A CAI PROGRAM FOR INSTRUCTING TEXT ANALYSIS AND MODELING OF WORD-PROBLEMS TO EDUCABLE MENTALLY-RETARDED CHILDREN

Educable mentally retarded children prove to be poor mathematic word-p roblem solvers. This study is aimed at improving the poor word-problem solving ability of these children. In doing so, a computerised traini ng programme was developed in which instruction focused on the constru ction of adequate problem representations. This was accomplished by bo th instructing the children to analyse the problem text thoroughly and by having them represent the problem situation described. The efficac y of this training procedure was demonstrated in a multiple-baseline d esign across five subjects after some data were removed (p < 0.05). It was assumed that the complexity of the training procedure and shortco mings in the feedback mechanism used obscured the overview of the prob lem-solving strategy. Suggestions are offered concerning the revision of this training procedure.