A clinical psychologist describes an approach she uses to assess learning disabled students. She explains that brain function is analyzed through a sequence of tasks charting visual and auditory discrimination, perception, memory, organization, integration, and output. An example is cited in which an 11 year old child with traumatic brain injury…

Following a review of the literature on responses of autistic persons to environmental stimulation, three experiments are detailed which examine the relationship between modality preference and rate of acquisition of a discrimination task. First, seven autistic children's preference for colored lights and/or simple tones was assessed in a sensory…

The comprehension of rate-altered recordings by 30 learning disabled children (7- to 10-years-old) was investigated in an attempt to determine whether providing instruction by way of an advantaged modality would result in more effective learning. Ss were divided into two groups, auditory and visual, on the basis of identified communication channel…

The major objective of this study was to compare the effects of two modalities of instruction and testing--aural and visual. Other considerations were sex differences in achievement and the exploration of a relationship between sex identity and achievement. The eighth grade boys and girls of average intelligence who participated in this study…

An experiment, involving 37 deaf and 36 hearings Ss (aged 10-12 and 15-18 years), was conducted to determine the role of visual and auditory processing in deaf and hearing children using a short-term memory paradigm. (Author/SBH)

Results indicated no interaction between modality preference and reading method. The visual method of teaching resulted in higher achievement regardless of modality preference; however, children with an auditory modality preference were generally superior in achievement compared to those with a visual preference. (Author)

Three experiments were performed using unrelated digit materials and prose passages to evaluate whether an auditory or visual presentation of material would be best for an aged population. Data suggests that the choice of modality depends on the particular presentation condition rather than on the type of stimulus materials. (Author)

Presented are observations and suggestions related to the design and expectations of an auditory learning experience with handicapped children. It is explained that comments are based on a 1973-74 project to evaluate auditory instructional materials in which 75 handicapped (blind, retarded, and developmentally disabled) and nonhandicapped…

Reported by the Great Lakes Region Special Education Instructional Materials Center are field test evaluation of 18 auditory instructional materials for use with handicapped children who learn best through the auditory modality. Among materials evaluated are a taped program on use of the abacus and a cassette audiotape on bird habits and sounds.…

Extensive and detailed overhead projections, a complete set of reduced overhead miniatures in booklet form for each student, and tape recordings are used in a lecture setting to capitalize on the learning preferences of both visual and auditory learners. The use of the strategy in introductory chemistry is described. (JN)

This study focuses on the effects of map display and modality on learning geographical maps in a computer-based environment. Participants were randomly assigned to four versions of a computer program created by crossing two levels of map display (hypertext vs. rollover) with two levels of modality (audio vs. audio and text). Results showed that…

Examines the relationship between perceptual modality measured by the Swassing-Barbe Modality Index (SBMI) to musical aptitude measured by Primary Measures of Music Audiation (PMMA) in kindergarten students. Reports correlations between the measures that support findings at other grade levels. Supports the theory that perceptual modalities become…

A study compared the effectiveness of the multisensory and auditory teaching methods on the promotion of memory among adults with learning problems. Subjects were 10 adult learners with learning problems, aged 19-31, from an adult basic education program in a large urban area. Two lists of nouns were prepared, each containing 10 words. The lists…

The success of a reading laboratory using a learning modality approach was studied. The null hypothesis that there would be no significant difference among the levels of primary learning modality, sex, and race on the posttest of reading achievement for 31 second grade students, who read below grade level was tested at the 0.05 level after the…