Research Paper

Research Paper on Technology in the Classroom
Interest: Use of technology for dyslexic students

The reason I chose this topic is because I plan to work with students with special needs when I graduate. I have a special interest in dyslexia right now because my twelve year old brother just got diagnosed with dyslexia about a month ago. Dyslexia is a disability that doesn’t go away with time; consequently the child has to learn to live with it until he or she is an adult. That’s why it’s important to find technological tools that will help the student with reading and writing. These tools might also serve the student in university, the workplace, and all through adulthood.

Synopsis 1
James, A., Electronic Gadgets to Help with Dyslexia, Dyslexic.com, published: May 3rd 2007, website: http://www.dyslexic.com/articlecontent.asp?CAT=Technology&slug=155

This article describes different portable electronic devices that can help students with dyslexia.
1. First, electronic spell checkers and dictionaries: this tool is great for students when they’re not able to be around a computer; for example: at their desk in the classroom. The student just writes the word the way he or she thinks it’s written, and the program corrects it. It’s very sensitive that it will detect very “strange” spellings. This gadget comes in different sizes and from different dictionaries. Some even come with a thesaurus so students can make sure their using the right word at the right place. The Franklin DMQ-1870 Speaking Dictionary; a more advanced device reads the spelling and definition out loud.
Second, portable scanning pens: this tool scans a word or sentence off a book or paper and reads it out loud. It’s especially good because it lets the students hear the proper phonic pattern. According to the author, research shows that this will help and accelerate learning because it will take these students less time than if they would have to look several words up in the dictionary, or decode a word one on one with a teacher. Its more advanced features are word translation and the possibility to create word banks related to a field such as medicine, geography, and science (especially good for the job market).
Third, portable word processors: this tool can be considered as a mini-computer. It is great for classrooms because it’s smaller than a regular computer and more resistant than a laptop. It has spell check and a thesaurus. This tool is great for struggling writers because it may come with a typing tutor and a phonetic word predictor.
Fourth, voice recorders: This device is great because it can record meetings, lectures or conferences. I think that many of us have a hard time following what a teacher or professor is saying and take notes at the same time. So I can just imagine how hard it is for a struggling writer. This is a newer version of the cassette tape recorder; it tapes more than 20 hours and the information can be transferred onto a computer.
Fifth, E-book: This is an electronic based text device. It enables the student to control the font and the background color to personal taste. Also, there is an option of listening to the text ou loud.

2. I think that the resource provided me with great technological gadgets that I would have otherwise not known about. It took into consideration that children with dyslexia don’t grow out of this disability, and therefore they need special tools to help them function throughout their lives; in high school, college, university, and on the job market.

3. I would definitely consider using these tools in my classroom because it would make the child with dyslexia feel more capable of doing to assigned work, whether it being reading or writing. The voice recorder might not be useful for an elementary student but all the other tools are great; I especially think that the spell checker and scanning pens would be the most useful in an elementary setting. The child’s self-esteem will be boosted because he or she won’t get as many spelling mistakes when writing a text. I hope to have the funding for these tools in the school that I work in, or I might need to ask the children’s’ parents to provide them with it.


Synopsis 2
Butteriss, S., Interview with a Dyslexic Entrepreneur – a Life Turned Around Through Technology, May 3rd 2007. http://www.dyslexic.com/articlecontent.asp?CAT=General&slug=273

1. This article talks about an interview that Sharon Butteriss had with a Dyslexic Entrepreneur: John Tipping. Before technology, he felt that he wasn’t able to “fully” do his job. He felt that his writing skills were holding him back; he couldn’t write his own quotes or invoices for his company. He asked his son or partner to do this type of work for him.
Until he was 37, he felt that there was no help available for people with dyslexia. Today, thanks to technology he can be independent and organize and write on his own; he doesn’t need to depend on his partner and son to write his emails and invoices anymore. He uses PDA to organize himself. Also, he uses a program called Read & Write to help him read his emails: it actually reads it to him. He uses a program called Dragon Naturally Speaking to write back. He sais that at 38, he had tears running down his face, when he wrote his first email on his own.

2. This interview is an inspiration to all dyslexic individuals. It shows that thanks to technology dyslexia shouldn’t stop anyone from pursuing their dreams and everyday tasks. It showed me that everyday tasks such as reading and writing emails can be difficult and depressing for individuals with dyslexia. Therefore, they need these technological tools to help them have the confidence that they can be like and, do everything like everyone else.

3. Read & Write as well as Dragon Naturally Speaking, are both great tools to use in the classroom. However, I feel that students shouldn’t fully depend on it and they should still put an effort and try reading and writing. I think that the teacher’s place is to evaluate which student really needs this tool because if used properly, it can really aid and help children boost their self esteem just like it did to the entrepreneur. Students with dyslexia sometimes have a hard time putting their ideas down on paper, and therefore, they don’t get credit for their amazing and interesting ideas. These programs allow teachers and other individuals to recognize these people’s creative ideas.

Synopsis 3
Informal discussion with Carolyn *****; psychologist

1. Carolyn is my brother’s psychologist. She has three children of her own that have different learning disabilities. Her older daughter is dyslexic; she struggled with school but thanks to technology, she is now doing her masters degree. She got her books scanned in college and university and the program read her texts to her. This program eliminated most of her frustration in regards to reading and comprehension. Before, when she read on her own, her brain wasn’t able to properly process the information because she was too concentrated on decoding words; this isn’t the case anymore because the technology reads to her. This way she can fully concentrate on the content of the book, and study on her own like any other university student.

2. Her story gave me and my parents hope for my younger brother. It made us realize that thanks to technology, nothing is impossible today. Students with disabilities can go through school and even get a bachelors or masters degree like everyone else. Individuals with dyslexia should believe in themselves because they can go very far in life.

3. I can use such a program in my classroom for children whom reading in an everyday struggle. I would use it when students are being evaluated on reading comprehension as opposed to reading alone. This way I can evaluate their comprehension; something that I would probably have a hard time doing if they were reading on their own. The student would probably be struggling to read, and therefore have a hard time understanding the content. This is my brother’s problem; when we read to him, he understands much better than when he reads on his own. However, when I want to evaluate the level of reading, I would obviously take the child alone and make him read to me.


Synopsis 4
Software: Dragon Naturally Speaking Preferred version 9 http://www.dyslexic.com/dragon

1. This is a speech recognition software. It allows people with dyslexia and different disabilities to speak to their computer in order to write, and control their computer. Examples of the kind of writing that can be done is for emails, word processing, internet browsing, ECT…Individuals with disabilities usually find it very time consuming to get their thoughts out on paper or onto the computer. This tool minimizes the frustration that these individuals might encounter; it is 3 times faster than typing. It has automatic punctuation, and the users can edit their work with their voice. If the person isn’t close to a computer and wants his or her ideas to be put onto the computer, he or she can dictate their voice onto a voice recorder and then download it onto the computer. No tool is easy to work with when you aren’t familiar with it; this software comes with a tutorial to help the individual work with the system.

2. I knew that there were tools for individuals with dyslexia, but I never knew that someone can speak to a computer and get their ideas written in text. This resource has great advantages; it allows teachers to see each child’s potential and creative thinking; something teachers wouldn’t otherwise be able to do. Also, it allows students with disabilities to feel that they can write great things like any other child in the classroom. Thanks to this program, children with disabilities won’t feel secluded and different from the rest of the students.

3. I can use this software in many circumstances in my classroom. I can not only use it for dyslexic individuals but for students who might not be able to write on a computer or on paper due to an accident. They can get their ideas onto the computer even if their hand might be broken or swollen. This tool minimizes overall frustration for the students that are unable to write due to any given circumstance.