Intelligent Learning Systems for Inclusive Education: A Focus on Dyslexia

Undergraduate thesis submitted to the Department of Computer Science and Information Systems, Ashesi University, in partial fulfillment of Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science, May 2022As children grow, they learn how to read and write. Reading involves recognizing, distinguishing, and understanding words and characters to make sense of a text. By the age of 7, a child should read and understand simple texts. For some people, it is not the case. They struggle to read and write. Reading is fundamental as it is applied everywhere; for instance, a person needs to read road signs to know their current location, read the operating manual for a new device they have bought, and many others. Some people struggle to read and write because of a learning disability called Dyslexia. It makes them unable to identify words and make sense of them. Some people can overcome Dyslexia by third grade, but others struggle even in university. Students are struggling to keep up academically because of this learning disability. This Thesis undertakes research to identify what students with Dyslexia go through and what strategies work best to help them study effectively and at a reasonable pace.Ashesi Universit

Motivation Modelling and Computation for Personalised Learning of People with Dyslexia

The increasing development of e-learning systems in recent decades has benefited ubiquitous computing and education by providing freedom of choice to satisfy various needs and preferences about learning places and paces. Automatic recognition of learners’ states is necessary for personalised services or intervention to be provided in e-learning environments. In current literature, assessment of learners’ motivation for personalised learning based on the motivational states is lacking. An effective learning environment needs to address learners’ motivational needs, particularly, for those with dyslexia. Dyslexia or other learning difficulties can cause young people not to engage fully with the education system or to drop out due to complex reasons: in addition to the learning difficulties related to reading, writing or spelling, psychological difficulties are more likely to be ignored such as lower academic self-worth and lack of learning motivation caused by the unavoidable learning difficulties. Associated with both cognitive processes and emotional states, motivation is a multi-facet concept that consequences in the continued intention to use an e-learning system and thus a better chance of learning effectiveness and success. It consists of factors from intrinsic motivation driven by learners’ inner feeling of interest or challenges and those from extrinsic motivation associated with external reward or compliments. These factors represent learners’ various motivational needs; thus, understanding this requires a multidisciplinary approach. Combining different perspectives of knowledge on psychological theories and technology acceptance models with the empirical findings from a qualitative study with dyslexic students conducted in the present research project, motivation modelling for people with dyslexia using a hybrid approach is the main focus of this thesis. Specifically, in addition to the contribution to the qualitative conceptual motivation model and ontology-based computational model that formally expresses the motivational factors affecting users’ continued intention to use e-learning systems, this thesis also conceives a quantitative approach to motivation modelling. A multi-item motivation questionnaire is designed and employed in a quantitative study with dyslexic students, and structural equation modelling techniques are used to quantify the influences of the motivational factors on continued use intention and their interrelationships in the model. In addition to the traditional approach to motivation computation that relies on learners’ self-reported data, this thesis also employs dynamic sensor data and develops classification models using logistic regression for real-time assessment of motivational states. The rule-based reasoning mechanism for personalising motivational strategies and a framework of motivationally personalised e-learning systems are introduced to apply the research findings to e-learning systems in real-world scenarios. The motivation model, sensor-based computation and rule-based personalisation have been applied to a practical scenario with an essential part incorporated in the prototype of a gaze-based learning application that can output personalised motivational strategies during the learning process according to the real-time assessment of learners’ motivational states based on both the eye-tracking data in addition to users’ self-reported data. Evaluation results have indicated the advantage of the application implemented compared to the traditional one without incorporating the present research findings for monitoring learners’ motivation states with gaze data and generating personalised feedback. In summary, the present research project has: 1) developed a conceptual motivation model for students with dyslexia defining the motivational factors that influence their continued intention to use e-learning systems based on both a qualitative empirical study and prior research and theories; 2) developed an ontology-based motivation model in which user profiles, factors in the motivation model and personalisation options are structured as a hierarchy of classes; 3) designed a multi-item questionnaire, conducted a quantitative empirical study, used structural equation modelling to further explore and confirm the quantified impacts of motivational factors on continued use intention and the quantified relationships between the factors; 4) conducted an experiment to exploit sensors for motivation computation, and developed classification models for real-time assessment of the motivational states pertaining to each factor in the motivation model based on empirical sensor data including eye gaze data and EEG data; 5) proposed a sensor-based motivation assessment system architecture with emphasis on the use of ontologies for a computational representation of the sensor features used for motivation assessment in addition to the representation of the motivation model, and described the semantic rule-based personalisation of motivational strategies; 6) proposed a framework of motivationally personalised e-learning systems based on the present research, with the prototype of a gaze-based learning application designed, implemented and evaluated to guide future work

Ontology-based personalisation of e-learning resources for disabled students

Students with disabilities are often expected to use e-learning systems to access learning materials but most systems do not provide appropriate adaptation or personalisation to meet their needs.The difficulties related to inadaptability of current learning environments can now be resolved using semantic web technologies such as web ontologies which have been successfully used to drive e-learning personalisation. Nevertheless, e-learning personalisation for students with disabilities has mainly targeted those with single disabilities such as dyslexia or visual impairment, often neglecting those with multiple disabilities due to the difficulty of designing for a combination of disabilities.This thesis argues that it is possible to personalise learning materials for learners with disabilities, including those with multiple disabilities. This is achieved by developing a model that allows the learning environment to present the student with learning materials in suitable formats while considering their disability and learning needs through an ontology-driven and disability-aware personalised e-learning system model (ONTODAPS). A disability ontology known as the Abilities and Disabilities Ontology for Online LEarning and Services (ADOOLES) is developed and used to drive this model. To test the above hypothesis, some case studies are employed to show how the model functions for various individuals with and without disabilities and then the implemented visual interface is experimentally evaluated by eighteen students with disabilities and heuristically by ten lecturers. The results are collected and statistically analysed.The results obtained confirm the above hypothesis and suggest that ONTODAPS can be effectively employed to personalise learning and to manage learning resources. The student participants found that ONTODAPS could aid their learning experience and all agreed that they would like to use this functionality in an existing learning environment. The results also suggest that ONTODAPS provides a platform where students with disabilities can have equivalent learning experience with their peers without disabilities. For the results to be generalised, this study could be extended through further experiments with more diverse groups of students with disabilities and across multiple educational institutions

An institution-based enquiry into concepts of proficiency, automaticity and second-language learning among dyslexic students

It is, for some, 'common knowledge' that dyslexic students cannot master a foreign language 'because' they cannot master their own. This study enquires into the assumption, and the 'because', above, and seeks other explanatory routes for dyslexic university students' difficulties with foreign language learning. Building on earlier work concerned with notions of 'automaticity' in relation to concepts of 'proficiency' in proficiency and dyslexia literatures, it relates these directly to second language teaching/learning concepts and discusses this in relation to 'phronetic', 'professional' and tacit' views of knowledge. The empirical part of the study comprises cross-comparison of four narrative sources: the narratives of a dozen dyslexic students engaged in a semi-structured, in-depth interview concerning their language difficulty and how they view it; a second narrative relating the voices of the advisors most directly linked to dyslexic language learners in the institution, also including past and future difficulties of some dyslexic students who may face a study year abroad, e.g. on Erasmus and similar schemes; a third interview with the then current head of the unit dealing with both English as a Foreign Language, and Modern Foreign Languages; and the over-arching narrative of the researcher – his story in conducting this study. Within this framework, the research uncovers how, at a practical level as well as theoretically, phronetic, teaching-learning and exceptional language-acquisition 'knowledge' may be open to subversion from several quarters: the pragmatics and economics of 3rd-level EFL and MFL1 language teaching; transposing child language acquisition concepts onto adult language learning ones; the cross- and/or mismatching of these with dyslexia ones; and the possible collision between some areas of professional knowledge – tacit or otherwise. The research shows how for the 'institutional dyslexics' concerned, and sometimes despite their advisors, the unit's academic director and the institution, automaticity is anterior to proficiency and agency is anterior to automaticity. Moreover reversing this, discovering or rediscovering their sense of agency allows certain of the dyslexic participants to attain a qualified measure of automaticity in their language studies and hence, of proficiency. These findings have important implications for those engaged in second language teaching and learning. The organisation of the thesis is as follows: in a first chapter which the researcher introduces with a short autobiography and an account of how the research came about, a broadly descriptive and factual introduction to the piece then summarises previous work in the doctoral degree particularly the critical analytical study, focusing the research questions, and discussing the relationship between methodology and methods, and begins a consideration of what a 'case' is, and what is the case here. Chapter 2 expands the theoretical focus with a discussion of the notion of coherentism and the notion of 'fit', and introduces issues in narrativity and in phronesis. Chapter 3 addresses understandings and terminologies in 'communicative' language teaching, cross-mapping these to both dyslexia and 'proficiency' issues previously discussed. Chapter 4 explores the data, and begins an assessment of the 'fit' between the respondents. Finally, Chapter 5 summarises and discusses the 'findings' of the research – what emerges from the research questions and what from their interpretation; how theoretical understandings now 'fit', or not; what else emerged during the study; what constitutes a finding; and returning to Chapter 1, asks to what extent the study is a foundationalist 'case' which can or should be 'generalisable'. A short discussion of further research avenues is presented

Online Course Design Elements to Better Meet the Academic Needs of Students with Dyslexia in Higher Education

This study sought to determine if an online course designed and delivered in Second Life can meet the needs of higher education students with dyslexia. the course design incorporated strategies from Gagne’ and Briggs’ principles of instruction, Gagnon and Collay’s constructivist learning design, Powell’s key learning needs of dyslexics, and elements of universal design. Specific design elements are discussed including screen captures from the design. the study employed a mixed methods approach incorporating an online survey, recorded observation session, and two follow up interviews. the observation session and interviews were only completed by the sample population of eight participants, which included three participants with dyslexia and five participants without dyslexia. the sample population was selected using purposeful sampling techniques to ensure the widest representation of the population with a small sample. Extensive excerpts of the sample participants’ interview responses are presented and discussed, including participants’ suggestions for improving the course design. Key findings from all three data sources are discussed. Finally, implications for instructional design and special education and suggestions for further research are presented

Multisensory learning in adaptive interactive systems

The main purpose of my work is to investigate multisensory perceptual learning and sensory integration in the design and development of adaptive user interfaces for educational purposes. To this aim, starting from renewed understanding from neuroscience and cognitive science on multisensory perceptual learning and sensory integration, I developed a theoretical computational model for designing multimodal learning technologies that take into account these results. Main theoretical foundations of my research are multisensory perceptual learning theories and the research on sensory processing and integration, embodied cognition theories, computational models of non-verbal and emotion communication in full-body movement, and human-computer interaction models. Finally, a computational model was applied in two case studies, based on two EU ICT-H2020 Projects, "weDRAW" and "TELMI", on which I worked during the PhD

Development and evaluation of computer-based techniques for assessing children in educational settings

This thesis reports and discusses an integrated programme of research on computerised assessment in education, focussing on two themes. The aim of the first study was to develop and evaluate a computerised baseline assessment system for four to five year olds (CoPS Baseline). The aim of the second study was to develop and evaluate a computerised dyslexia screening system for the secondary school age group (LASS Secondary).CoPS Baseline was shown to be a reliable and valid assessment of pupils' skills in literacy, mathematics, communication and personal and social development on entry to school at age four or five. It was also found to be predictive of children's later reading, spelling, writing and mathematics ability up to three years after the initial testing.LASS Secondary was shown to be a reliable and valid assessment of students' reading, spelling, reasoning, auditory memory, visual memory, phonological processing and phonic skills from the ages of 11 to 15. It was also seen to be a good indicator of dyslexia, with significant differences between the scores of dyslexic students and non-SEN students on the sentence reading, spelling, auditory memory, non-word reading and syllable segmentation tests.CoPS Baseline and LASS Secondary were also found to be more objective than conventional assessment administered by a person, time-saving in their test administration and scoring, and more enjoyable and motivating for children, particularly children who have specific difficulties.Computer-based techniques have been shown to be beneficial in the assessment of children in educational settings. However, further research is proposed in the areas of: gender and ethnic differences in computerised versus conventional assessment; the addition of reading comprehension, verbal intelligence, mathematics and motor skills tests to the LASS Secondary system; follow-up tests of students assessed on LASS Secondary to provide information about teaching outcomes; and the development of tests suitable for use with deaf / hearing-impaired individuals in order to assess literacy skills and identify dyslexia