The Effects of Shared e-Book Reading With Dynamic Text and Speech Output on the Single-Word Reading Skills of Young Children With Developmental Disabilities

• Published in: Language, speech & hearing services in schools speech & hearing services in schools, 2021-01, Vol.52 (1), p.426-435
• Main Authors: Boyle, Susannah, McNaughton, David, Light, Janice, Babb, Salena, Chapin, Shelley E
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Child development deviations; Child Language; Child, Preschool; Children; Children & youth; Children with disabilities; Cognitive Development; Cooperative Learning; Developmental Disabilities; Developmental Disabilities - psychology; Disability; Disabled children; E-books; Early Reading; Education of Intellectually Disabled - methods; Education, Distance - methods; Educational Technology; Electronic Publishing; Emergent Literacy; Female; Humans; Individualized Education Programs; Individualized Family Service Plans; Individualized Instruction; Instructional Effectiveness; Intellectual disabilities; Intervention; Knowledge; Language Acquisition; Literacy; Male; Pediatric research; Peer Teaching; Peers; Phonics; Phonology; Picture Books; Preschool Children; Preschool Education; Psychological aspects; Reading; Reading ability; Reading comprehension; Reading Instruction; Reading Skills; Research Notes; Shared reading; Skill Development; Skills; Social aspects; Software; Speech; Teaching Methods; Technology Uses in Education; Vocabulary Development; Young Children
• ISSN: 0161-1461; 1558-9129
• DOI: 10.1044/2020_LSHSS-20-00009

Purpose This study investigated the use of a new software feature, namely, dynamic text with speech output, on the acquisition of single-word reading skills by six children with developmental disabilities during shared e-book reading experiences with six typically developing peers. Method A single-subject, multiple-probe design across participants was used to evaluate the effects of the software intervention. Six children with developmental delays were the primary focus for intervention, while six children with typical development participated as peer partners in intervention activities. e-Books were created with the new software feature, in which a child selects a picture from the e-book and the written word is presented dynamically and then spoken out. These e-books were then used in shared reading activities with dyads including a child with a disability and a peer with typical development. Participants engaged in the shared reading activity for an average of 13 sessions over a 6-week time period, an average of 65 min of intervention for each dyad. Results Participants with disabilities acquired an average of 73% of the words to which they were exposed, a gain of 4.3 words above the baseline average of 1.7 correct responses. The average effect size (Tau-U) was .94, evidence of a very large effect. Conclusion The results provide evidence that the use of e-books with the dynamic text and speech output feature during inclusive shared reading activities can be an effective and socially valid method to develop the single-word reading skills of young children with developmental disabilities.