The Use of Assistive Technologies in Writing Situations with Dyslexic and Dysorthographic Students

Nadia Rousseau,Michelle Dumont,Carl Beaudoin

doi:10.5772/intechopen.99803

Abstract

In the context where dyslexic and dysorthographic students have great difficulties in writing, this study aims to describe and analyze the perceived relationship between the use of assistive technologies (AT) in writing situations as well as academic self-perception, feeling of self-efficacy and exam anxiety in dyslexic and dysorthographic students. Using standardized questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, data were collected at the beginning and end of the school year from 28 dyslexic and dysorthographic students aged 12 to 13. In terms of quantitative analyses, the average score for each of the scales on the questionnaires was calculated. As for the qualitative data, they were analyzed using a network analysis approach. The main results show that students who can use ATs in a writing situation have a significantly higher self-perception and feeling of self-efficacy than those who do not. Moreover, their use is promising since it is associated with less anxiety at the time of exams at both measurement times. The results obtained are discussed in relation to actions to be encouraged in schools.

Highlights

We will highlight the qualitative results obtained on the use of assistive technologies (AT) by participants
The results indicate that students with severe writing difficulties who have the opportunity to use an AT to summarize a story have a statistically significantly higher feeling of self-efficacy than those who do not, both in the fall (t [26] = −6,382, p = 0.001) and in the spring of the same school year (t [26] = −4,493, p = 0.001)
The results associated with social depreciation as well as cognitive blocking are in line with expectations, since the score obtained on these two subscales is lower at the end of the school year, when the student has had the opportunity to become more familiar with technological tools

Summary

Introduction

In the early 1980s, [1] proposed a model of written text production. This model, revised a few years later by [2], is still a reference in most French didactic studies [3]. It is based on the implementation of three main writing processes: planning, drafting, and reviewing [1, 3, 4]. In the case of inexperienced writers, reviewing will begin with the word and will gradually extend to the entire text, depending on writing conventions and ideas they wish to convey [6].

Objectives

Results

Discussion

Conclusion