Information and communication technology in practical working with students with dyslexia

Disleksija pripada skupini specifičnih poremećaja učenja, a najznačajnije je obilježavaju problemi u čitanju i pisanju. U radu s učenicima s disleksijom se, kao koristan alat i dopuna tradicionalnim metodama, u novije vrijeme sve više koristi informacijsko - komunikacijska tehnologija (IKT). Više je čimbenika koji uvjetuju uporabu IKT-a u radu, poput znanja i stavova korisnika te dostupnosti tehnoloških pomagala. Kako u Hrvatskoj postoji manjak podataka o uporabi IKT-a u radu s učenicima s disleksijom, cilj ovog istraživanja bio je utvrditi znanja i stavove logopeda u Hrvatskoj o mogućnostima uporabe IKT-a u radu s učenicima s disleksijom te ispitati koje od tih mogućnosti IKT-a logopedi aktivno koriste u praksi. Uzorak je sačinjavalo 35-ero ispitanika, školskih logopeda, grupiranih po razini profesionalnog staža. Podaci su prikupljeni Upitnikom o upotrebi informacijsko-komunikacijske tehnologije (IKT) u radu s učenicima s disleksijom. Upitnik se sastojao od 13 pitanja od kojih su 3 pitanja bila otvorenog tipa, a preostalih 10 zatvorenog. Podaci dobiveni upitnikom obrađeni su u SPSS programu. Rezultati pokazuju da su ispitanici u visokoj mjeri (M=4,49) svjesni dobrobiti koje im uporaba IKT-a nudi u radu s učenicima s disleksijom i pozitivnog su stava prema korištenju IKT-a. Pokazuju visoku razinu znanja potrebnu za uporabu IKT-a u pripremi za logopedski rad i u izravnom logopedskom radu (M=2,83). Najčešće u radu koriste jedno pomagalo i to su najčešće računalo ili laptop (94,3%). Ispitanici se IKT- om značajno koriste u okviru pripreme za rad (94,3%), a tijekom izravnog logopedskog rada nešto manje, ali još uvijek zadovoljavajuće, koriste navedenu tehnologiju (60%, prosječno 3 aplikacije po ispitaniku). Sagledaju li se razlike u korištenju s obzirom na razinu profesionalnog staža, rezultati pokazuju da logopedi s radnim stažem iznad 10 godina češće koriste IKT aplikacije od logopeda s radnim stažem do 10 godina. Od prepreka uporabi IKT-a, ispitanici izdvajaju nedostatak pomagala i aplikacija na hrvatskom jeziku. Prepoznata su područja u kojima je moguć napredak prema višoj razini korištenja IKT-a, s naglaskom na otklanjanju postojećih prepreka uporabi IKT-a.Dyslexia is specific learning disorder marked mostly by reading and writing problems. In recent times, information and communication technology (ICT) proves to be useful tool and supplement to the traditional methods of practical working with students with dyslexia. Use of ICT is conditioned by many factors like user knowledge and attitudes towards technology use, or availabilityof technological devices. Since there is a lack of data on the use of ICT in practical working with students with dyslexia, aim of this paper was to determine Croatian speech and language pathologists’ (SLP) knowledge about and attitudes towards possibilities of ICT use in practical working with students with dyslexia and to determine which of these possibilities have been actively used in practice. The sample was made up of 35 SLP working in school and the respondents were grouped based on level of working experience. Data was collected through a Questionnaire on the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in working with students with dyslexia.The questionnaire consisted of 13 questions, 3 of which were open-ended and the remaining 10 closed-ended. The data obtained from the questionnaire was processed in the SPSS program. The results show that the respondents are highly aware (M = 4.49) of the benefits of using ICT in their practical working with students with dyslexia and have a positive attitude towards using ICT.They show a high level of knowledge required for the use of ICT in preparation for working with students and for working directly with students (M = 2.83). When working, most often they use 1 technological device - computer or laptop (94,3%). Respondents use ICT significantly in preparation for work (94.3%) and to a slightly lower but still satisfactory level (60%, 3 applications per respondent on average) for working directly with students. Considering the differences in usage with regard to the level of professional experience, the results show that respondents with professional experience with more than 10 years use ICT applications more frequently than respondents with professional experience with up to 10 years.Among the barriers to the use of ICTrespondents highlight the lack of technical devices and applications in the Croatian language.Areas where progress towards a higher level of ICT use is possible have been identified, with a focus on removing existing barriers to ICT use