Date of Award
2003
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
EdD Program for Educational Leaders
Advisor
Karen Kimball
Committee Member
Diane Bloom
Committee Member
Barbara Packer
Keywords
basic skills, computer-assisted instruction, computer-managed instruction, English language arts, Graduate Qualifying Exam (GQE), high school students, Indiana, learning disabilities, mathematics achievement, problem-solving skills, remediation, remedial instruction, resource classes, skill-building programs, special education, test-taking skills, urban high schools
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to investigate a skill-building program as a possible strategy for remediation. This study sought to help special education students pass the Graduate Qualifying Exam (GQE) in a large Indiana urban high school.
For 3 years, the researcher followed 2 groups of 10th-grade special education students who were taking the test for the first time. The scores were tracked each time the test was given to determine how many passed the test on the first attempt. The treatment group of students was assigned to a resource class by their teachers of record while in the 8th grade before they enrolled in high school. Each pupil in this treatment group, defined as the resource class, was required to log in at least 2 periods weekly on a computer remediation program. This program focused on basic skill-building, problem-solving, and test-taking skills. The other group of students, which was designated as the nontreatment group, was not assigned to a resource class and not subjected to the remediation. Both groups of students were required to take GQE math and English language arts classes in preparation for the exam.
The data revealed that those students who participated in the resource remediation program achieved higher scores on the GQE. Resource students were more likely to be successful in passing the GQE when they took the exam as sophomores the first time and on subsequent attempts than the students who were not part of the computerized remediation.