Implementing assistive technologies: A study on co-learning in the Canadian elementary school context

Abstract

This study focuses on teacher and student co-learning with assistive technologies (such as text-to-speech readers) in a specialized program for students with learning disabilities. Canadian students in Grades 4-5 who were reading well below grade level were selected for this intensive intervention. Study participants include both teachers and students. Research includes qualitative data collected from teacher observations and interviews, as well as a detailed analysis of the student participants’ reading and comprehension scores on tests. The researcher and teachers engaged in systematic (weekly) review and analysis of their perceptions of student progress based on both the reading and comprehension data and observations, and then made mid-course corrections in the technology approaches used in the reading intervention program. Results indicate that this assistive technology intervention, guided by teacher-researcher collaboration and reflection, yielded both student and teacher gains. This study attempts to address gaps in the literature, demonstrating that assistive technologies, introduced in a timely way and implemented with support, can provide measurable gains in reading fluency, comprehension, and engagement. This study also shows the potential gains from teacher-researcher collaboration when introducing new technologies, while illustrating some of the current complexities associated with assistive technology interventions in school settings.