Emerging Realities of Text-to-Speech Software for Nonnative-English-Speaking Community College Students in the Freshman Year

This study explores the expectations and early and subsequent realities of text-to-speech software for 24 nonnative-English-speaking college students who were experiencing reading difficulties in their freshman year of college. The study took place over two semesters in one academic year (from September to June) at a community college on the Eastern seaboard of the United States. Data were collected using semistructured written diaries. Diary entries were collected at monthly intervals and analyzed using NVIVO 1.2 for emergent themes. Each student had an individual learning trajectory, but general patterns emerged across all participants. The study sheds light on the benefits and limitations of the software and its potential to affect positive learning and increased satisfaction in the lives of students with reading difficulties during the freshman year. It gives implications for practice and suggestions for further research.