Efficacy of Personalizing Visual Text and Text-to-Speech to Improve Reading in Students With Learning Disorders

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the personalization of visual text features and text-to-speech (TTS) settings to support students with reading difficulties, including those with developmental dyslexia and special educational needs. The study focuses on comparing the effects of personalized versus standard fonts and voices on reading and writing performance. It aims to validate an automated procedure called the "Seleggo Test" which helps students find the best combination of text visualization and TTS parameters to facilitate reading and comprehension. The study uses the Seleggo Test, a computerized tool designed to identify individualized visual and auditory settings that may improve reading and writing. Participants will use the Seleggo online platform where school textbooks are presented in a readable format and can be listened to via TTS technology. All participants will be assessed using the Seleggo Test procedure and then tested on reading and writing tasks under two conditions: with personalized parameters and with standard parameters. Participants aged 7 to 15 years will be recruited from schools and assessed during a session lasting about 1.5 hours. They will undergo reading and writing tests to measure speed, accuracy, and comprehension using both personalized and standard settings. Researchers will also track reading and writing performance over about 10 months to evaluate the software's reliability and its ability to distinguish typical readers from those with dyslexia or special educational needs. The study is sponsored by IRCCS Eugenio Medea and includes children from third grade of primary school to third grade of middle school.

Personalization of Visual Characters and Text-to-Speech (TTS) to Support Learning in Students With Reading Difficulties