The Credibility of Programed Material as an Instructional Technique with Mentally Retarded Pupils

Abstract

The credibility of programed materials in arithmetic as an instructional technique with junior high mentally retarded pupils was investigated in a population sample from five school districts. The group of pupils using programed instruction achieved as well as the matched control group using a variety of conventional techniques in the classrooms of five experienced teachers. Neither group's pre- or posttest gains were significant though slight indications were found to favor the experimental group using programed instruction. Evidence was found to qualify programed instruction as a credible instructional technique with pupils similar to the population used for this study.