Training Second-grade Dyslexic Students Using a Computerized Program in Assiut, Egypt (Dyslexia)

Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate or fluent word recognition, by poor spelling and decoding abilities, difficulty reading words in isolation and difficulty with oral reading (slow, inaccurate, or labored). These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected with other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. The phonological deficit hypothesis is the dominant explanatory theory of developmental dyslexia. Despite this, impaired phonological processing alone cannot explain all clinical symptoms of dyslexia. Many students with dyslexia have multiple deficits other than phonological deficits. Of these accused deficits are visual perceptual processing deficits, auditory processing deficits, multisensory spatial attention deficits as well as cerebellar dysfunction. The current mandatory criterion for the diagnosis of dyslexia, below-average achievement, implies waiting to failure. This approach for diagnosis (must fail approach) would delay intervention for rehabilitation.

Furthermore, the cut-off scores would result in over or under inclusion of cases and appear to be the least reliable and valid approach to diagnosis. Both methods lack a deeper understanding of the underlying reading difficulty, their neurobiological basis, and hence represent barriers against scientifically-based interventions. However, improved understanding of the neurobiological basis of dyslexia will facilitate evidence-based effective intervention.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Dyslexia
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Computerized Cognitive abilities training battery for reading (CATB-R)

Detailed Description

This study will be carried out along seven stages; 1- Identification of students with reading disability using Arabic Reading Achievement test (RAT); 2- Construction of a computerized Arabic Cognitive Abilities diagnostic battery for Reading (CADB-R); 3- Standardization of the constructed battery; 4- Detailed study of the cognitive profile; 5- Construction of a Computerized Cognitive abilities training battery for reading (CATB-R); 6- Application of the training battery; 7- Reassessment.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 52
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Egypt
  • Assiut, Egypt, 17777
    • Assiut University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 8 years to 9 years (Child)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• 2nd-grade primary school students
• Poor scholastic achievement: less than mean - SD score on Arabic reading achievement test
• Normal neurological, basic audiological, and ophthalmological examination
• Both sexes included

Exclusion Criteria:

• Student refused to participate
• Abnormal neurological, audiological or ophthalmological examination

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Dyslexia; Students with dyslexia before and after the intervention	Behavioral: Computerized Cognitive abilities training battery for reading (CATB-R); Specially designed Arabic computerized training program for dyslexia

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Arabic Reading Achievement test (RAT)	new scale of Arabic Reading Achievement test specially designed for this study. Students will classified according to their achievement level into three groups: Group I: Poor achievers (scores < mean - SD), considered students with reading disability, or dyslexia; Group II: Average achievers (with scores= mean + SD); Group III included those with good achievement (score > mean+ SD)	Baseline, 2 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Computerized Arabic Cognitive Abilities diagnostic battery for Reading (CADB-R)	Specially designed battery in a game-like manner to test a wide range of cognitive skills that are supposed to be important in the early stages of learning to read. It includes the following skills: Text Reading comprehension; Visual discrimination; Auditory discrimination; Phonological awareness; Visuospatial skills; Audio-Visual correspondence; Auditory memory	Baseline, 2 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Assiut University
• Investigators: Study Director: Wafaa M Farghaly, MD, Assiut University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): November 14, 2020
• Primary Completion (Actual): February 1, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): March 1, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 12, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 22, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): November 24, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 3, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 30, 2022
• Last Verified: April 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Training; Dyslexia; Egypt
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Nervous System Diseases; Neurologic Manifestations; Neurobehavioral Manifestations; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Language Disorders; Communication Disorders; Learning Disabilities; Dyslexia
• Other Study ID Numbers: AssiutU Dyslexia

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No