Investigating a Framework for STEM-Reading to Support Secondary School Students with Reading Disabilities

Smithsonian Institution Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge MA

Investigators

Abstract

This award is led and managed by Smithsonian Institution Astrophysical Observatory with significant contributions from colleagues at Harvard University and the University of Massachusetts at Boston, as well as participation from Landmark School. The purpose of the project is to investigate how effective the use of a technological intervention that limits attention and controls text reading rate, labeled "Span Limiting Tactile Reinforcement (SLTR)," is for improving the science reading comprehension and fluency of high school students with dyslexia. A comparison of using SLTR with iPod technology to using traditional paper reading is being conducted. The design of the primary investigation involves assigning 150 high school students with dyslexia to four randomly assigned sub-groups to control for presentation order (iPod vs. paper) and for text (two different similar material sets). Data from the primary research combined with additional data collection protocols is being used to address two additional exploratory research questions: 1. Does the effectiveness of SLTR depend on the type of STEM content? 2. To what extent does the utility of SLTR differ among subtypes of dyslexia? The evaluation of this project is being conducted by an external and independent evaluator, funded under a different award. A replication manual for this award is available on the award website and results from the studies are provided on the website and in peer-reviewed publication.