Thesis (D.Tech.: Language Practice) - Dept. of Language and Translation, Durban University of Technology, 2007 / An in-depth investigation into the nature of composing was carried out to provide the theoretical basis for a computer mediated learning application, an interactive writing tutor computer program which might be customised by users to fit different educational contexts. The investigation was carried out within a critical realist perspective, from which viewpoint composing can be seen to have an external reality in common with other social phenomena. The intended outcome was to arrive at a description of writing which more closely approximated the reality so as to design more effective learning interactions, in particular, the writing tutor program itself

Thesis (D.Tech.: Language Practice) - Dept. of Language and Translation, Durban University of Technology, 2007 / An in-depth investigation into the nature of composing was carried out to provide the theoretical basis for a computer mediated learning application, an interactive writing tutor computer program which might be customised by users to fit different educational contexts. The investigation was carried out within a critical realist perspective, from which viewpoint composing can be seen to have an external reality in common with other social phenomena. The intended outcome was to arrive at a description of writing which more closely approximated the reality so as to design more effective learning interactions, in particular, the writing tutor program itself

A large number of individuals who are identified as having learning disabilities have deficits in written expression. Existing theory and research indicate that for those individuals oral expression not only precedes, but also exceeds their written expression capabilities. As a result, dictation has been investigated as an accommodation for these individuals. Research in this area indicates that dictation does tend to increase quality, length, and rate of production of written expression. This mode, however, has a number of shortcomings, including difficulties caused by social skills deficits and a loss of independence. Additionally, for universities providing this accommodation, the annual cost of providing a transcription service is high. Speech recognition has the potential to overcome these shortcomings, but presently little research has been conducted to investigate the advantages and disadvantages of this mode of writing. The purpose of this study was to examine the compensatory effectiveness of oral expression through the use of continuous speech recognition technology on the written composition performance of postsecondary students with learning disabilities. This writing mode was compared to a popular accommodation involving oral expression, using a human transcriber to create a verbatim transcription, and to a common visual-motor method of writing, using a keyboard without assistance. Analysis of the data revealed that students with learning disabilities in the area of written expression wrote significantly higher quality essays at a faster rate using the transcription and speech recognition modes of writing than they did using the keyboarding method of writing. There was no significant difference in the length of essays across the three treatment groups. This study suggests that current continuous speech recognition technology can offer postsecondary students with learning disabilities a method to write that is superior to keyboarding as indicated by measures of quality and rate of production. Since the speech recognition technology does not have the limitations of the transcription process (i.e., loss of independence and high cost), it may be the best alternative for postsecondary students with learning disabilities in the area of written expression to maximize their oral language strengths to more efficiently produce better quality writing. / Ph. D.

L'objet de la présente étude est un dispositif didactique mis en œuvre avec des étudiants anglophones en français langue étrangère, dans une université australienne. Elle examine l'impact que peuvent avoir l'aspect instrumenté et l'aspect collaboratif lors d'un travail de révision collaborative assistée par ordinateur. Elle envisage également en quoi une telle activité peut être vectrice d'apprentissage. Le corpus analysé se compose de cinq sessions de travail enregistrées (actions d'écran) et transcrites. Ayant conceptualisé cette activité comme une succession de résolutions de problème, nous avons retenu la séquence de résolution de problème comme unité d'analyse. La méthodologie retenue est hybride. Elle fait appel à l'analyse qualitative de certaines séquences et à une analyse quantitative s'appuyant sur les questionnements d'une base de données construite à partir d'une typologie définissant les paramètres propres aux séquences observées. Nous montrons comment les dynamiques interactives reposent sur l'élaboration d'un espace commun de résolution impliquant une négociation tripartite entre scripteur, co-réviseur et Correcteur. L'activité des partenaires oscille entre deux pôles. Le premier consiste à traiter les uns après les autres les soulignements parsemant le texte, les opérations cognitives sous-jacentes étant alors intimement liées aux aspects instrumentés. Le deuxième pôle consiste à relire le texte en dehors de ce que signale le logiciel et à porter son attention sur les questions de formulation, de syntaxe, de cohérence et de cohésion. La dynamique d'une session résulte de la distribution et de la prégnance de phénomènes appartenant à ces deux axes, la capacité des signalements du Correcteur à circonscrire l'activité de révision et les processus de relecture dépendant en partie du degré d'expertise rédactionnelle des partenaires. Certains signalements et propositions du Correcteur sont générateurs de débats, d'interrogations et d'échanges de point de vue, ce qui permet aux membres des dyades de mobiliser certaines connaissances, potentiellement de les affiner, voire d'en acquérir d'autres. Les partenaires à travers l'aspect collaboratif se trouvent également exposés à de nouvelles façons de gérer l'activité, d'utiliser les divers outils à leur disposition et de ce sur quoi peut se porter l'attention lors d'un travail de révision. Autant de phénomènes qui relèvent de ce que nous avons appelé la régulation assistée, laquelle semble emblématique du potentiel acquisitionnel de ce type d'activité. / The study examines the impact of both the collaborative and instrumented dimensions in a revision task where students, native speakers of English from an Australian university, were asked to revise a text they had written. The students were asked to work on an electronic version of their text with the help of a partner, a grammar assistant software, and an electronic bilingual dictionary. The study also examines whether such an activity can be conducive to learning and improve revision skills. Each of the five sessions' screen action was recorded as well as the partners' interactions which were subsequently transcribed. The revision activity in these sessions was conceptualised as a series of problem resolution sequences, the concept of problem resolution sequence chosen as the basic unit of analysis. A hybrid methodology was followed, using both quantitative and qualitative analysis. Certain sequences were analysed in details while the quantitative approach relied on the questioning of a data base built using parameters defining characteristics of resolution sequences. We show how for each sequence a joint problem space is created as the result of negotiations between writer, co-revisor and grammar assistant software input. The revision activities observed follow two distinct trends. On the one hand, students' attention focusses on items the assistant software has underlined on the text. In this case, underlying cognitive processes are intricately linked with the instrumented aspect of the activity. On the other, rereading and revision strategies focus on formulation of ideas, sentence construction, eliminating redundant information, cohesion and coherence issues. Distribution of revision processes along these two axis determines a session dynamics, the capacity of the grammar assistant to overall determine revision processes depending to a certain extent on the level of expertise of the partners. In some sequences, grammar assistant's underlines or explanations generate debates and questions among partners who are necessarily drawn to evaluate the assistant's assessment, express their opinion and argue their case. They thus mobilise grammatical knowledge, potentially refine it, or acquire new rules. The collaborative aspect of the activity also allows partners to be exposed to new revision strategies as well as new ways to use the various software tools at their disposal when attempting to solve problems. Their views on what revising a text means may change in the process. All these phenomena pertain to what we have described as assisted regulation procedures and as such seem to point to the learning and teaching to revise potential of such an activity.

This study expands on the current literature base that investigates the use of voice recognition software (VRS) as a compensatory strategy for written language difficulties often experienced by postsecondary education students receiving services under the category of learning disabled. The current literature base is limited to one study (Higgins & Raskind, 1995) which found that subjects' writing samples, completed with VRS, had higher holistic scores than the samples completed with a transcriber, and without assistance. While these findings are positive many questions remain unanswered. The research conducted in this dissertation investigated three such questions. The questions and corresponding findings follow. 1. After being trained on VRS will persons, in postsecondary education, receiving services under the category of learning disabled, continue to use it to complete their academic course work? Will they further use the software for purposes other than academic study? Two individuals continued to use the software. One of these two used the software for multiple purposes. 2. Does the ongoing use of VRS, by postsecondary education students receiving services under the category of learning disabled, improve their written performance when assessed with Fry's Readability Graph? Two subjects each submitted three writing samples: one completed without the use of VRS and two completed using VRS. One subject's grade level equivalency went from 4.5 (sample completed without using VRS) to 6.5 (samples completed using VRS). There was no change in the grade level equivalency of the writing samples for the second subject. 3. What are the contributing variables that influence the continued use, or non-use, of VRS by postsecondary education students receiving services under the category of learning disabled? Numerous variables emerged from the data including: time, access to a personal computer, ease of use, personal issues, use of standard English, the specific limitations associated with a persons disability, whether or not the subjects had other compensatory strategies in place, and the acquisition of the skills necessary to use the software. The findings contribute to the field by providing a framework from which to assess who mayor may not benefit from the use of VRS.