Design, development and evaluation of a tangible mobile application for students with specific learning disabilities

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2017
Polat Hopcan, Elif
Tangible objects used with multi touch tablets have a potential to enrich learning experience of students with specific learning disabilities. Providing multi-sensory interaction, physical engagement, accessibility, and collaboration can open a new learning way for students with specific learning disabilities (SLD). It can be ensured by well-designed tangible applications undoubtedly. The main purpose of this study was to determine design principles of a tangible mobile application for students with SLD and to examine the effectiveness of the tangible mobile application on the students’ achievement. Design-based research was employed in order to determine design principles for tangible mobile application for students with SLD by investigating special education experts’ /science education expert’s, teachers’, and students’ opinions. In addition, a single subject research design was performed in order to investigate the effectiveness of the tangible mobile application on students’ achievement in 6th grade cell concept. Usability issues about tangible mobile application by students and the reflections of special education teachers after using the tangible mobile application on students with SLD were examined by using observation and implementation. Overall, the result of the study showed that: 1) 33 design principles of tangible mobile application in four categories –educational content, visual design, tangible object use and interaction- were determined for students with SLD. 2) Tangible mobile application was effective. 3) Students with SLD were willing to use tangible mobile application, they liked it and they use it easily. 4) Teachers thought that tangible mobile application is easy to use and useful for both teachers and students.

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Citation Formats
E. Polat Hopcan, “Design, development and evaluation of a tangible mobile application for students with specific learning disabilities,” Ph.D. - Doctoral Program, Middle East Technical University, 2017.