Expanding the Evidence Base: Does Use of Assistive Technology in the Form of Text-to-Speech and Related Read-Aloud Tools Improve Reading Comprehension for Students With Reading Disabilities? A Meta-Analysis

This meta-analysis examines the effects of text-to-speech (TTS) technology on reading comprehension outcomes in students with reading disabilities. Building upon and expanding the findings of Wood et al. (2017), this study incorporates post-2017 literature, including both published and gray literature sources. It employs a rigorous coding scheme and robust statistical methods to evaluate overall effectiveness and explore potential moderating variables such as disability type, decoding needs, grade level, oral delivery modality, and study design. The findings aim to inform educational policy, instructional strategies, and assistive technology implementation for students with reading-based learning difficulties.