Computer Assisted Instruction for Students with Disabilities
By: Korie Jacobs
My action research study that I conducted focused on the impact of computer assisted instruction (CAI) provided to students identified with learning disabilities, in addition to their general classroom setting direct instruction. The study question that I focused on was, if students with learning disabilities were given computer assisted instruction, would there be a level of significance in reading comprehension test scores compared to students that did not receive the CAI in a middle school resource room skills classroom? Students were previously placed into two separate class periods for their Study Skills classes. It was predetermined when preparing for my research that 5th period students would be the experiment group and 7th period would be the control group.
To begin the research, all students in both the research and control group took a pre-test using the Renaissance STAR Reading Assessment. In the spring students would complete a post-test to compare with the pre-test, to analyze and see if there was a level of significance between the experiment and control groups.
For the project I created files that were aligned with a leveled reading program Bridges to Literature that was used in the classroom. Students who received the CAI (Moby Max) received the online lessons, having the story read to them, were given videos for background information on the chosen story topic, as well as online assessments of the information with immediate feedback in the online files. All information was read to students as they worked their way through each reading passage. Students were given two days to complete each story with corresponding components. Students in the control group were also given two days to complete the reading passages, but all material was completed independently without technology with some whole group discussion about the topic in the first ten minutes of class on the second day.
One large limitation that I saw in completing my action research that had an effect in both the experimental and control group was student daily attendance. In any regard if a student is not at school on a regular basis to receive any instruction, especially extra instruction beyond the general education setting there is going to be minimal progress noted. I have been able to broaden my understanding while completing my action research of different aspects of CAI that I would like to continue to implement in the following years with my future students in my career.
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