Dennis Ciancio

Variance in Broad Reading Accounted for by Measures of Reading Speed Embedded Within Maze and Comprehension Rate Measures

Maze and reading comprehension rate measures are calculated by using measures of reading speed and measures of accuracy (i.e., correctly selected words or answers). In sixth- and seventh-grade samples, we found that the measures of reading speed embedded within our Maze measures accounted for 50% and 39% of broad reading score (BRS) variance, respectively. Combining reading speed with Maze accuracy to form Maze rate increased explained BRS variance by <2%. For our comprehension measures, reading speed accounted for 22% and 36% of BRS variance, which increased significantly to 49% and 44% when our reading comprehension rate measures were added to our models. Discussion focuses on the relationships between the measure of aloud reading speed embedded within many brief reading rate measures and the validity and sensitivity of these measures.

Evaluating a computer flash-card sight-word recognition intervention with self-determined response intervals in elementary students with intellectual disability.

A concurrent multiple-baseline across-tasks design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of a computer flash-card sight-word recognition intervention with elementary-school students with intellectual disability. This intervention allowed the participants to self-determine each response interval and resulted in both participants acquiring previously unknown words across all word sets. Discussion focuses on the need to evaluate and compare computer flash-card sight-word recognition interventions with fixed and self-determined response intervals across students and dependent variables, including rates of inappropriate behavior and self-determination in students with intellectual disability.

Disfluent Font Can Hinder Sight-Word Acquisition in Students With Intellectual Disability

Students with intellectual disability often have difficulty reading commonly used words. Researchers have found altering printed text from fluent, easy-to-read font, to disfluent, difficult-to-read font can enhance comprehension and recall. An adapted alternating treatments design was used to evaluate and compare sight-word acquisition and maintenance in three postsecondary students with intellectual disability when flashcards were presented in fluent (i.e., 14-point Arial) and disfluent (i.e., 14-point Juice ITC reduced to 70% transparency) fonts. Results showed all three students acquired and maintained both fluent and disfluent words, with two of the three students learning more fluent words. These findings suggest altering fonts to make them difficult to read can hinder, rather than enhance, word learning in students with intellectual disability. Directions for future research are provided with a focus on the need for aptitude-treatment interaction studies.

Evaluating and Comparing the Effects of Group Contingencies on Mathematics Accuracy in a First-Grade Classroom: Class Average Criteria Versus Unknown Small-Group Average Criteria

Abstract An adapted alternating treatments design was used to evaluate and compare the effects of two group contingency interventions on mathematics assignment accuracy in an intact first-grade classroom. Both an interdependent contingency with class-average criteria (16 students) and a dependent contingency with criteria based on the average of a smaller, unknown, randomly selected group of students (4 students) were applied. For both contingencies, rewards and criteria were randomly selected and unknown to students. Results showed immediate, sustained, and meaningful improvements in mathematics assignment accuracy (from a class average of 64% to a class average above 83%) across both contingencies, with little differences between the two interventions. Social validity data suggest that the two teachers and the majority of the students preferred the small-group contingency. Discussion focuses on applied implications of the current results and directions for future research, including investigating side effects and idiosyncratic effects.