The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of video-based mathematics instruction for seven middle school students with specific learning disability (SLD), using an augmented reality-based training package. The dependent variable was the percentage of steps students performed correctly to solve each type of mathematics problem. The…

The purpose of this experimental study is to investigate the effects of using content acquisition podcasts (CAPs), an example of instructional technology, to provide vocabulary instruction to adolescents with and without learning disabilities (LD). A total of 279 urban high school students, including 30 with LD in an area related to reading, were…

A new computer assisted instructional program designed to increase decoding fluency in reading was evaluated for use with 20 learning disabled elementary grade children. After 10 weeks of daily 15-minute practice sessions, subjects showed substantial improvement on words practiced, words never practiced, and reading speed and accuracy. (Author/DB)

Nine elementary students with attention problems and behavior disorders participated in a comparison of computer assisted instruction (CAI), traditional instruction (TI), and no practice on the mastery of spelling words. Both CAI and TI were significantly more effective than no-practice. There were no significant differences between the CAI and TI…

Twelve elementary children with reading and writing difficulties substantially improved their reading and writing skills and strategies through a microcomputer project. Four software factors in successful applications were noted, including the use of microcomputers to lower risks encountered in making errors. (CL)

A survey of 50 school districts assesses the extent to which special educators are moving beyond drill and practice software with learning disabled and emotionally disturbed students and identified factors preventing or discouraging applications beyond drill and practice. (Author/CL)

This article summarizes the findings of research studies designed to improve the comprehension of expository text for students with learning disabilities. Twenty-nine studies were located that met the inclusion criteria. Interventions gleaned from the review were categorized as content enhancement (i.e., advance and graphic organizers, visual…

Results of this evaluation study did not find that attribution retraining (embedded within a mathematics computer-assisted instructional program) had a significant impact on the attributions of 29 students with learning disabilities. However, students in the attribution retraining condition did complete more program levels and scored higher on…

The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the potential for computer-assisted instruction (CAI) to enhance number combination skill among children with concurrent risk for math disability and reading disability. A secondary purpose was to examine the effects of CAI on spelling. At-risk students were assigned randomly to math or spelling CAI,…

Two studies were conducted to design and field-test hypertext computer study guides with 40 ninth grade students (10 with learning disabilities, 15 remedial, and 15 regular education). Findings indicated the computer study guide treatment was as effective as the lecture method; posttest scores and retention test scores were higher for the computer…

This study with 28 Netherlands children (mean age 9 years, 7 months) with written language disorders found that copying words from the computer screen resulted in significantly fewer spelling errors on the posttest than writing words from memory and that both these forms of practice led to fewer spelling errors than only reading the words.…

This study quantified the influence of visual attention therapy on the reading comprehension of 30 6th-grade children with moderate reading disabilities (RD). Experimental subjects received 12 one-hour sessions of individually monitored, computer-based attention therapy programs. After 12 weeks, the experimental subjects, but not the controls,…

A study assessed the effects of assigned versus self-selected goals and contingent versus non-contingent gameplay conditions delivered during computer-assisted math computation drill-and-practice sessions. Subjects were 20 high-school students with learning disabilities. Self-selected goals were more effective; no differences existed between…

This study compared three motoric conditions (writing, tracing, and computer keyboarding) on the spelling performance of 48 third- and fourth-grade students with and without learning disabilities. No significant effect was found for either group. Interviews revealed that students preferred the computer condition but believed the writing and…

Thirty secondary students with learning disabilities were given laptop computers and taught computer-based study strategies to test the efficacy of using technology to support students with learning disabilities. Results showed that students with high intelligence and reading test scores were more willing to adopt computer-based study strategies.…