Improving Sight-Word Recognition Skills in LD Children: An Evaluation of Three Computer Program Variations

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Abstract
This study evaluated the relative effectiveness of three variations of a computer program designed to increase the sight-word reading vocabulary of young children. Subjects were 17 school-identified learning disabled children in grades 1, 2, and 3. A multi-element baseline design was used to expose all subjects to three different treatment conditions and a no-treatment control condition. In the treatment conditions, word sets consisting of 10 words each were practiced on versions of the computer program that employed either graphic representation of the words alone (visual-only), graphics plus synthetic speech (visual-auditory), or synthetic speech alone (auditory-only). All treatment conditions resulted in significant improvements in accuracy and speed of word identification, with no differences among treatments. The results are discussed in terms of implications for the design of reading software for young children.