Evaluating Supported eText to Teach Science to High School Students With Moderate Intellectual Disability

Preliminary research shows promise for the use of supported electronic text (eText) combined with explicit instruction in facilitating comprehension for students with intellectual disability. Researchers used a multiple probe across participants design to evaluate effects of supported eText including explicit instruction on measures of vocabulary, literal comprehension, and application questions of four high school students with moderate intellectual disability. Authors found a functional relation between supported eText using embedded, explicit instructional supports (i.e., animated coaches to deliver the model-lead-test procedure and use of examples and nonexamples) and the number of correct responses on the probe. In addition, students generalized to untrained exemplars, and social validity indicated the program as practical and useful.