Video-chatting may be the future for rural and isolated students

Voice-over-the-internet-protocol as a medium for delivering reading intervention: Evidence from a single case study

From SAGE Open

Distance may no longer be an obstacle for struggling students living in rural and isolated areas. This study confirms that video-chatting technology is an effective way for educators to teach their students from remote locations. Authors sought to determine if voice-over-the-Internet Protocol (VoIP), internet-based systems that allow for two or more individuals from remote locations to communicate via videoconferencing, could be an effective tool for educators with students who would otherwise have difficulty travelling to a classroom.  The authors found that the student was better able to recognize and make sense of new words and comprehend the provided reading material after the ten-week period. For example, by the time the course was complete, the student’s test scores on reading accuracy tests were more than five times better than the original scores. These improvements were maintained at a ten-week follow-up assessment. Several advantages to utilizing VoIP technology as a primary means for teaching were identified such as easier accessibility, saving time and money on travel for students and their parents, and potential savings for both public and private educational programs.

Abstract

Voice Over the Internet Protocol (VoIP) holds promise as a platform by which services can be delivered to students in rural and remote regions who have reading difficulties. VoIP is an Internet-based protocol that allows two or more individuals to videoconference from remote locations. This study used a single-case research design to investigate whether VoIP would produce significant gains in reading ability in BM, a 10-year-old with long-standing word-level reading problems. BM was provided with a theoretically motivated reading intervention 4 times weekly. The intervention was delivered remotely using the Apple iChat software. Substantial growth in regular- and nonword reading covaried with onset and removal of treatment. Treatment gains were maintained at 10-week follow-up. Meaningful gains were also seen in text-reading accuracy and reading comprehension. VoIP-based instruction represents an important avenue for future research and is a teaching method that holds much promise for rural and remote students.

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Article details
Wright, C., Conlon, E., & Wright, M. (2011). Voice Over the Internet Protocol as a Medium for Delivering Reading Intervention: Evidence From a Single Case SAGE Open DOI: 10.1177/2158244011428159

Tags: dyslexia, reading intervention, understanding words, VoIP