Development of a qualitative assessment tool for children's handwriting ability

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K12167
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 62030:Learning support system-related
• Research Institution: Aino University
• Principal Investigator: Takahata Shuhei 藍野大学, 医療保健学部, 講師 (20782684)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 寺山 慧 横浜市立大学, 生命医科学研究科, 准教授 (50789328)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 書字困難 / 評価開発 / ICT / 機械学習

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to develop an ICT-based qualitative evaluation tool for writing with the aim of providing individualized and optimal support for children with writing difficulties. We worked to develop a tool that can comprehensively evaluate (1) the legibility of written characters, (2) the writing process, (3) writing-related functions, which cannot be obtained with existing evaluation tools.
During this research period, we worked up to the development of the evaluation platform, and indices related to the degree of difficulty in writing were clarified. Specifically, “accuracy of movement” was important for the presence of writing difficulty, and “writing speed” was important for the severity of writing difficulty. In addition, it was suggested that “mother-finger opposition test” and “WAVES_shape tracing (ratio)” were particularly important as indices directly affecting the degree of writing difficulty.

Free Research Field

特別支援教育

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

書字困難児の特性を、①書かれた文字の判読性、②書字過程、③書字関連機能の特徴の多方面から包括的かつ詳細に捉えた評価を行うことができるため、書字困難児の個別最適な支援に繋げることができる。また、書字困難に関連する認知機能・運動機能も含めた関連性が明らかになることで、就学前の子どもが書字困難になるリスクが明確になり、早期発見や早期支援にも繋がると想定される。