The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of theory-based CAI for reading with incarcerated adults reading below the ninth grade level. The participants were offenders drawn from participating correctional centers in Oklahoma who were randomly assigned to a CAI or a non-CAI instructional group. Reading assessment instruments were administered on a pre-test/post-test basis. Results showed a significant reading achievement gain for computer-assisted reading instruction when compared to traditional instruction for entry levels of 0–3.0 Grade Equivalency Level (GEL). Higher entry levels showed approximately the same gain for both groups. These findings are consistent with a cognitive components model of reading.
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