Study Objective: To examine the effects of a computer-based reading intervention program on reading performance and brain activation in children with and without reading difficulties.
Background: Reading disability (RD; or developmental dyslexia) is characterized by slow and inaccurate reading that continues into adulthood despite remedial intervention and exposure to written materials. The neurological reasons for RD are yet to be discovered although several brain abnormalities were suggested in previous studies. Individuals with RD can compensate for their reading difficulties to some degree, especially if the intervention is provided early in age. Most reading interventions that were used in the past demonstrated an improvement in reading accuracy among individuals with RD. However, improvement in the fluency domain was more challenging.
Neuropsychological and neuroimaging measures will be administered to participants in the study with the hopes of better understanding the neurological underpinnings of reading disabilities and identifying the neurobehavioral differences between children with RD and typical readers.