A Research Review: How Technology Helps to Improve the Learning Process of Learners with Dyslexia
Abstract
Dyslexia is a language disorder that leads to difficulty with words and it is the most common type of learning disability. This article presents a systematic review on the current state of assistive technologies used in improving the learning process of learners with dyslexia. A total of 25 journals articles and international conference papers published between 2000 and 2014 were included in the review. The research articles were collected from 12 databases and analyzed based on the qualitative cyclical process. A majority of the studies focused on children and adolescents. Four main themes on the types of technologies used in aiding the learning process of learners with dyslexia are derived and discussed. These include text-to-speech, eye-tracking, virtual learning environments, and games. The text-to-speech technology is the most common type of technology used by learners with dyslexia. In terms of the roles played by the assistive technologies, another four emerging themes are identified, which cover the roles of aiding reading, writing, memory, and mathematics. The review also discovers that a majority of these studies focus on the use of technologies for improving the reading ability of learners with dyslexia.
Keywords: Assistive technology; Dyslexia; Research review; Learning
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