Using Computers to Help Learning Disabled Children Practice Reading: A Research-Based Perspective

This paper draws on currently available research to establish a practical perspective on the use of microcomputers to enhance the reading skills of learning disabled (LD) children. This research suggests that computers can be programmed to deliver effective practice in basic decoding (word reading) skills. This fits with the particular instructional needs of LD children, because one of their most serious problems in reading involves deficiencies in decoding individual words in text. Finally, three evaluation studies are presented that show how currently available programs can be used to increase decoding fluency in children with reading problems.