A publication of the Technology and Media Division of the Council for Exceptional Children
JSET Articles Index
Volume 4 Number 3
Supported eText: Effects of Text-to-Speech on Access and Achievement for High School Students with Disabilities
Margo Vreeburg Izzo, Amanda Yurick, and Bianca McArrell
The Ohio State University
Students with disabilities often lack the skills required to access the general education curriculum and achieve success in school and postschool environments. Evidence suggests that using assistive technologies such as digital texts and translational supports enhances outcomes for these students (Anderson-Inman & Horney, 2007). The purpose of the current study was to examine the effects of a text-to-speech screen reader program on the academic achievement of high school students with disabilities in an online transition curriculum emphasizing information literacy. The text-to-speech support was introduced and withdrawn in a reversal design across 10 curriculum units. Findings suggest that the text-to-speech support increased unit quiz and reading comprehension performance with large effect sizes. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.
