Role of visual attention in cognitive control of oculomotor readiness in students with reading disabilities

This study investigated eye movement and comprehension therapy in Grade 6 c hildren with reading disabilities (RD). Both order of therapy and type of t herapy were examined. Furthermore, the implications of visual attention in ameliorating reading disability are discussed. Thirty-one students with RD were identified using standardized reading comprehension tests. Eye movemen ts were analyzed objectively using an infra-red recording device. Reading s cores of participating children were 0.5 to 1 SD below the national mean. T esting took place before the start of therapy (T1) and was repeated after 1 2 weeks (T2) and 24 weeks (T3) of therapy. One group of students had eye mo vement therapy first, followed by comprehension therapy; in the other group , the order was reversed. Data were evaluated using a repeated measures MAN OVA and post hoc tests. At T1, mean reading grade was 2 years below grade l evel, and eye movement scores were at about Grade 2 level. Mean growth in r eading comprehension for the total sample was 2.6 years (p < .01) at T3; eq ually significant improvement was measured in eye movements (p < .01). l,ea rning rate in reading comprehension improved from 60% (T1) to 400% (T3). Al though within-group differences were statistically significant, between-gro up differences were not significant for comprehension or eye movements. Ord er of therapy (comprehension first or eye movements first) was not signific ant. Improvements in within-group scores for comprehension and eye movement s were consistently significant at T2 and T3. Eye movement therapy improved eye movements and also resulted in significant gains in reading comprehens ion. Comprehension therapy likewise produced improvement both in eye moveme nt efficiency and in reading comprehension. The results support the notion of a cognitive link among visual attention, oculomotor readiness, and readi ng comprehension.