Increasing Access to STEM Instruction Through Specially Produced Notes using Tablet PC Technology and Speech-to-Text Services

跨学科（99）有学习障碍（LD）、耳聋或重听（D/HH）的学生，以及那些学习英语（ELL）的学生，在科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）本科课程中面临着重大的沟通障碍；他们的认知、语言和知觉特征阻碍了这些课程的学习。该项目通过向学生提供用罗切斯特理工学院（RIT）最近开发的Tablet C-Print Pro软件制作的笔记来解决这些障碍，该软件专门用于STEM课程。课堂笔记以电子方式分发给所有学生，包括课堂讲课和讨论的文字和图形表示。该项目比较了提供C-Print笔记的班级与不提供笔记的班级的学习效果（与课程内容和讲师相匹配）。该项目还评估了c - print笔记对四组学生的益处：(a)低年级学生，(b)低年级学生，(c)低年级学生，(D)理解英语口语没有困难的学生。该项目产生的创新和知识可以改善学生在各个STEM领域的学习，特别是那些难以理解STEM课程材料的群体的学习。向所有学生分发C-Print笔记将有助于扩大代表性不足群体（包括残疾人和ELL学生）对STEM课程的参与和成功，并增加成为STEM专业学生的可能性。没有面临这些交流挑战的学生也可以从这项技术中受益。

Interdisciplinary (99) Students with learning disabilities (LD), who are deaf or hard of hearing (D/HH), and those who are learners of English language (ELL) face significant communication barriers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) undergraduate courses; their cognitive, linguistic, and perceptual characteristics impede learning these classes. This project is addressing these barriers by providing to students notes produced with the Tablet C-Print Pro software recently developed at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), specifically for use in STEM courses. The notes, distributed electronically to all students in class, include text and graphic representation of class lecture and discussion. The project is comparing learning gains in classes, (matched for course content and instructor), in which C-Print notes are provided in contrast to classes in which the notes are not provided. The project is also assessing the benefit of C-Print notes for four groups of students: (a) LD, (b) D/HH, (c) ELL, and (d) those who do not have difficulty comprehending spoken English. Innovation and knowledge yielded by the project can improve student learning in a variety of STEM areas, especially learning by groups that have difficulty comprehending material in STEM courses. Distribution of C-Print notes to all students will contribute to broadening participation and success in STEM courses by underrepresented groups, including individuals with disabilities and ELL students and increase the likelihood of becoming a STEM major. Students who do not face these communication challenges may also benefit from the technology.