Nordström, T., Nilsson, S., Gustafson, S., & Svensson, I. (2019). Assistive technology applications for students with reading difficulties: Special education teachers’ experiences and perceptions . Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology , 14 (8), 798–808. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2018.1499142

Assistive technology (AT) applications including text-to-speech (TTS) for reading and speech-to-text (STT) for writing via electronic tablets were investigated.

A total of 54 special educators, teaching grades 4, 8, and high school in schools in five areas in southern Sweden, responded to and completed surveys that described their 59 students with reading difficulties. Respondents' ages and years of professional experience were reported.

A survey of 16 items inquired about teacher observations or impressions of student motivation, student learning, and the usefulness of AT apps for students with reading difficulties. These students had been provided with opportunities to use the AT apps while reading academic texts with TTS and composing summaries of the texts with STT. Quantitative data yielded the proportions of respondents indicating specific benefits from students' use of AT apps; and qualitative data in the form of comments from open-ended survey items.

Student motivation: Most survey respondents indicated that student motivation has increased for schoolwork completion in general. Most teachers of grade 4 students with reading difficulties indicated the view that their students have increased motivation in specific reading and writing skills; smaller proportions of teachers of grade 8 and high school indicated that view. Student learning: Most survey respondents perceived that their students demonstrated comprehension of the texts, and engaged in the tasks more autonomously. In reply to a specific item, 80% of grade 4 teachers and nearly 60% of middle and high school teachers affirmed that TTS can compensate for their students' reading difficulties. AT usefulness: Most survey respondents endorsed the usefulness of AT apps; nearly all indicated that their students' learning opportunities and reading development were enhanced, about 90% indicated that AT enhanced comprehension, and about 80% indicated the enhancement of writing performance. Five themes emerged during the qualitative analysis of survey: (a) students ranged in their capacity to use TTS and STT; (b) some students seemed to demonstrate gains in improve reading and writing skills beyond their task performance; (c) some students used AT for non-test situations, suggesting internalized motivation; (d) teachers advocated for use of AT by general educators; and (e) some teachers incorporated AT in instructional activities.