Do the effects of computer-assisted practice differ for children with reading disabilities with and without IQ-achievement discrepancy?
This study was designed to assess whether the effects of computer-assisted practice on visual word recognition differed for children with reading disabilities (RD) with or without aptitude-achievement discrepancy. A sample of 73 Spanish children with low reading performance was selected using the discrepancy method, based on a standard score comparison (i.e., the difference between IQ and achievement standard scores). The sample was classified into three groups: (1) a group of 14 children with dyslexia (age M = 103.85 months; SD = 8.45) who received computer-based reading practice; (2) a group of 31 "garden-variety" (GV) poor readers (age M = 107.06 months; SD = 6.75) who received the same type of instruction; and (3) a group of 28 children with low reading performance (age M = 103.33 months; SD = 9.04) who did not receive computer-assisted practice. Children were pre- and posttested in word recognition, reading comprehension, phonological awareness, and visual and phonological tasks. The results indicated that both computer-assisted intervention groups showed improved word recognition compared to the control group. Nevertheless, children with dyslexia had more difficulties than GV poor readers during computer-based word reading under conditions that required extensive phonological computation, because their performance was more affected by low-frequency words and long words. In conclusion, we did not find empirical evidence in favor of the IQ-achievement discrepancy definition of reading disability, because IQ did not differentially predict treatment outcomes.
Jiménez
Juan E
JE
Developmental and Educational Psychology Department, University of La Laguna, Islas Canarias, Spain. ejimenez@ull.es
del Rosario Ortiz
María
M
Rodrigo
Mercedes
M
Hernández-Valle
Isabel
I
Ramírez
Gustavo
G
Estévez
Adelina
A
O'Shanahan
Isabel
I
de la Luz Trabaue
María
M
D000124:Achievement; D002648:Child; D004410:Dyslexia / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D008297:Male; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D014796:Visual Perception; D014825:Vocabulary