[Athen] Academic Outcomes and Electronic Text

[Berkowitz, Daniel J]

Actually - reviewers can argue with these 'facts' if they are not
available. Anecdotal evidence does not cut-it with federal grants. There
needs to be evidence that such materials can be delivered in a timely
manner (then you have to explain what is meant by 'timely'). Then what
about end-user skills? Having a textbook available in a digital format
is useless unless the student end-user knows how to make use of the
materials and has the proper equipment and training.  

 
=========================
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 (eMail)
www.bu.edu/disability
 


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

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

>Behalf Of Pratik Patel

>Sent: Monday, November 13, 2006 1:29 AM

>To: 'Access Technologists in Higher Education Network'

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

>

>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

>>>

>>>

>>> _______________________________________________

>>> Athen mailing list

>>> Athen at athenpro.org

>>> http://athenpro.org/mailman/listinfo/athen_athenpro.org

>>>

>>

>>

>>

>>

>>

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