Yes, I believe laptops have increased the academic achievement and intelligence of my students. Since most of my students struggle with reading and/or learning the language, the laptops provide many benefits for them. We use the visuals on a daily basis. Plus, some of the kids will use their laptops to translate. Some of my slower students like me to post information on Blackboard, so if they take a little longer, the entire class is not waiting for them. Being a reading teacher, the benefits of technology in classroom outweigh the obvious distractions.