Associated effects of automated essay evaluation software on growth in writing quality for students with and without disabilities

The present study examined growth in writing quality associated with feedback provided by an automated essay evaluation system called PEG Writing. Equal numbers of students with disabilities (SWD) and typically-developing students (TD) matched on prior writing achievement were sampled (n = 1196 total). Data from a subsample of students (n = 655) was used to investigate evidence of transfer to improved first-draft performance on a follow up writing prompt. Three-level hierarchical linear modeling was used. Findings indicated that SWD produced first drafts of lesser quality than TD students, but grew at a faster rate and were able to close the gap in writing quality after five revisions. However, these effects were moderated by school quality and the availability of internet-connected devices in schools. There was no evidence of transfer for either group of students. Results document a positive association between the use of PEG Writing and growth in writing quality for SWD, and underscore the importance of having sufficient technology resources for maximizing this growth.