Computer-assisted reading intervention with a phonics approach for children using cochlear implants or hearing aids

Area of Science:

• Education
• Audiology
• Developmental Psychology

Background:

• Deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) children often experience reading delays.
• Early reading interventions are crucial for academic success.
• Understanding cognitive factors influencing reading in DHH children is vital.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare reading abilities between DHH and normal hearing (NH) children before and after a phonics intervention.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of a computer-assisted phonics reading intervention for DHH children.
• To analyze cognitive and demographic factors associated with reading improvement in both groups.

Main Methods:

• A computer-assisted phonics intervention was administered to 48 DHH children (ages 5-7).
• A reference group of 16 normal hearing (NH) children participated.
• Reading ability, cognitive skills (working memory, phonological processing), and demographic data were assessed pre- and post-intervention.

Main Results:

• The intervention significantly improved word decoding accuracy, passage comprehension, and reduced nonword decoding errors in both NH and DHH children.
• NH children consistently scored higher in reading.
• Reading improvement correlated with complex working memory and phonological skills in NH children, and visual working memory and letter knowledge in DHH children.
• Age was the only significant demographic predictor of reading improvement.

Conclusions:

• Computer-assisted phonics intervention is effective in improving foundational reading skills for DHH children.
• DHH children may utilize visual strategies in reading, potentially contributing to reading delays observed in older children.
• Individual cognitive profiles, such as visual working memory and letter knowledge, are important targets for supporting reading development in DHH learners.