Differences in fixations and latencies of eye movement patterns in reading disabled versus nondisabled children viewing nonreading material
Abstract
The present study investigated the differences found in eye movement patterns (fixations, regressions, and fixation duration) between children who were reading at their age/grade level compared to children identified as having a reading disability. Subjects consisted of three groups of 15 boys per group between the ages of seven and eleven. One group served as a control (C) which consisted of children who did not have any identified reading problems, a second group served as a clinical control (CC) which consisted of children with an arithmetic disability but no other learning problems, and a third group consisted of children who were identified by the school system as having a reading disability (RD). Subjects were assessed on the Gray Oral Reading Test (GORT) for reading ability which served as an additional verification of the school's classification of the child. Eye movement data were collected for fixation, regression, and fixation duration variables. Data were obtained by videotaping the child's eye as a nonreading stimulus was being viewed. The nonreading stimulus consisted of a LED array which was computer controlled to simulate left to right movement. There were five time conditions for which the LED was turned on and off--one-half, one, two, three, and four seconds. The results showed that children in the RD group displayed different eye movement patterns relative to children in the C or CC groups. RD children made more regressive eye movements, made more fixations, and had a shorter fixation duration relative to the other two groups. Post hoc analyses of the MANOVA's indicated that the RD group was significantly different from either the C or CC group on the eye movement parameters. Specifically the RD group made more regressive eye movements, had a greater number of fixations, and had a shorter duration of fixation. The results are discussed in terms of: (a) their support of previous studies using nonreading material to discriminate between good and bad readers, (b) their utility as an early intervention device, (c) the practicality of LEDs as an early intervention treatment for children who have been identified as at risk for developing reading problems.
Subject Area
Developmental psychology|Psychology|Experiments|Literacy|Reading instruction
Recommended Citation
Filippi, Alan Dean, "Differences in fixations and latencies of eye movement patterns in reading disabled versus nondisabled children viewing nonreading material" (1995). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI9613853.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI9613853
