Text-to-Speech as Reading Aid for Students With Intellectual Disabilities: A Single-Subject Design

This study explored the effect of listening to texts on comprehension among students with intellectual disabilities (ID) compared with traditional reading methods. A single-subject A-B design with a time lag and follow-up phase was employed. Eight middle and high school students with ID participated in the study. During the baseline phase, participants read texts and answered three comprehension questions. In the intervention phase, they listened to the same texts and answered comprehension questions identical to those in the baseline phase. The students completed 12 intervention sessions, which included systematically listening to the texts. The results indicated that all students demonstrated better text comprehension when listening than when reading. Some students showed continuous improvement as the text advanced. For students with ID, especially those unable to read longer texts, text-to-speech may be essential for enhancing text engagement. Individual and pedagogical implications, methodological issues, and future research directions are discussed.