Comparing the effectiveness of reading modifications on comprehension accuracy and reading comprehension rate

Abstract

Research regarding the role of reading fluency for middle school-aged students with disabilities is limited, particularly for students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study compares the roles—repeated silent reading (RSR), oral reading (OR), and repeated oral reading (ROR)—on grade-level comprehension for students identified with ADHD. An adaptive alternating treatment design with an extended baseline was used to compare the impact of each type of reading modification on comprehension. Researchers found OR and ROR of passages from a curriculum associated with acceptable performance on comprehension questions for those passages. Although students preferred silent reading, oral reading conditions were more consistently effective. Researchers discuss implications for the role of fluency in ADHD and general education classroom modifications.

Keywords:

• Repeated reading
• ADHD
• middle school
• oral reading

Conflict of interest

No authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Emily C. Bouck

Emily C. Bouck is a Professor of Special Education in the Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology, and Special Education in the College of Education at Michigan State University. Her research interest focus on response to intervention in mathematics and mathematics intervention for students with disabilities or at-risk.

Adrea Truckenmiller

Adrea Truckenmiller, PhD, NCSP is an assistant professor of special education at Michigan State University. Her research interests involve student’s development of writing and academic language skills and how educators can use assessment of academic skills to improve student outcomes.

Erin Bone

Erin Bone is the Director of Special Education for Bondurant-Farrar Community School District in Bondurant, Iowa. Her research interests focus on supporting students with high incidence disabilities in the public school setting.

Sara Flanagan

Sara Flanagan is an assistant professor of special education at the University of Maine in the School of Learning and Teaching. Her research interests focus on literacy interventions for students with high incidence disabilities and teachers' needs for implementing such interventions.