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  • Title: Dyslexic students' experiences in using assistive technology to support written language skills: a five-year follow-up.
    Author: Almgren Bäck G, Lindeblad E, Elmqvist C, Svensson I.
    Journal: Disabil Rehabil Assist Technol; 2024 May; 19(4):1217-1227. PubMed ID: 36641779.
    Abstract:
    PURPOSE: This study presents several accounts of user experiences with assistive technology (AT). Although previous studies on dyslexic students reported promising results from using audiobooks, text-to-speech (TTS), and speech-to-text (STT), qualitative research is relatively sparse and short-term, and little is known about adolescents' long-term experiences of using AT in schools. Therefore, this five-year follow-up study aimed to describe dyslexic students' experiences of AT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nine students with dyslexia were interviewed using a semi-structured framework and a descriptive pattern-based thematic analysis. The students had previously participated in an AT intervention in Sweden. RESULTS: Three main themes are reported: Contextual factors: facilitators or barriers; Emotional responses in the learning environment; Developing meaningful strategies. The results align with previous research findings that audiobooks are beneficial throughout the school years, while STT is of mixed utility. TTS was mainly used in learning to decode texts. Continued AT use is discussed thematically, concretising experiences connected to schools' multilevel support. CONCLUSIONS: This study can contribute to the development of AT academic practices enriched by users' views. The findings reveal factors enabling or hindering students' continued AT usage. Contextual factors in schools concern organisational elements rather than AT accessibility. Students' emotional responses (using AT in the classroom) are influenced by dyslexia self-acceptance and AT attitudes. Students' understanding of how and why to use AT may limit the development of meaningful strategies. Implications and suggested further research are provided to improve dyslexic students' AT experiences and success in school. Understanding the organizational factors that enable or hinder continuous assistive technology (AT) use can help teachers support dyslexic students’ development in text-based learning throughout schooling.Ongoing attention to the emotional aspects of AT use in the classroom may be a valuable support in conjunction with systematic AT training.Listening and text production strategies with AT may need ongoing support to develop both lower-order and higher-order skills.
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