Comparison of Interactive Computer-based and Classroom Training on Human Rights Awareness in Persons with Intellectual Disabilities

Abstract

We tested the effectiveness of an interactive, video CD-ROM in teaching persons with intellectual disabilities (ID) about their human rights. Thirty-nine participants with ID were trained using both a classroom activity-based version of the training program and the interactive CD-ROM in a counterbalanced presentation. All individuals were pre-and post-tested on their awareness of their rights and strategies to remediate perceived rights restrictions. Exposure to both classroom activity-based and video-based scenarios resulted in significant improvements in participants' ability to identify human rights restrictions and strategies to address them. The computer-based video testing scenarios played a critical role in assessing the impact of human rights awareness training, and offered some preliminary support for the generalization of human rights awareness to nontrained scenarios. We discuss the development of the CD-ROM and the results of this study in relation to the existing literature on the use of computer-based instruction with individuals with ID.