Effects of reading fluency and comprehension supplemental education program (OKA²DEP) on the reading skills of middle school students with intellectual disabilities

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of the Reading Fluency and Comprehension Supplemental Education Program (OKA²DEP) on enhancing the reading fluency and comprehension skills of middle school students with intellectual disabilities (IDs) in Turkey. We utilised a single-subject design, specifically the changing criterion design, to assess OKA²DEP efficacy. The study involved four middle school students with ID. The results demonstrated that OKA²DEP significantly improved the reading fluency and comprehension skills of the participants. Additionally, feedback on the program’s social validity indicated that both the participants and their teachers were pleased with the program’s outcomes. These findings suggest that OKA²DEP can serve as a valuable tool for reading instructors. By incorporating structured, evidence-based methods, teachers can enhance their instructional practices and better meet the diverse needs of their students with ID.

Keywords:

• Reading fluency
• reading comprehension
• intellectual disabilities
• reading intervention
• middle school students

Acknowledgements

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. This study was produced as part of the first author’s master’s thesis.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.