This study assessed the effects of reading mode (oral vs. silent), production format (oral vs. written), and structural importance of text on the reading comprehension of LD pupils. Subjects were 44 LD students, randomly assigned to an oral or silent reading mode. Pupils were assessed twice, once using an oral recall and once a written recall, with production format order and passages counterbalanced. Analyses of variance conducted on percentage of idea units recalled at four levels of thematic importance indicated a three-way interaction. Differential performance between written and oral recall formats increased in linear fashion with more important thematic ideas for oral, but not silent, reading. Implications for reading instruction and research with LD pupils are discussed.
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