Róisín Shortall
Question:158 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will report on the pilot project on technology for people with dyslexia which has recently finished; and the plans he has to extend this project. [21800/00]
Written Answers. - Special Educational Needs.
A small scale study was carried out by my Department during the past 12 months into the effects of computer-based instruction on the phonemic awareness development of children with dyslexia. The study involved 140 children in three special schools and in six special classes for dyslexic children. Although the final report of the study is not yet available, preliminary results show a small, but statistically significant, improvement in dyslexic children's phonemic awareness development and reading achievement when the computer-based approach was used rather than traditional teaching methods.
While these preliminary results are reasonably encouraging, analysis of some of the issues raised by the study will need to completed and the report finalised before any decision can be taken regarding extending the approach more widely.