title: Computer-assisted remedial reading intervention for school beginners at risk for reading disability.
abstract: The aim of the longitudinal study was to investigate whether a computer application designed for remedial reading training can enhance letter knowledge, reading accuracy, fluency, and spelling of at-risk children. The participants, 7-year-old Finnish school beginners (N=166), were assigned to 1 of 3 groups: (a) regular remedial reading intervention (n=25), (b) computer-assessed reading intervention (n=25), and (c) mainstream reading instruction (n=116). Based on the results, computer-assisted remedial reading intervention was highly beneficial, whereas regular type of intervention was less successful. The results indicated that at-risk children require computer-based letter-name and letter-sound training to acquire adequate decoding and spelling skills, and to reach the level of their non-at-risk peers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland. nina.saine@psyka.jyu.fi
authors.forename: Nina L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Saine
authors.forename: Marja-Kristiina
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Lerkkanen
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ahonen
authors.forename: Asko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tolvanen
authors.forename: Heikki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lyytinen
mesh_terms: D000124:Achievement; D002648:Child; D032882:Comprehension; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000379:methods*; D004410:Dyslexia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010700:Phonetics; D012073:Remedial Teaching / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014706:Verbal Learning