As individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) mature, it is important to train them not only in functional/vocational skills, but also to continue to develop their literacy skills. There is little conclusive information regarding what facilitates reading comprehension in this population. Some previous research indicates that the use of illustrations and/or symbols promotes reading comprehension in this population, but this is not a consistent finding. We explored how adding illustrations to “Easy Read” stories would impact reading comprehension in postsecondary students with IDD. We added colored photographs, black-and-white line drawings, or images/patterns without content in three separate studies, each addressing a related question. In all three cases, adding illustrations did not improve reading comprehension. Furthermore, since adults with typical development do not usually read books with illustrations, this factor lacks content validity. We need to reevaluate the inclusion of pictures in reading materials for adolescents or adults with IDD.
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