COMPARISON OF READING INTERVENTION APPROACHES FOR STUDENTS WITH MILD DISABILITIES

This study reports a field test of six research-based teaching strateg ies with 37 special education resource teachers and 176 students with mild disabilities. The approaches included peer tutoring, reciprocal t eaching, effective teaching principles, computer-aided instruction, an d two direct instruction models, all used in reading instruction. Comp arisons with a control group and between approaches produced inconsist ent results. Students in all groups, including the controls, showed hi gher levels of engagement during all approaches than other researchers have reported for either mainstream or resource room students. Studen t achievement was highest in the computer-assisted group, in the recip rocal teaching group, and in one of the direct instruction groups.