HYPERMEDIA APPLICATIONS FOR CONTENT‐AREA STUDY GUIDES

Abstract

Hypermedia, a new mode of computer text and information presentation, provides a flexible format for adapting reading materials to the computer medium. Through associative links, a hypermedia presentation system provides a reader access to related information in the form of additional text, pictures, and computer‐generated voice. These enhancements to traditional text provide the reader with supplementary information, clarification, and elaboration, all within a familiar context and a single medium. The results from two companion studies at the high school level, and a similar study at the elementary level, indicate that the use of hypermedia to construct computer study guides holds promise for students with reading difficulties. Hypermedia computer study guides were found to be as effective as teacher‐presented lectures and were especially successful at the high school level with remedial students and students with learning disabilities. The elementary school study corroborated the effectiveness of hypermedia study materials with poor readers.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Randall Boone

The research reported in this article was supported by U.S. Department of Education Grants 84.158G and 84.024J to Thomas C. Lovitt, University of Washington. We gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Rob Nelson, Mary McClutchy, Kathleen Opie, and James Thurston in the preparation of this article.