Evaluating beginning reading software for at‐risk learners

Beginning reading software programs may be one way to provide at‐risk readers the additional instruction and practice they need to attain grade‐level expectations. Criteria such as interface design, instructional design, and beginning reading content (phonological awareness and alphabetic understanding) are all important considerations when selecting software for the early grades; therefore, the analytic base for evaluating these computerized reading resources must be derived from two seemingly discrete professions: early reading education and instructional technology. This article presents a cross‐disciplinary framework for evaluating software for children with reading difficulties and provides examples of how interface design, instructional design, and reading content can be assessed. The article concludes with general predictions of what practitioners will find with regard to existing beginning reading software.