Computer-Assisted Instruction Compared to Traditional Instruction on Letter Recognition for Preschoolers with Special Needs

Abstract

The need to reach learners with disabilities in inclusive early childhood classrooms has grown with increasing legislative mandates. An essential area of focus is in early literacy and alphabet letter recognition. One such way to bridge the gap includes computer assisted instruction as an instructional method. A concurrent treatment single case design was used to compare the rate of letter acquisition in young children with disabilities (n=6) between computer assisted instruction program, Teach Town Basics™, and traditional teaching of concepts in early childhood inclusive classrooms. Participants received each treatment in random order and data were graphed daily on the same graph. The findings suggest that students learned letters at a greater rate using the Teach Town Basics™ compared to the traditional teaching. The majority of the students made gains in acquiring letter knowledge, as evidenced by the data collected and the PALS reports. The study advances research for the use of iPads for teaching early literacy concepts of young children with disabilities in inclusive settings.