Toward linking dyslexia types and symptoms to the available assistive technologies

As a result of the widespread, and accelerating, dissemination of digital technologies, there has been a profound effect on how people learn. These effects have been greatly debated over the years. While many educational developers have agree on the effects technologies have brought on educational performance, little attention has been made to the relationship between such technologies effects and individual differences such as individuals who suffer dyslexia. There are readily available Assistive Technologies1 that offer potential to help students with learning difficulties such as dyslexia. This paper will attempt to tease out these technologies and dyslexia types, hence attempt at providing a solution. The focus should not be on correlating one technology to one disability. Instead of identifying different pedagogical needs such as help with reading and writing. Then, trying to meet those needs by looking at the whole range of ways that available

Personalised learning materials based on dyslexia types: ontological approach

In recent years, e-learning systems have played an increasingly important role in higher education and, in particular, in enhancing learning experiences for individuals who have learning difficulties. However, it appears that many of the people involved in the development and implementation of e-learning tools overlook the needs of dyslexic students. As such, these students lack access to the resources on offer to other students and this leads to a disability divide. In order for educational initiatives to be effective, learning experiences need to be tailored to the individual needs of each student and the materials and tools employed should be aligned with the student’s needs, capabilities and learning objectives. The objective of this research was to propose an ontology that will facilitate the development of learning methods and technologies that are aligned with dyslexia types and symptoms. The paper commences with a discussion of domain ontology and examines how learning objectives that take into consideration a student’s capabilities and needs can be matched with appropriate assistive technology in order to deliver effective e-learning experiences and educational resources that can be consistently employed. The ontology employed within this study was developed using Ontology Web Language (OWL), an information processing system that allows applications to handle both the content and the presentation of the information available on the web. Two characteristics were employed within this research to describe each resource: dyslexia type and the features of assistive technologies that were deemed to be most appropriate for educational experiences targeted at each dyslexia type

Personalised learning materials based on dyslexia types: ontological approach

In recent years, e-learning systems have played an increasingly important role in higher education and, in particular, in enhancing learning experiences for individuals who have learning difficulties. However, it appears that many of the people involved in the development and implementation of e-learning tools overlook the needs of dyslexic students. As such, these students lack access to the resources on offer to other students and this leads to a disability divide. In order for educational initiatives to be effective, learning experiences need to be tailored to the individual needs of each student and the materials and tools employed should be aligned with the student’s needs, capabilities and learning objectives. The objective of this research was to propose an ontology that will facilitate the development of learning methods and technologies that are aligned with dyslexia types and symptoms. The paper commences with a discussion of domain ontology and examines how learning objectives that take into consideration a student’s capabilities and needs can be matched with appropriate assistive technology in order to deliver effective e-learning experiences and educational resources that can be consistently employed. The ontology employed within this study was developed using Ontology Web Language (OWL), an information processing system that allows applications to handle both the content and the presentation of the information available on the web. Two characteristics were employed within this research to describe each resource: dyslexia type and the features of assistive technologies that were deemed to be most appropriate for educational experiences targeted at each dyslexia type

DAEL framework: a new adaptive e-learning framework for students with dyslexia

This paper reports on an extensive study conducted on the existing frameworks and relevant theories that lead to a better understanding of the requirements of an e-learning tool for people with dyslexia. The DAEL framework has been developed with respect to four different dimensions: presentation, hypermediality, acceptability and accessibility, and user experience. However, there has been no research on the different types of dyslexia and the dyslexic user’s viewpoint as they affect application design. Therefore, in this paper a framework is proposed which would conform to the standards of acceptability and accessibility for dyslexic students. We hypothesise that an e-learning application, which will adopt itself according to individuals’ dyslexia types, will advantage the dyslexics’ individuals in their learning process

DAEL framework: a new adaptive e-learning framework for students with dyslexia

This paper reports on an extensive study conducted on the existing frameworks and relevant theories that lead to a better understanding of the requirements of an e-learning tool for people with dyslexia. The DAEL framework has been developed with respect to four different dimensions: presentation, hypermediality, acceptability and accessibility, and user experience. However, there has been no research on the different types of dyslexia and the dyslexic user’s viewpoint as they affect application design. Therefore, in this paper a framework is proposed which would conform to the standards of acceptability and accessibility for dyslexic students. We hypothesise that an e-learning application, which will adopt itself according to individuals’ dyslexia types, will advantage the dyslexics’ individuals in their learning process

A Conceptual System Architecture for Motivation-enhanced Learning for Students with Dyslexia

The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI linkIncreased user motivation from interaction process leads to improved interaction, resulting in increased motivation again, which forms a positive self-propagating cycle. Therefore, a system will be more effective if the user is more motivated. Especially for students with dyslexia, it is common for them to experience more learning difficulties that affect their learning motivation. That's why we need to employ techniques to enhance user motivation in the interaction process. In this research, we will present a system architecture for motivation-enhanced learning and the detailed process of the construction of our motivation model using ontological approach for students with dyslexia. The proposed framework of the personalised learning system incorporates our motivation model and corresponding personalisation mechanism aiming to improve learning motivation and performance of students with dyslexia. Additionally, we also provide examples of inference rules and a use scenario for illustration of personalisation to be employed in our system

Desarrollo de un juego de aprendizaje para los niños con dislexia diseidética de seis a nueve años de edad de la unidad educativa “Agustín Cueva Dávila”, mediante la herramienta Game Maker Studio

Desarrollar un juego de aprendizaje para los niños con dislexia diseidética de seis a nueve años de edad de la Unidad Educativa “Agustín Cueva Dávila”, mediante la herramienta Game Maker Studio.El proyecto de titulación: “Desarrollo de un juego de aprendizaje para los niños con dislexia diseidética de seis a nueve años de edad de la Unidad Educativa “Agustín Cueva Dávila”, mediante la herramienta Game Maker Studio”, se lo realizará con la finalidad de mejorar el proceso de aprendizaje de los niños y niñas que sufren este trastorno. El proyecto realiza un estudio de los problemas de aprendizaje, en especial de un tipo de dislexia muy común en edad escolar, de los signos, síntomas, problemas sociales y emocionales del afectado. Para el mejoramiento del trastorno se buscaron nuevas técnicas, que llamen la atención del niño y motive su evolución, los videojuegos ludo-educativos son una excelente opción, convirtiéndose en una herramienta educativa para muchos. El videojuego se elaboró con el IDE de desarrollo Game Maker Studio, bajo la metodología SUM (basada en SCRUM), durante el desarrollo del software se llevaron a cabo todas las fases de forma ordenada e incremental con todos los miembros del equipo de desarrollo. El equipo de desarrollo se conforma por un artista gráfico, un artista sonoro y un programador, todo el material multimedia fue elaborado y editado bajo herramientas de software libre, además, se hizo uso de sitios web gratuitos para la obtención de material. Finalmente, se implementó la solución y se realizaron las pruebas correspondientes, para la evaluación y verificación de los resultados

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

Psychosocial Aspects of Dyslexia Among Prison Inmates in the Czech Republic

The study focuses on psychosocial aspects of prisoners with dyslexia in the Czech Republic. The target group is compared with respondents from noncriminal population with dyslexia, and respondents from prison and also noncriminal population without dyslexic difficulties. Research sample comprised of 200 respondents (50 respondents per each group) in the age range from 20 to 64 years. Data were collected via Raven's standard progressive matrices, assessment battery on specific learning disabilities, personal history questionnaire, self-efficacy scale and personality questionnaire (SPARO). The results show the following protective aspects in the development of children with dyslexia - higher educational level, better grades in school in subjects such as Foreign language, Mathemathics, Physics and Behavior, lower number of siblings, higher number of close persons and help from them, family cultural capital (level of education of mother and father), higher self-efficacy, a feeling of importance to others, greater level od satisfaction with their life, early diagnosis of hyperactivity and results of personality questionnaire SPARO (mean adjusting variability; and moderate frustration and target directionality). Some aspects were interpreted as neutral, and some factors show no inter-group difference....Studie se zabývá mapováním psychosociálních aspektů u osob s dyslexií ve výkonu trestu odnětí svobody v ČR. Porovnává je s jejich výskytem u skupiny z nevězeňské populace s dyslexií, a dále pak vězňů i nevězňů bez dyslektických obtíží. Výzkumný vzorek čítal 200 respondentů (50 respondentů v každé skupině) ve věkovém rozpětí 20 až 64 let, kteří splňovali podmínky české národnosti, mateřského českého jazyka, věku a IQ. Data byla snímána pomocí baterie složené z Ravenových standardních progresivních matic, z diagnostické baterie zaměřené na problematiku specifických poruch učení, anamnestického dotazníku, dotazníku obecné vlastní efektivity a SPARO. Výsledky prokázaly tyto protektivní faktory ve vývoji jedinců s dyslexií: vyšší dosažené vzdělání respondentů, lepší hodnocení z vyučovacích předmětů cizí jazyk, matematika, fyzika a chování, nižší počet sourozenců vlastních, vyšší počet blízkých osob, více absolvovaného doučování, vyšší kulturní kapitál rodiny - vzdělání matek i otců, vyšší self-efficacy, vyšší pocit důležitosti pro druhé a společnost, vyšší spokojenost se životní situací, včasná diagnóza hyperaktivity v dětství, nižší adjustační variabilita a nižší frustrovanost a cílesměrnost. Poté byly prokázány některé neutrální faktory ve vývoji. Poslední skupina tvořila proměnné, u kterých se...Department of PsychologyKatedra psychologieFilozofická fakultaFaculty of Art