Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 7, 2026
09:00
Advancing Dyslexia Assessment in Children Through Computerized Testing
Published on: August 16, 2024
E-readers are more effective than paper for some with dyslexia
Matthew H Schneps1, Jenny M Thomson, Chen Chen
1Science Education Department, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Plos One
|September 24, 2013
Summary
E-readers may improve reading speed and comprehension for high school students with dyslexia. Short lines on devices help attention, benefiting those with reading challenges.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Educational Technology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- E-readers offer accessibility features potentially beneficial for individuals with dyslexia.
- Limited research exists on how e-reader use impacts reading in struggling readers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of e-reader devices on reading speed and comprehension in high school students with dyslexia.
- To compare reading performance on e-readers versus traditional print formats.
Main Methods:
- 103 high school students with dyslexia participated.
- Reading comprehension and speed were measured comparing paper-based reading with reading on a handheld e-reader displaying short lines.
- Eye-tracking studies informed the experimental design.
Main Results:
- E-reader use significantly improved reading speed and comprehension for specific subsets of students with dyslexia.
- Students with greater phoneme decoding or sight word reading difficulties showed increased reading speed on the e-reader.
- Students with limited visual attention spans demonstrated improved comprehension.
Conclusions:
- The benefits observed are likely due to the short line formatting, not the device itself.
- Short lines may help mitigate reading difficulties associated with visual attention deficits in dyslexia.
- E-readers, when formatted with short lines, can be a valuable tool for improving reading in students with dyslexia.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Learning Disabilities
Learning disabilities are cognitive disorders caused by neurological impairments that affect cognitive functions like language and reading, without indicating overall intellectual or developmental challenges. These disabilities differ from global intellectual or developmental disabilities as they are limited to distinct cognitive functions. Common learning disabilities include dysgraphia, dyslexia, and dyscalculia, each of which impacts unique aspects of learning.
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a...
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a...
01:27Language and Cognition
Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.
01:30Information Processing Approach
The information-processing theory of cognitive development centers on fundamental mental processes, including attention, memory, and problem-solving skills. Researchers in this field examine how cognitive abilities, such as working memory, evolve and influence children's overall development. Studies indicate that children with stronger working memory tend to excel in reading comprehension, math, and problem-solving compared to peers with less efficient memory skills. Low working memory is also...
01:01Neuroplasticity
Neuroplasticity reflects the brain's remarkable capacity to adapt and evolve, responding dynamically to learning, experiences, or injury by reorganizing its neural circuitry. This reorganization involves creating new neural connections and refining old ones through a series of biological processes that contribute to the brain's lifelong development and adaptability.