

> Washburn,

> Loring C. Brinckerhoff, and Manju Banerjee

>

> Abstract. Secondary students with high-incidence cognitive disabilities

> often struggle to meet the demands of the general education curriculum due

> to poor reading skills. To address this challenge, we examined the effects

> of a CD-ROM audio textbook, alone and combined with a complementary

strategy

> (SLiCK), on the academic performance of secondary students in content-rich

> history classes. Students were assigned to one of three conditions: audio

> textbook combined with the SLiCK strategy, the audio textbook alone, or a

> control condition. Students in the groups using the audio text, both alone

> and with the strategy, performed significantly higher on content-area

> assessments than students in the control condition; however, there was no

> significant difference in scores between the group using the SLiCK

strategy

> and the group using the audio text alone. Still, it is noteworthy that use

> of the audio text had a significant effect on secondary-level content

> acquisition. Outcomes are discussed, and implications for practice,

strategy

> development, and future research are presented.

> ELIZABETH A. BOYLE, M.A., is research associate, Department of Special

> Education, Johns Hopkins University.

> MICHAEL S. ROSENBERG, PhD., is professor, Department of Special Education,

> Johns Hopkins University.

> VINCENT J. CONNELLY, M.S., is research associate, Department of Special

> Education, Johns Hopkins University.

> SHAR1 GALLIN WASHBURN, M.S., is manager of educational programming,

> Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic.

> LORING C. BRINCKERHOFF, PhD., is education and disability consultant,

> Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic.

> MANJU BANERJEE, M.A., M.S., is education and research consultant,

Recording

> for the Blind & Dyslexic.

>

> Ron

>

> -----Original Message-----

> From: athen-bounces at athenpro.org [mailto:athen-bounces at athenpro.org] On

> Behalf Of Ron Stewart

> Sent: Sunday, November 12, 2006 4:26 PM

> To: 'Access Technologists in Higher Education Network'

> Subject: Re: [Athen] Academic Outcomes and Electronic Text

>

> There is also some research out there that was done by RFB&D, in 2002/2003

> and published in Leaning Disabilities Quarterly.

>

> Ron Stewart

>

> -----Original Message-----

> From: athen-bounces at athenpro.org [mailto:athen-bounces at athenpro.org] On

> Behalf Of Nick Ogrizovich

> Sent: Sunday, November 12, 2006 12:04 PM

> To: Access Technologists in Higher Education Network

> Subject: Re: [Athen] Academic Outcomes and Electronic Text

>

> Hi All,

>

> I remembered a study done by Kurzweil and Landmark College on themes

similar

> to this. It focused more on ADD specific students though.

>

> http://www.landmarkcollege.org/institute/grants_research/kurzweil.html

>

> Just keep in mind that this study was funded by Kurzweil, I think. I

> wouldn't go so far as to say that the study is evocative of the Tobacco's

> industries studies claiming that Ciggerettes aren't dangerous or that

> nicotene isn't addictive. It's just that research withstands scrutiny

better

> when a company that stands to benefit fromthe results isn't also a major

> player in the research.

> (although I would probably agree with the results they obtained)

>

> Anyone interested in this study should contact Kurzweil, Landmark, or the

> Annals of Dyslexia(??) I remember reading through a little booklet they

> published after the fact. They might also know of other studies in the

past,

> or know of upcoming studies. Worth a look!

>

> Nick Ogrizovich

> Adaptive Technology Manager

> University of Vermont

> ______

>

> "The Effect of Reading Machine Technology on the Reading of Students with

> Attention Disorders"

> (Hecker, L., Burns L., Elkind J., Elkind K., Katz L. (2002). Benefits of

> Assistive Reading Software for Students with Attention Disorders. Annals

of

> Dyslexia, 52, 243-272.)

>

> This study investigated how assistive reading software affected the

reading

> performance of a group of 20 post-secondary students who had a primary

> diagnosis of attention disorder. The software provides a synchronized

visual

> and auditory presentation of text, and incorporates study skills tools for

> student highlighting and note-taking.

>

> These students used assistive reading software for the majority of a

> semester. It was utilized to read assignments for an English class, and in

> testing sessions in which comparisons were made between normal, unassisted

> reading and software-assisted reading. Attention measures, reading rate,

> comprehension scores, and attitude questionnaire responses were obtained

> during these sessions.

>

> Principal findings demonstrated that the assistive software allowed

students

> to attend better to their reading, to reduce their distractibility, to

read

> with less stress and fatigue, and to read for longer periods of time. It

> helped them to read faster and to complete reading assignments in less

time.

> It did not have a significant effect on comprehension, but did help some

> students whose comprehension was very poor.

>

> Study results indicate that assistive reading software should be

considered

> as a significant intervention to aid students who have attention

disorders,

> and as an accommodation to help them compensate for their disabilities.

>

> Research Team:

> Linda Hecker, Director of Educational Services Liza Burns, funded through

a

> Title III research award Sirkka Kauffman, Director of Evaluation at the

time

> of the research Dr. Jerome Elkind, The Lexia Institute, CA Ken Elkind,

> KurzweilT Educational Systems

>

>

>

>

> --- "Berkowitz, Daniel J" <djbrky at bu.edu> wrote:

>

>> Darren,

>>

>> The silence you heard in response to your request was partially due to

>> the lack of a subject line, partially due to a number of your ATHEN

>> colleagues being at the Accessing Higher Ground conference, but mostly

>> due

> to the fact that what you are seeking simply does not exist!

>>

>> I am presently working towards a terminal degree in education (Ed.D.)

>> and have found this very subject area to be almost completely untapped

>> in terms of outcomes and efficacy studies. I have searched high and

>> low and come up if not empty handed at least with a much lighter catch

> than I would have liked time and time again.

>>

>> I am not surprised the NIH reviewers are questioning your

>> suppositions. It is there job to ask "how do you know such and such

>> will do this and that?" You should be able to provide research that

>> indicates the results others have obtained from similar studies

>> leading to yours. The problem, of course, is that such studies simply

>> don't exist. On the bright side, it makes writing the Lit Review much

>> less time consuming <ha, ha>

>>

>> It is actually quite the Catch-22. Here we have a subject that most

>> definitely needs studying and yet the very lack of studies jeopardizes

>> our ability to study it. NIMAS coming on December 4th - but do we

>> really

> know if this stuff will work?

>>

>> >From a dissertation point of view - this is a good thing as I have an

>> >untapped area of

>> interest. But also from a dissertation point of view I am not asking a

>> Federal agency to provide funding. The chances that I will get a

>> go-head from my committee are far more likely than the chances you

>> will get a go-ahead from Uncle Sam (but do not give up!!) Same area of

> interest yet different perspectives.

>>

>> Best of luck and let us know how it goes --- Dann

>>

>>

>> =========================

>> Daniel Berkowitz - Assistant Director Boston University Office of

>> Disability Services

>> 19 Deerfield Street, 2nd floor

>> Boston, MA 02215

>>

>> (617) 353-3658 (office)

>> (617) 353-9646 (fax)

>> djbrky at bu.edu <mailto:djbrky at bu.edu>  (eMail) www.bu.edu/disability

>>

>> ________________________________

>>

>> From: athen-bounces at athenpro.org on behalf of Gabbert, Darren L.

>> Sent: Fri 11/10/2006 2:21 PM

>> To: Access Technologists in Higher Education Network

>> Subject: [Athen] Academic Outcomes and Electronic Text

>>

>>

>> Let's try this with a subject line...

>>

>> ________________________________

>>

>> From: athen-bounces at athenpro.org [mailto:athen-bounces at athenpro.org]

>> On Behalf Of Gabbert, Darren L.

>> Sent: Thursday, November 09, 2006 6:19 PM

>> To: Athen at athenpro.org

>> Subject: [Athen] (no subject)

>>

>>

>>

>> Can anyone point me to some credible (perhaps even compelling)

>> research on academic outcomes for students receiving textbooks

>> converted to electronic formats?  There are some NIH grant reviewers

>> who in all fairness took issue with our supposition that such outcomes

> would be positive.  Any direction here would be appreciated.

>>

>> Darren Gabbert, Grants & Contracts Administrator Adaptive Computing

>> Technology Center Information & Access Technology Services University

>> of Missouri-Columbia Darren at Missouri.edu

>>

>>

>> _______________________________________________

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>>

>

>

>

>

>

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