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Electronic Books for the Gifted and Disabled

Dain A. Shimabuku

University of Hawaii at Manoa

Introduction

One day, school bags may be obsolete and e-Books will be the norm. As

technology becomes accessible to classrooms, technology will change the way students

obtain information. Electronic books, also known as e-Books, are changing the way

students learn. “Because technology itself is attractive to many students, e-Books can

provide a motivation approach for remediation” (Weber and Cavanaugh, 2006). This

literature review will discuss the definition of e-Books, the advantages and

disadvantages, and how e-Books supports gifted and disabled learners.

What are e-Books?

According to Weber and Cavanaugh (2006), “E-Books are textual documents that

have been converted and “published” in an electronic format that displays on e-Book

readers, devices, or computers using e-Book software programs.” Amazon’s Kindle and

Apple’s IPad are examples of e-Book readers and E-Books are the books of the future.

“Electronic-book format may overtake p-books (paper books) by 2008, and by 2020 the

revolution will be complete” (Towle, Dearnley, McKnight, 2007). Since e-Books are

relatively new, the cost to purchase e-Book hardware and software is relatively high

compared to p-books. Currently a high school text book costs $150 and the newest e-

Book the I-Pad, costs $499.

A version of e-Books is coursepacks. “Coursepacks are photocopies of

copyrighted journal articles, book chapters, and other materials” (Davis, 2009).
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Coursepacks may save money and time for both students and instructors. Purchasing a

coursepack is less expensive than purchasing the entire text. Coursepacks could also

supplement a textbook or other resource.

Advantages and Disadvantages of e-Books:

E-Books are becoming a new resource that is available to those who have

computers or e-Book readers. When new technology is presented there are advantages

and disadvantages of using it. “E-books offer great promise as an emerging educational

technology, but to date this potential remains largely untapped” (Simon, 2001). The e-

Book is relatively new to consumers. As e-Books become affordable many institutions

may purchase them for their students. The E-Books have features that allow easier

accessibility compared to multiple texts.

Advantages of e-Books:

Beside accessibility, another advantage of e-Books is portability. E-Books are

easier to transport especially when multiple text books are needed. “The student could

archive all the material onto a personal computer, building a permanent library from

every course he or she has taken.” (Simon, 2001). Students will be able to retrieve

information from previous text a lot easier compared with traditional textbooks.

“On e-books, students can emulate most of a standard text’s features, such as

underlining, bookmarking, writing in margins, and looking up words in a glossary”

(Simon, 2001)” The text features that eBooks have allow students to manipulate the page

like a regular textbook. The ability to manipulate the text allows students to interact with

the text in a user friendly way compared with textbooks.

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Beside manipulation, students are able to adjust the way they view text. Fonts can

be adjusted to meet the needs of those with poor eye sight. “E-Books offer many extras

like large storage capacity, light weight, hyperlinking, adjustable fonts, search

capabilities, and customizable content” (Simon, 2001).

The ability to retrieve up-to-date information on the e-Books allows the students

to utilize current information. “Digital textbooks can be updated on the fly with

information” (Woudstra, 2003). Many students retrieve their information from the

internet and e-Books will be current and give students modern information.

“Technological breakthroughs, such as flexible, full-color screens along with

improved digital management and delivery systems, will revolutionize the way students

access information” (Egan, 2009). As technology improves, the information gathered by

students will be through an e-Book rather than a textbook. The ability to view in color

with an increase in speed, the e-Book may change the way information is gathered.

Disadvantages of e-Books:

When new technology is introduced problems are recognized by users and

improvements have to be made. “The hardware is not up to speed” (Simon, 2001). The

hardware doesn’t allow students to browse through pages at a faster rate. E-Book

manufacturers need to create hardware that meets the needs of the users.

Another disadvantage of e-books is the LCD screens. “The LCD screens were

small, had insufficient resolution, and were black-and-white” (Simon, 2001). Color

screens are important in courses such as biology. The colored diagrams and illustration in

the biology textbook are important as it distinguishes parts of cells and life. “Studies

comparing reading on screen and paper for comprehension and accuracy tend to lean in
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favor of print” (Woudstra, 2003). Though e-Books allow portability, when it comes to

comprehension those who read from paper tend to understand better than those who do

not.

“Eye experts, according to Jane Healy, believe computer use is creating problems

with visual development in young children” (Woudstra, 2003). Over the past quarter

century technology has been viewed through a screen. VCRs, DVDs, video games, and

mp3 players have been introduced and utilized by many youths. E-Books require students

to read text through a screen for a period of time and may contribute to the increase in

visual development in youth.

How e-Books support gifted and disabled learners

Disabled Learners

Since No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB 2001) and the Individuals with

Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004) accommodations for these students requires

differentiation. “ The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 defines

assistive technology as “any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether

acquired commercially or off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase,

maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a child with a disability” (Rhodes and

Milby, 2007). According to the IDEA of 2004’s definition, the e-Book is considered an

assistive technology.

“Through e-books, students are exposed to sound, animation, and interactive

activities that scaffold learning and are able to master tasks that may not be accomplished

independently” (Rhodes and Milby, 2007). Students with disabilities usually have
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multiple problems and e-books are a tool that may address all of those problems. Students

with disabilities are often visual and kinesthetic learners. Students who have disabilities

the physical turning of a p-book page is a difficult task. E-Books allow these students to

interact with the information that is presented.

“Through the use of teacher-created e-books, students with disabilities are able to

gain access to the literature used in the regular classroom program and deepen their

understanding” (Rhodes and Milby, 2007). A second grade teacher in Virginia creates her

own e-books using Microsoft PowerPoint. Microsoft PowerPoint lets the user create a

slide show. Teachers can post graphics as well as text on each slide and each slide is

comparable to a page on a text. Microsoft PowerPoint allows slides to be animated and

the animation can be applied to the transition between slides. Animation can also be

added to selected graphics or texts. Audio or voiceovers can be added to assist students

who have visual disabilities. “Research on students with reading disabilities showed that

comprehension improved when text-to-speech was combined with reading” (Weber and

Cavanaugh, 2006).

E-books allow students with disabilities to learn the same level of materials as

their general education classmates are allowed to interact with the text. Students who

have difficulty in reading because of their vision may make the text larger and easier to

view. E-books are considered to be an assistive technology and could assist disabled

learners in the future.

Gifted Learners

“Gifted readers in particular can benefit from the added tools and variety afforded

by e-Books. (Weber and Cavanaugh, 2006)” Gifted readers are those who excel in many
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subjects and often read independently. The independent reading allows students to make

connections in the plot of stories. Weber and Cavanaugh (2006) stated that Abilock

(1999) identified five facts about gifted readers. 1) Gifted readers are skilled, flexible

readers who read often; 2 )gifted readers monitor their reading; 3) linguistically rich texts

are especially suited to gifted readers; 4) gifted readers use other strengths in response to

the particular demands of text; and 5) gifted readers are passionate readers who find

books to love.

Gifted readers read at an accelerated rate compared to their classmates. Since

gifted readers are advanced the materials that are needed must be made available for them

to access and e-books meet those needs. When a gifted reader is done with their reading

material they can download new reading material within hours. “Access to a wide variety

of books encourages exposure to 1) new and challenging information, 2) varied subjects,

3) areas of interest, and 4) difficult vocabulary and concepts.” (Weber and Cavanaugh,

2006).

“It is estimated that between 20-50% of gifted students underachieve” (Weber and

Cavanaugh, 2006). Supportive strategies, remedial strategies, and intrinsic strategies are

found to be effective in working with students who are not reaching their potential.

Technology, particularly e-books, contributes to motivation as students learn more

effectively and teachers are more efficient.

Conclusion

Electronic books may aid in the learning process for gifted and disabled learners.

“E-books are an effective instructional strategy for students with disabilities. The

embedded supports scaffold learners, enabling all children to be successful in the

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classroom” (Rhodes and Milby, 2007). The ability to increase font size may allow the

reader to comprehend the material. “Larger font sizes and spacing actually cause the eyes

to move more slowly while reading, allowing students to tracker their reading more

easily” (Weber and Cavanaugh, 2006). Electronic books may benefit the gifted learner as

books are readily available and accessible. Once cost decreases and production on

eBooks increase the textbooks used by students in the classroom may change.
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Reference:

Briggs, L. (2009, September 30). Embracing electronic textbooks. Retrieved from

http://campustechnology.com/Articles/2009/09/30/Embracing-Electronic-
Textbooks.aspx

Davis, B. (2009). Tools for teaching. San Francisco, California: Jossey-Bass.

Egan, C. (2009, August 16). Students to dump textbook for eBooks. Retrieved from
http://www.theage.com.au/national/students-to-dump-textbooks-for-ebooks-
20090815-elsu.html

Rhodes, J, & Milby, T. (2007, November). Teacher-created electronic books: integrating

technology to support readers with disabilities. Reading Teacher, 61(3), 255-259.

Simon, E.J. (2001, August 27). Are e-books ready for the classroom?. Campus
Technology. Retrieved March 22, 2010, from
http://campustechnology.com/Articles/2001/08/Are-eBooks-Ready-for-the-
Classroom.aspx?page=1

Towle, G, Dearnley, J, & McKnight, C. (2001). Electronic books in the 2003–2005

period: some. Publishing Research Quality, 23(2), 95-104.

Weber, C, & Cavanaugh, T. (2006). Using EBooks with gifted and advanced readers.
Gifted Child Today, 29(4), 56-63.

Woudstra, W.J. (2003). The future of textbooks: e-books in the classroom: Publishing
Central. Retrieved March 23, 2010, from
http://publishingcentral.com/articles/20030813-68-4409.html?si=5