[Athen] Academic Outcomes and Electronic Text

[Pratik Patel]

Outcome-based research in this field is a bit difficult to  accomplish
because comparative samples are hard to come by.  Unless there are creative
methods to study students--interviews, surveys, etc., ethically it is
difficult for us to expect a group of students to participate in a study
where they would not have access to electronic resources.  Combined
longitudinal and lateral studies would probably be necessary.  And,
reviewers aren't willing to wait for such results.  

Pratik

-----Original Message-----
From: athen-bounces at athenpro.org [mailto:athen-bounces at athenpro.org] On
Behalf Of Ron Stewart
Sent: Monday, November 13, 2006 11:32 AM
To: 'Access Technologists in Higher Education Network'
Subject: Re: [Athen] Academic Outcomes and Electronic Text

This is something that plagues all of AT not just e-text.  There is little
to no primary research on the efficacy of the various AT accommodations we
use with adult learners with disabilities, we can make some inferences from
the minimal research from the k-12 sector, but then you also have to assume
that adults learn in the same way as children, a major assumption perhaps
not supported by the research in teaching and learning theory.  

This becomes an increasing problem when you are working in a world that
requires outcome based measurement to secure funding dollars.

Ron Stewart

-----Original Message-----
From: athen-bounces at athenpro.org [mailto:athen-bounces at athenpro.org] On
Behalf Of Berkowitz, Daniel J
Sent: Monday, November 13, 2006 9:32 AM
To: Access Technologists in Higher Education Network
Subject: Re: [Athen] Academic Outcomes and Electronic Text

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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>>

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