Long-Term Effects of Resource Room Programs on Learning Disabled Children's Reading

Abstract

A follow-up study was conducted to ascertain if the rate of reading gain made during part-time placement in a resource room would be maintained following a year of full-time attendance in the regular classes. The Wide Range Achievement Test (WRA T) was administered to 62 learning disabled children. Statistical analyses were computed for children grouped by duration of intervention and chronological age and were compared among the three testing phases: pretest, posttest, and follow-up. It was found that the resource room intervention is effective for increasing reading rates of learning disabled children but that the increased rates do not appear to be maintained in the regular classrooms. The group with the shortest stay in the resource room made significantly greater rate gains during treatment and continued during follow-up to learn at a higher rate. Conversely there were no significant differences between the chronological age groups. However, the difference between the testing phases was statistically significant. The author suggested alternative strategies to sustain the increased rates of reading achievement for children returning full time to the regular classrooms.

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