Date of Award

6-2019

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Interdisciplinary Health Sciences

First Advisor

Dr. Robert Wall Emerson

Second Advisor

Dr. Kieran Fogarty

Third Advisor

Dr. Jane Erin

Keywords

low vision, visual impairment, oral reading, video magnifier, large print

Abstract

Low vision may cause a decrease in visual performance and interfere with daily functioning, especially reading print or text materials. Reading standard text can be particularly challenging for students with low vision in an educational setting and can reduce oral reading rates. Students with low vision may use large print or low vision devices for reading. Limited evidence currently exists to compare oral reading outcomes across various reading media for children with low vision.

The purpose of this exploratory project was to examine oral reading rate, fluency, and comprehension among children with low vision when using an iPad, a video magnifier, and large print text. There were three participants with low vision with one student in third grade and two students in fourth grade. This study used a repeated acquisition single-subject research design. A pretest and posttest measure was given using the Neale Analysis of Reading Ability (NARA). Eighteen different oral reading assessment passages at one’s independent reading level were administered to all participants over six weeks. All participants used an iPad, a video magnifier, and large print text to read different passages. Data for each child was analyzed by examining and comparing the oral reading measures within and across conditions. The visual analysis determined that a functional relation did not exist between using the iPad, video magnifier, or large print text on oral reading rate, fluency, and comprehension. The results, limitations, and implications for practitioners are discussed.

Access Setting

Dissertation-Open Access

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