Photo by Chris Meyer

The IU School of Library and Information Science in Indianapolis collaborated on a study to determine if graphic novels—comic books in paperback format and length—could be used to improve the reading skills of students with disabilities.

As part of the study, several students in special education at Avon High School were asked to read graphic novels in their free time over the course of a year. At the end of the study, a few of the students still don’t like to read and found the graphic novels to be just as difficult, boring and uninteresting as other books. However, 16 of the 20 students in the small study reported liking and reading the books to one degree or another. They reported that the pictures helped them understand the text better. Some said the images eliminated the boring descriptive parts that are in other books, leaving only the dialog to read.  Additionally, the books were colorful and fun to read. Four of the students in the study are now voracious graphic novel readers. The students, previously threatened by reading, now willingly come to the media center and have a connection with the media specialist.  Two have even asked to become library aides.

Robyn Young, school library media specialist at Avon High School, worked with Marilyn Irwin, an associate professor with the IU School of Library and Information Science in Indianapolis, on the study. The project was funded by a grant from the American Association of School Librarians, a division of the American Library Association. A preliminary report of the findings was presented at the annual conference of the American Library Association held in June in Chicago. A second presentation has been accepted for the American Association of School Librarians Conference to be held in October in Pittsburgh, Pa.