Reading by listening in academia: students' talking book and text-to-speech usage in higher education

This dissertation in the field of library and information studies explores students with ADHD and their use of talking books, i.e. audiobooks especially adapted to people with print disabilities, as well as other assistive audio technologies such as text-to-speech.

The project ties into the research field critical studies of reading, in which reading is understood as a social and material practice which can be performed in different ways, with different senses and with different tools. Listening to talking books and text-to-speech is therefore understood as a reading practice called reading by listening. The project aims to create knowledge about students’ reading by listening in higher education, and if and how the notions of reading that the students meet affect how the students make sense of their own reading practices.

The project also aims to contribute to an understanding of the role of reading and audio media within academia on a more general level. By studying “atypical” reading within higher education we can also learn something about “typical” academic reading. The project connects to the concept of academic literacy, which examines the social practices and skills required to succeed in higher education, which differs between different academic disciplines.

The dissertation can contribute to valuable insight into an increasingly large student population, as well as the role of audio media and reading by listening in higher education. The project bears relevance to researchers and practitioners alike within areas such as librarianship, accessible media, inclusive education and widening participation.