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

Abstract

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.

Incorporating Technology into Instruction in Early Childhood Classrooms: a Systematic Review

“…Fourteen of the included studies (40%) included information on the disability status of their participants. Four studies reported participants with autism spectrum disorder (Cardon et al, 2019 ; Dueñas et al, 2021 ; Jung & Sainato, 2015 ; Pellegrino et al, 2020 ); three studies reported participants with intellectual disability or developmental disabilities (Boyle et al, 2021 ; Chai, 2017 ; Taylor, 2018 ); two studies reported participants with specific learning disability and speech language impairment or learning disabilities in general (Amorim et al, 2020 ; Musti-Rao et al, 2015 ); and four studies reported participants as having an IEP or an unspecified qualification for special education (Kim et al, 2019 ; Lee & Tu, 2016 ; Sullivan & Bers, 2018 ; Wilkes et al, 2020 ). One study reported including students “at risk” for mathematics difficulty (Desoete & Praet, 2013 ).…”

“…One study showed varying results across control and intervention groups, meaning that one group performed higher on certain skills than the other and vice-versa (Elimelech & Aram, 2020 ). For the included studies that employed a single-case research design, the results were mixed as well with most studies reporting an increase in target academic skills (Boyle et al, 2021 ; Chai, 2017 ; Musti-Rao et al, 2015 ), programming skills (Taylor, 2018 ), and engagement (McCoy et al, 2017 ) or social skills (Dueñas et al, 2021 ; Jung & Sainato, 2015 ; Pellegrino et al, 2020 ), while a few reported no clear, functional relation between the intervention and dependent variable (Cardon et al, 2019 ; Dennis et al, 2016 ).…”

Supporting Communication and Participation in Shared Storybook Reading Using Visual Scene Displays

“…Early sight word recognition of high-interest words helps children take a more active role in shared storybook reading with an adult—the child can call out words as they are used in the text. As children gain fluency in recognizing words, they can take greater responsibility in “reading along” with an adult partner (Boyle, 2018; Spector, 2011).…”

“…VSDs have been used across multiple disciplines, including health and education, and are gaining popularity due to the widespread availability and accessibility of mobile technology. Current research provides evidence that VSDs can be used to increase the communication and participation of children with complex communication needs, particularly those who have had no previous experience with AAC technology (Boyle et al, 2020; Ganz et al, 2015; Light et al, 2019). For some children, a VSD approach serves as their primary AAC system.…”

“…The use of VSDs during shared storybook reading has been shown to be beneficial for children with a variety of disabilities. For example, storybook VSDs have helped increase language opportunities for children with complex communication needs (Ganz et al, 2014) as well as helped improve interactions between children with complex communication needs and their peers (Boyle et al, 2020; Therrien & Light, 2016). Furthermore, storybook VSDs have been used in the classroom to increase responses after a read-aloud (Wood Jackson et al, 2011) and teach sight words to children with language delays and developmental disabilities (Boyle et al, 2017; Mandak et al, 2019).…”