Integration, Processing, Retrieval and Organizing

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This project will develop a new software program that will improve the management of digital information from a variety of sources for individuals with learning disabilities (LD) and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in a postsecondary academic settings. The software to be developed in this project is designed to assist individuals in locating, understanding, and assimilating information by fully exploiting its availability in a digital medium. The software user will trade in his highlighters, sticky notes, and index cards for an intuitive software information management tool that will support optimum learning for students challenged by LD or ADHD deficits. During Phase I of the project four prototype software modules will be developed, and two types of product evaluation will be conducted. First, postsecondary students with diagnosed LD and/or ADHD will be recruited to interact with the prototype modules to assess the usability of the software. During initial usability studies these students will identify adaptations that need to be made to create a product that will be usable and intuitive for students in the target population. Second, the software's utility will be evaluated as another group of students work with the prototype model, providing data that will help determine the software's effectiveness in supporting identified information processing deficits encountered in the following critical academic tasks: 1. Reading for Understanding 2. Writing Academic Papers 3. Studying for Examinations 4. Developing Classroom Presentations