The Effects of Using Digital Texts on Chromebooks on the Reading Comprehension and Academic Engagement of Elementary School Students with Learning Disabilities in the Inclusive Classroom

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of digital texts on Chromebooks as an assistive technology to meet the needs of students with learning disabilities in an inclusive classroom. Specifically, the study examined (a) the effectiveness of using digital texts on Chromebooks on reading comprehension, (b) the effectiveness of digital texts on Chromebooks to improve engagement and on-task behavior of students with learning disabilities, and (c) student satisfaction using digital texts in the inclusive classroom. Students displayed variation in performance on comprehension and academic engagement throughout the intervention. Findings suggest that digital texts may hinder the comprehension and engagement of participants. Implications for teaching students with disabilities, including the recommendation to use both digital and printed texts to increase reading comprehension and engagement, are discussed.