Computer-Assisted Multisensory Reading Intervention in Children with Dyslexia

Abstract

Children diagnosed with dyslexia have been found to encounter significant challenges in reading skills compared to their peers. Existing literature examining dyslexia in children has sought to elucidate the cognitive model of reading as a skill and the development of reading abilities concerning typical readers of comparable age. This study aims to examine the effects of computer-based multisensory reading training on the reading performance of students with dyslexia. To achieve this, a six-week intervention program was implemented, during which dyslexic students participated in multisensory reading activities three days a week. The primary focus of the research was to compare several key reading-related skills between students with dyslexia and their non-dyslexic peers. These skills included rapid automatized naming, the ability to read both meaningful and non-meaningful words, reading speed, reading comprehension, mechanical reading, and phonological awareness. The performance of dyslexic children (n = 170) and non-dyslexic children (n = 170) was assessed based on their scores in their native language. All participants were in grades 1 to 4 of elementary school, with groups matched for grade level, age, and gender. This study reveals partial differences in rapid automatized naming and significant differences in phonological awareness between dyslexic and typically developing children. Dyslexic students demonstrated improvement in word reading, particularly with both meaningful and meaningless words. However, a significant gap in reading comprehension was found, with typically developing students outperforming their dyslexic peers. Additionally, the study highlighted differences in reading speed, with typically developing students typically reading faster than dyslexic students.