PFI:AIR - TT: The RULE project: Read Understand Learn & Excel

University Of Oregon Eugene, Eugene OR

Investigators

Abstract

This PFI: AIR Technology Translation project focuses on building a computerized tool called RULE (Read Understand Learn Excel) that dynamically assesses and treats deficits in reading comprehension and retention that are common, but currently ignored, in secondary and postsecondary students with cognitive impairments. The project is motivated by the opportunity to fill the gap in clinical practice and educational reading assessment by developing an ecological assessment of reading comprehension and retention. The assessment includes an automated evaluation of (a) immediate and delayed (24 hour) reading comprehension; and (b) reading strategy use and study skills using text appropriate for struggling readers in late high school and college. The integrated assessment and intervention program, RULE, will be of great interest to clinicians and educators responsible for working with students who have high level challenges in reading as currently there are no validated tools. The primary product will be a prototype of an automated assessment of reading comprehension that includes an evaluation of readers' use of Before Reading Strategies (e.g., preview with activation of existing knowledge), During Reading Strategies (e.g., notetaking, highlighting, and periodic review strategies), and Review Strategies (e.g., summarization and self testing strategies). The assessment will be integrated with a reading strategy training program that was developed by the project team in their previous NSF CampusReader project. The automated and ecological nature of the RULE assessment will be desirable to the large market space of clinicians and educators who have very limited time thus are unable to personalize assessment and interventions as is required for high level reading comprehension impairments. This project addresses the problem of appropriate use of clinician-time during assessment. It uses technology that can assist the clinician by automating tedious and error-prone portions of an assessment. In particular: (1) it will infer reading-strategy use from the reader's interaction with the RULE interface, and (2) when students are asked to provide a written summary of what they have read, RULE will automate assessment of that summary and potentially link errors in the summary with errors in use of reading-strategies, i.e., link writing errors with reading errors. In addition to the listed project personnel, a multidisciplinary team of one undergraduate, one masters and one PhD student each from the Computer and Information Sciences and Communication Disorders & Sciences programs will be selected and will earn academic credit on the project in order to support their experience of working on a multidisciplinary technology development project with high clinical impact. The researchers will work with Innovation Partnership Services (University of Oregon) and Regional Accelerator and Innovation Network (regional entity supporting entrepreneurial efforts) in the technology transfer effort to ready RULE for the market place.