Date of Award
2004
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Fischler Graduate School of Education and Human Services
Advisor
Charles Greco
Committee Member
Anne Joslin
Committee Member
Barbara Packer
Keywords
assistive technology, color identification, computer-enhanced instruction, Georgia, Georgia Criterion Competency Test, Grades 3, 4, 5, Iowa Test, learning disabilities, main ideas, quasi-experimental design, reading comprehension, reading performance, reading scores, research-proven strategies, special education, staff development, standardized tests, Stanford 9, state standards, students with learning disabilities, teacher effectiveness, teachers, technology-based instruction, technology-based staff development, test scores, training programs
Abstract
A 3-year review of Pow Elementary School’s test scores showed that there was a decline in reading scores on standardized tests. The IOWA test results in 2000 and the Stanford 9 and the Georgia Criterion Competency Test results in 2001 and 2002 showed a decline in reading comprehension. The decline in test results among students with learning disabilities was even more significant. A 2-year comparison of test score results on the Georgia Criterion Competency Test of students with reading disabilities in Grades 3, 4, and 5 showed that 76% did not meet state standards in school year 2001 and 100% of those students failed to meet state standard in 2002.
Data gathered from yearly observations, a teacher survey, and a staff development evaluation questionnaire showed that teachers were not equipped with research-proven strategies necessary to teach students with learning disabilities successfully. To aid in improving student learning, the researcher implemented an Assistive Technology Staff Development Program for teachers in the Special Education Department. A combination of pre- and posttests and a quasi-experimental design study was conducted to examine teacher effectiveness in teaching students with technology-based instruction strategies. The questions posed were, Will technology-based staff development aid in improving teacher effectiveness for students with learning disabilities?, How much growth will be realized when students use self-selected color to identify main ideas in reading passages?, and Will computer-enhanced instruction increase reading scores among students with learning disabilities?
Results from this study indicate that the assistive technology staff development training highly impacted teacher effectiveness in improving learning for students with learning disabilities. The analyses of data also show significant gains in reading performance among students. Furthermore, implication for practice using staff development strategies employed during this study with the general school population and the promise that assistive technology holds for students with learning disabilities is discussed.