589 - Use and Compliance of a Computer Assistant Learning Program (Lexia) in Children with Learning Disabilities in Reading in an Ethnically Diverse Community.

Poster Number: 589
Publication Number: 589.308

Maria Valicenti-McDermott, Rose F. Kennedy Center, Children's Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center; Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, United States; Carla L. Bernstein, Pediatrics, Bronx, NY, United States; Marie-Joane Cardin, RFK/CERC at CHAM, Greenwich, CT, United States; Erin Rivelis, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, United States

Background: Learning disabilities (LD) are lifelong conditions and with interventions, people with LD in reading (LDR) can improve their abilities. In recent years, technology-based remediation has become popular, but research to support its use in children with LDR is sparse. We are conducting a study to examine the impact of computer-assisted learning (CAL Lexia Learning, Concord, MA; Lexialearning.com), to the treatment of youth with LDR in the Bronx, NY

Objective: To examine compliance and use of CAL in children with LDs in reading who attend an urban, multidisciplinary University affiliated center

Design/Methods: Youth with LDR, who were on a wait list for a remediation program at a multidisciplinary center were invited to participate in February-April 2021. Families met with a psychologist, who explained the Lexia program. Families were contacted 1 week, 2 weeks, 2 months, and 6 months after starting. Assessments were given before and after 6 months of intervention, including reading measures (WJ-IV Letter Word Identification and Word Attack) and assessment of behavior (BASC-3); demographic and developmental data was also collected along with time spent engaged with Lexia. Statistics included chi-square, t-test and non parametrics.

Results: 54 youth with LDR signed up for Lexia, 31(57%) boys and 23 (43%) girls, age 11±2 y.o, 3 (5%) White, 42 (78%) Hispanic, 9 (17%) African American, 13 (24%) came from bilingual English/Spanish households. Other developmental diagnoses(DD): language impairment 100%; ADHD 55%, Autism 8%.Overall, children participated in Lexia for 605±132 minutes; 23(42%) discontinued Lexia before the 6-month assessment (17 (31%) not started or use it at all, and 6 (11%) used it for less than 2 months). Youth who remained in the program Nf31 (57%) were more likely to be younger (10±2 y.o vs.11±2 y.o p=0.04) than those who stopped; no other differences in demographics, other DDs, or ratings of behaviors. Youth with autism were more likely to use Lexia for more minutes (1136±726 min vs. 388±780 min p=0.02) than children without autism. Bilingual English Spanish youth used it for less time (487± 627 vs. 500 ±801 p=0.04) than monolingual English youth. To date, 17 patients completed 6 months with pre/post data, showing a significant improvement in WJ-VI Letter Word Identification (36.5 ± 14 to 38 ±14 p=0.02).Conclusion(s): More than half of a sample of an urban, ethnically diverse youth with LDR were compliant with an online reading program, with significant improvement in academics. Younger children are more likely to participate; CAL may represent a positive intervention for youth with LDR.