Abstract
ObjectivesTo identify, using eye-tracking technology, if readers on the autism spectrum (AS) would exhibit longer mean fixation times during question-answering but similar levels of comprehension accuracy to typically developing (TD) individuals.MethodsThe eye-gaze behavior of two school-aged autistic children and two TD children with similar reading abilities, age, gender, and grade level, was tracked while they read age-appropriate passages and answered related comprehension questions.ResultsBoth participants on the AS displayed longer mean fixations than TD participants during question-answering. Despite the longer fixations during question-answering, the accuracy of the participants on the AS was equal to or superior to those of the TD participants.ConclusionsLonger mean fixation durations during question-answering did not result in lower reading comprehension scores.
Highlights
Following ethics approval and informed parental consent, participants were selected based on their scores on the Progressive Achievement Tests in Reading (PAT-R), an Australian-based test of reading comprehension and word knowledge
Students who were considered to be typically developing and of similar age, grade level, gender, word reading, and language skills were included as a form of comparison
JG was accurate in answering comprehension questions (JG = 32/46 marks = 70%; SM = 32/46 marks = 70%) despite the difference in eye-gaze behavior
Summary
To identify, using eye-tracking technology, if readers on the autism spectrum (AS) would exhibit longer mean fixation times during question-answering but similar levels of comprehension accuracy to typically developing (TD) individuals. Methods The eye-gaze behavior of two school-aged autistic children and two TD children with similar reading abilities, age, gender, and grade level, was tracked while they read age-appropriate passages and answered related comprehension questions. Results Both participants on the AS displayed longer mean fixations than TD participants during question-answering. Despite the longer fixations during question-answering, the accuracy of the participants on the AS was equal to or superior to those of the TD participants. Conclusions Longer mean fixation durations during question-answering did not result in lower reading comprehension scores. Keywords Autism · Eye-tracking · Reading · Comprehension
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