Computer-based spelling instruction for students with developmental disabilities

Area of Science:

• Developmental Psychology
• Educational Technology
• Special Education

Background:

• Teenagers with developmental disabilities often struggle with spelling and reading.
• Previous research suggests computer-based interventions can be effective.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of computer-based spelling instruction for improving writing skills in teenagers with developmental disabilities.
• To assess the durability and functional utility of acquired spelling skills.
• To explore the impact of spelling instruction on oral reading abilities.

Main Methods:

• Two experiments were conducted with two teenagers (Alan and Suzy) with developmental disabilities.
• Experiment 1 involved computer teaching for spelling and tabletop tasks requiring written and oral reading.
• Experiment 2 utilized a refined computer teaching format to relearn/learn spelling words, followed by tabletop tasks.

Main Results:

• Computer teaching initially improved spelling and reading skills in both participants.
• Spelling skill durability varied; Suzy maintained high accuracy, while Alan's declined initially.
• A refined computer teaching format led to durable, near-perfect spelling and reading performance on tabletop tasks, even weeks later.

Conclusions:

• Refined computer-based methods can establish durable and functionally useful writing skills in teenagers with developmental disabilities.
• The findings support the potential of technology to enhance literacy skills in this population.
• Further research is warranted to explore the link between spelling acquisition and oral reading improvement.