Effects of Computer-Presented Text on LD Adolescents' Reading Behaviors

This investigation assessed the effects of computer-displayed text on LD students' reading comprehension, strategic behaviors, task-completion time, and attitudes toward the reading task. Fifty-one LD high-school students were randomly assigned to read two lengthy expository passages either from a computer monitor or from a comparably formatted printed page. Subjects were encouraged to use six reading strategies as often as necessary to help them comprehend. Total time spent interacting with the passages was recorded in seconds. Subjects were then assessed on comprehension of the passage content, on their use of the six strategies, and their attitudes toward the task. They were retested on passage content one week later. Results indicated that, overall, the computer-displayed text format did not affect comprehension processing, five strategic behaviors, or time on task. However, computer use appeared to facilitate the lookback text strategy and made users' attitude toward the reading task more favorable.