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Education Sciences
Special Issues
Innovative Practices for Students with Learning Disabilities
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Innovative Practices for Students with Learning Disabilities

A special issue of Education Sciences (ISSN 2227-7102). This special issue belongs to the section "Special and Inclusive Education".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2025) | Viewed by 6612

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Eugenia Toki

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Speech and Language Therapy, University of Ioannina, 45500 Ioannina, Greece
Interests: ICTs in speech & language therapy; ICTs in special education; digital innovative practices in children with developmental disorders; e-learning; telepractice
Dr. Victoria Zakopoulou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Speech and Language Therapy, University of Ioannina, 45500 Ioannina, Greece
Interests: developmental and cognitive psychology; special education; learning disabilities; specific learning disorder; dyslexia; early diagnosis; early intervention
Dr. Michaela Nerantzini

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Faculty of Philology, Department of Linguistics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
2. Speech & Language Therapy Department, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
Interests: sentence processing (syntax, morphology) in acquired language deficits (stroke-induced or caused by cortical degeneration (PPA); neuroimaging applications and language intervention (e.g., rTMS, tDCS); language acquisition and developmental language disorders; bilingualism and second language learning

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Learning Disabilities (LDs) are conditions with a neurobiological origin, caused by differences in the brain. Often, LDs coexist with other disorders such as autism spectrum disorders (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), conduct disorder, anxiety, and depression.

They involve information-processing problems that affect individuals’ ability to acquire speaking, reading, writing, math, or nonverbal skills that may lead to school failure and psychoemotional and/or behavioral problems.

An interdisciplinary approach is recommended to focus for an individualized diagnosis and intervention in children with LD’s strengths and weaknesses to help him/her build strategies, improve learning, develop coping tools, and build healthy relationships in and out of school.

LDs identification remains underdiagnosed or diagnosed later in the school years as it entails challenging, multiparametric, and tough procedures also dependent on subjective evaluation, revealing the need for objective quantification. Towards this direction, early detection can be a key element for children with LDs as early intervention can improve their prognosis due to rapid brain growth and neuroplasticity.

This Special Issue aims to contribute to the above research of LDs proposing new innovative practices for screening, evaluation, and intervention towards the improvement of learning enhancement in formal, informal, and nonformal educational settings. We welcome international research work (original research articles and reviews) addressing the potential of innovative approaches in screening, diagnosis, intervention, and educational procedures for students with LDs, such as digital and mobile technologies, sensors, serious games, artificial intelligence models, educational, clinical, and consultative effective practices, methods, and tools.

In this way, it is intended that this Special Issue will contribute to demonstrating different perspectives on the topic, inspiring the research community while considering the latest challenges and the future of this topic.

Dr. Eugenia Toki
Dr. Victoria Zakopoulou
Dr. Michaela Nerantzini
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Education Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • learning disabilities
  • screening, evaluation and intervention
  • innovative education
  • technology-enhanced education
  • serious games
  • mobile technologies

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 320 KiB  
Article
Reading Comprehension and Linguistic Abilities of Children with and without Specific Learning Difficulties: Theoretical and Educational Implications
by George Kritsotakis and Eleni Morfidi
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(8), 884; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14080884 - 13 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1876
Abstract
The aim of the present study has been to investigate reading comprehension (RC) of children with specific learning difficulties (SLD), considering linguistic factors, such as receptive vocabulary, morphosyntax, and pragmatics (i.e., figurative language). Participants included 90 students (9–12 years old; Μyears = [...] Read more.
The aim of the present study has been to investigate reading comprehension (RC) of children with specific learning difficulties (SLD), considering linguistic factors, such as receptive vocabulary, morphosyntax, and pragmatics (i.e., figurative language). Participants included 90 students (9–12 years old; Μyears = 10.8, SD = 0.95), 45 with SLD and 45 typically developing (TD) controls, matched on age, gender, and non-verbal cognitive ability. Results indicated that students with SLD had significantly lower performance on RC and across all linguistic measures compared to TD peers. Scores of the figurative language comprehension task predicted RC for TD children, whereas morphosyntactic ability emerged as a unique predictor of RC for SLD children. The two groups utilize distinct linguistic resources in their effort to extract meaning from written texts. The differentiated language profile of children with SLD suggests the implementation of differentiated educational assessment and intervention practices, which are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Practices for Students with Learning Disabilities)
19 pages, 774 KiB  
Article
The Effects of Implementing the Strategy of Semantic Feature Analysis (SFA) in Promoting Vocabulary in School-Aged Portuguese Children in Inclusive Schools
by Elisabete Verde, Sílvia Oliveira, Anabela Cruz-Santos and Etelvina Lima
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(4), 407; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14040407 - 14 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1306
Abstract
Background: The purpose of this study was to apply and analyze the impact of the semantic feature analysis (SFA) strategy on vocabulary development and comprehension of texts and theoretical concepts in Portuguese school-age students with and without special educational needs (SEN) attending inclusive [...] Read more.
Background: The purpose of this study was to apply and analyze the impact of the semantic feature analysis (SFA) strategy on vocabulary development and comprehension of texts and theoretical concepts in Portuguese school-age students with and without special educational needs (SEN) attending inclusive schools. Method: The research design was quasi-experimental. The SFA was administered in ten sessions of approximately 60 min each. The sample was a convenience sample and consisted of selecting three classes in each school: (i) in the first cycle of basic education, 65 students were divided into a control group, an experimental group and a structured teaching group; (ii) in the second cycle of basic education, 55 students were divided into an experimental group, an online virtual school and a control group. Results: (1) The SFA strategy is motivating, appealing, inexpensive, flexible and easy to implement; (2) learning the SFA strategy is easy and can be successfully taught in any classroom; (3) the performance of the students assigned to the experimental groups was significantly higher in both cycles compared to all the other groups; (4) the effect sizes were 0.87 in the first cycle and 0.88 in the second cycle. Conclusion: The SFA strategy effectively promotes the development of vocabulary, concept knowledge and text comprehension in school-age children, being more effective than regular teaching. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Practices for Students with Learning Disabilities)
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Review

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20 pages, 1054 KiB  
Review
Assistive Technology and Alternative and Augmentative Communication Options in the Language Skills Development of Students with Specific Learning Disorders
by Cristina Dumitru
Educ. Sci. 2025, 15(2), 170; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15020170 - 1 Feb 2025
Viewed by 398
Abstract
The use of augmented reality, assistive technology (AT), and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) offers a promising opportunity to significantly enhance the general reading abilities of students with specific learning disorders (SLDs) by providing effective learning tools. This study aimed to assess students’ [...] Read more.
The use of augmented reality, assistive technology (AT), and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) offers a promising opportunity to significantly enhance the general reading abilities of students with specific learning disorders (SLDs) by providing effective learning tools. This study aimed to assess students’ learning experiences to understand the effectiveness of AT and AAC in language skills development and identify the AT tools and devices commonly used in classroom settings, with the goal of better informing practitioners. A systematic literature review was conducted across various databases, resulting in the inclusion of 22 relevant articles, focusing on multiple implications of AT and AAC. Common factors associated with the implementation of AT in teaching students with SLDs were identified, and a thematic analysis revealed recurring patterns regarding the impact of AT solutions on students with SLDs. The findings indicate notable improvements in language skills among students with SLDs, including vocabulary, spelling, orthography, phonological awareness, and reading comprehension. However, two studies reported limited effects or no effects on language skills, self-efficacy, and self-esteem. This review shows that AT and AAC effectively support language skills development and outcomes for students with SLDs. Nevertheless, given the limited number of studies and the complexity of the factors explored, these conclusions should be interpreted with caution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Practices for Students with Learning Disabilities)
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Other

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38 pages, 1055 KiB  
Systematic Review
Using Eye-Tracking to Assess Dyslexia: A Systematic Review of Emerging Evidence
by Eugenia I. Toki
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(11), 1256; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14111256 - 17 Nov 2024
Viewed by 2238
Abstract
Reading is a complex skill that requires accurate word recognition, fluent decoding, and effective comprehension. Children with dyslexia often face challenges in these areas, resulting in ongoing reading difficulties. This study systematically reviews the use of eye-tracking technology to assess dyslexia, following the [...] Read more.
Reading is a complex skill that requires accurate word recognition, fluent decoding, and effective comprehension. Children with dyslexia often face challenges in these areas, resulting in ongoing reading difficulties. This study systematically reviews the use of eye-tracking technology to assess dyslexia, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines. The review identifies the specific types of eye-tracking technologies used, examines the cognitive and behavioral abilities assessed (such as reading fluency and attention), and evaluates the primary purposes of these evaluations—screening, assessment, and diagnosis. This study explores key questions, including how eye-tracking outcomes guide intervention strategies and influence educational practices, and assesses the practicality and time efficiency of these evaluations in real-world settings. Furthermore, it considers whether eye-tracking provides a holistic developmental profile or a targeted analysis of specific skills and evaluates the generalizability of eye-tracking results across diverse populations. Gaps in the literature are highlighted, with recommendations proposed to improve eye-tracking’s precision and applicability for early dyslexia intervention. The findings underscore the potential of eye-tracking to enhance diagnostic accuracy through metrics such as fixation counts, saccadic patterns, and processing speed, key indicators that distinguish dyslexic from typical reading behaviors. Additionally, studies show that integrating machine learning with eye-tracking data can enhance classification accuracy, suggesting promising applications for scalable, early dyslexia screening in educational settings. This review provides new insights into the value of eye-tracking technology in identifying dyslexia, emphasizing the need for further research to refine these methods and support their adoption in classrooms and clinics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Practices for Students with Learning Disabilities)
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