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Reading by Listening in Academia : Students with ADHD's Use of Audioboks and Text-to-Speech in Higher education

Lundin, Karin LU orcid (2026) Audiobooks and Australian Literary Studies
Abstract
While the so-called “audiobook boom” has yet to reach academic publishing, the
growing number of students with print disabilities entering higher education is
prompting an increase of academic reading materials in audio formats, such as
audiobooks and text-to-speech software. Despite this, little research exists on students’actual use of audiobooks and text-to-speech in their studies, especially among students with ADHD. This study seeks to fill this knowledge gap by exploring audiobook and textto-speech practices among students with ADHD in Swedish higher education, using a combination of focus groups and individual qualitative interviews. Due to its high degree of digitization and flourishing audiobook market, Sweden... (More)
While the so-called “audiobook boom” has yet to reach academic publishing, the
growing number of students with print disabilities entering higher education is
prompting an increase of academic reading materials in audio formats, such as
audiobooks and text-to-speech software. Despite this, little research exists on students’actual use of audiobooks and text-to-speech in their studies, especially among students with ADHD. This study seeks to fill this knowledge gap by exploring audiobook and textto-speech practices among students with ADHD in Swedish higher education, using a combination of focus groups and individual qualitative interviews. Due to its high degree of digitization and flourishing audiobook market, Sweden constitutes an ideal setting for this study. Therefore, Swedish students’ current audiobook and text-tospeech practices can offer a window into the future roles of audiobooks and text-tospeech in academia.
This project seeks to create knowledge about how students with ADHD make use of audiobooks and text-to-speech in higher education, conceptualized as academic reading by listening. Another aim is to explore what notions of (academic) reading that the students meet, and how these discourses influence students’ perceptions of their own reading practices. Thus, the project also seeks to contribute to an understanding of the role of reading and audio media in academia on a more general level. This project positions itself within the field critical studies of reading, which takes an interest in the social and material aspects of reading and the discourses about reading at work in the
contexts where reading takes place. By examining academic reading through the lens of students who read in non-normative ways, this study seeks to answer the question: what are we talking about when we talk about academic reading? (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to conference
publication status
published
subject
pages
1 pages
conference name
Audiobooks and Australian Literary Studies
conference location
Canberra, Australia
conference dates
2026-02-10 - 2026-02-11
project
Reading by listening in academia: students' talking book and text-to-speech usage in higher education
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
67f3db85-dfb1-48af-ba43-a7c32331d253
alternative location
https://slll.cass.anu.edu.au/sites/slll.cass.anu.edu.au/files/docs/2026/1/Abstracts-and-Speakers-ASAL-Audiobooks-2026.pdf#page=7
date added to LUP
2026-03-02 11:56:39
date last changed
2026-04-13 09:27:47
@misc{67f3db85-dfb1-48af-ba43-a7c32331d253,
  abstract     = {{While the so-called “audiobook boom” has yet to reach academic publishing, the<br/>growing number of students with print disabilities entering higher education is<br/>prompting an increase of academic reading materials in audio formats, such as<br/>audiobooks and text-to-speech software. Despite this, little research exists on students’actual use of audiobooks and text-to-speech in their studies, especially among students with ADHD. This study seeks to fill this knowledge gap by exploring audiobook and textto-speech practices among students with ADHD in Swedish higher education, using a combination of focus groups and individual qualitative interviews. Due to its high degree of digitization and flourishing audiobook market, Sweden constitutes an ideal setting for this study. Therefore, Swedish students’ current audiobook and text-tospeech practices can offer a window into the future roles of audiobooks and text-tospeech in academia.<br/>This project seeks to create knowledge about how students with ADHD make use of audiobooks and text-to-speech in higher education, conceptualized as academic reading by listening. Another aim is to explore what notions of (academic) reading that the students meet, and how these discourses influence students’ perceptions of their own reading practices. Thus, the project also seeks to contribute to an understanding of the role of reading and audio media in academia on a more general level. This project positions itself within the field critical studies of reading, which takes an interest in the social and material aspects of reading and the discourses about reading at work in the<br/>contexts where reading takes place. By examining academic reading through the lens of students who read in non-normative ways, this study seeks to answer the question: what are we talking about when we talk about academic reading?}},
  author       = {{Lundin, Karin}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  title        = {{Reading by Listening in Academia : Students with ADHD's Use of Audioboks and Text-to-Speech in Higher education}},
  url          = {{https://slll.cass.anu.edu.au/sites/slll.cass.anu.edu.au/files/docs/2026/1/Abstracts-and-Speakers-ASAL-Audiobooks-2026.pdf#page=7}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}