Computer-Based Graphic Organizers for Students with LD: A Systematic Review of Literature

This article presents a systematic review of the literature for studies that utilized computer-based graphic organizers for students with learning disabilities. A comprehensive search yielded 12 studies that were coded and analyzed. The authors investigated the effectiveness of the treatments on academic outcomes, and selected integral instructional and methodological features for evaluation in order to delineate practical implications and prioritize future research. Findings revealed high effect sizes on social studies measures and encouraging results for written expression, while comprehension results were less promising. This review found no evidence suggesting that these treatments were efficacious without the use of explicit instruction and guided practice.