Each year, the TASH Conference strengthens the disability field by connecting attendees to innovative information and resources, facilitating connections between stakeholders within the disability movement, and helping attendees reignite their passion for an inclusive world. This year’s conference theme, “Gateway to Equity,” explores inclusive communities, schools, and workplaces that support people with disabilities, including those with complex support needs, in living a fair, just, and balanced life. Return to TASH website.
The ability to read fosters active, independent participation in school, community, and home environments. Although reading is an instructional priority for all students, research identifying effective reading instruction methods for students with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities (ID) is limited (Browder, Gibbs, Ahlgrim-Delzell, Courtade, Mraz, & Flowers, 2008). This research study employed a single subject, multiple baseline design to evaluate the effects of computer-assisted sight word instruction with incidental reading stimuli on the reading skill development of five elementary students with moderate to severe ID and expressive language impairments. Study results indicated weak to moderate treatment effects on sight word identification; variable gains were noted in incidental letter-sound correspondence and sight word comprehension. Computer-assisted sight word instruction accommodates the learning needs of students with moderate to severe ID and can be utilized to teach core content and life skills vocabulary in general education and home settings. At the end of this session, participants will be able to: a) describe the effects of a computer-assisted sight word intervention with incidental reading stimuli on the reading skill development of five students with moderate to severe ID and expressive language impairments. b) summarize how computer-assisted reading instruction accommodates the learning needs of individuals with intellectual disabilities and individuals for whom English is a second language. c) identify how computer-assisted sight word instruction can be utilized to provide access to and progress in the general education curriculum.
