Evaluating the implementation of the reading pen on the reading level, comprehension, and oral reading fluency of students with learning disabilities

Third-grade students with learning disabilities (SWLD) struggle to meet reading proficiency levels at the national level in the United States. Specific educational legislation has been enacted to enable SWLD to use assistive technologies such as text-to-speech (TTS) tools to support their reading. This study investigated the impact of implementing a TTS tool—the C-Pen—provided to third-grade SWLD on their reading skills. Data were collected from a third-grade classroom teacher and 4 third-grade SWLD using standardized pretest and posttest, classroom observations, a teacher interview, and student interviews. The study’s results indicated that both the student participants’ reading level and reading fluency improved, while their comprehension results were shown to be inconsistent after using C-Pen. The students considered the C-Pen to be a beneficial tool since it helped them to acquire reading skills they would likely not develop without it. Additionally, it enhanced their interest in reading and helped them to become independent readers. The teacher described the C-Pen as a versatile tool that could be valuable to all students, irrespective of any disability, and could be applied to a variety of subjects.