Correlation Between Interactive eBooks and Printed Text in Reading Achievement and Student Interest

Interactive eBooks or traditional printed text? Teachers face difficult decisions when determining which are the most effective tools to use to increase student reading achievement. Studies (Chong, Lim, & Ling, 2009; Ciampa, 2012; Coyle, 2008; Huang, Liang, Su, & Chen, 2012; Jones, & Brown, 2011; Larson, 2010; Martinez-Estrada, & Conaway, 2012; Maynard, 2010), have found that students prefer the additional features of interactive eBooks over traditional printed text; however, studies have failed to prove that these additional text features increase student reading achievement over traditional printed text. There has not been enough evidence to show that student reading achievement increases in the general education classroom when students read from an interactive eBook rather than a traditional printed text. This study was conducted to determine if the additional text features of interactive eBooks in the general education classroom increased student reading achievement and student motivation over traditional printed text. The results of this study did not provide significant evidence that the additional text features of interactive eBooks increase reading achievement over traditional printed text. The results of the study did indicate that while students prefer the additional text features of interactive eBooks, use of interactive eBooks did not increase student motivation