Investigating the Efficacy of Reading Adventure Time! for Improving Reading Skills in Children with Visual Impairments

Abstract

Introduction: Reading Adventure Time!, formerly known as the pilot version of the iBraille Challenge Mobile App, is an educational technology tool integrating digital literacy to support braille reading and writing instruction for students in 1st–12th grades. Designed to operate on an Apple iPad with a refreshable braille display, Reading Adventure Time! uses gaming strategies to motivate students to improve literacy skills such as fluency, comprehension, writing dictation, and proofreading. Methods: The application (app) was developed under a Stepping Up Technology grant (H327S120007), which was disseminated to more than 50 teachers and students. Teachers and caregivers completed a Likert-type scale of technology skills as a pre- and postmeasure. Students’ reading speed, comprehension, and miscues were measured by the app. Results: Over 50 participants who used the app showed gains in reading and technology skills. Discussion: Students’ reading speeds, as measured by the app, mirror the reading speeds found in prior research (e.g., the ABC Braille Study). The impact on technology skills for teachers, caregivers, and students was much greater than anticipated. Implications for practitioners: The study provides evidence supporting Reading Adventure Time! as a supplemental intervention that addresses several reading skills and may be used in conjunction with a total, balanced literacy program.

Accommodation Needs for Teachers Who are Blind and Teach Students with Visual Impairments

“…Technology is important for information access (Kamei-Hannan, Lee, & Presley, 2017). All the participants reported the need for staying current with new technology.…”

“…The participants acquired the skills they needed to perform their jobs through networking, conferences, and technology to cope with their limited access (Kamei-Hannan et al, 2017). Most of the participants’ schools offered reasonable access to assistive technology, and all the participants appreciated the levels of technology offered at their workplaces.…”

Development of 4to24, a Transition Application for Parents of Students With Visual Impairments

“…This app differs from other apps for students with visual impairments previously described in the literature in some important ways. Other apps developed for this population focus on skill development in a particular academic area: Animal Watch , an online math tutoring system (Beal, Rosenblum, & Smith, 2011; Beal & Rosenblum, 2015), and iBraille Challenge, a braille reading and literacy app (Kamei-Hannan et al, 2015, 2020). In contrast, the 4to24 app covers a wide range of topics intended to facilitate overall independence and preparation for employment.…”

“…With the current prevalence of smartphones and tablets, mobile application (app) use, and widely available Internet access, providing information via a mobile app can reach more parents and youths than by using other means. Increasing use of apps is illustrated by the recent development of two other apps specifically for youths with visual impairments for practicing academic skills (Beal & Rosenblum, 2015; Kamei-Hannan, McCarthy, D’Andrea, & Holbrook, 2020). Apps also offer the use of active reminders, such as notifications in an app-based calendar, that have been shown to increase desired activities to a higher degree than passive reminder systems (McDonald et al, 2011).…”

A Review of Computer-Assisted Instruction for Students With Visual Impairment

“…Visual impairment (VI) limits students’ access to information (Wolffe, 2017). Assistive technology (AT; i.e., devices or software used to increase functional capabilities) and instructional technology (i.e., devices or software that facilitate learning) are vital tools that educators can use to improve students’ access to information and instruction (Kamei-Hannan et al, 2017). Computers are a particularly promising form of technology for addressing students’ access needs (Abner & Lahm, 2002).…”