Abstract:

This session will discuss and summarize literature related to instructional strategies to improve reading skills for students with intellectual disabilities. Studies reviewed were within three categories; early reading approaches, comprehensive approaches, and one method approach. Academic search complete and ERIC were searched for articles published after 2000 that examined an intervention or strategy for teach reading for students with intellectual disabilities.Nine studies were designed as experimental with two groups; treatment and control group. Single subject research designs were utilized for five studies. One study used a descriptive design with hierarchical regression analysis of the data, and one study covered 128 studies as intensive literature review. Three hundred and ninety four students with intellectual disabilities were included in these studies.

There are many instructional strategies that have proven to be effective in helping students with intellectual disabilities improve their reading skills. We concluded that students with intellectual disabilities are in need to receive very intense practice and instruction to improve their reading skills, and it should be provided explicitly, systematically, and consistently. Lacking the use of technology seems like a very key element that is missing from the literature reviewed.

Even though the comprehensive approach is recommended and demonstrated it is effectiveness with students with intellectual disabilities , there many studies showed that focusing on one skill (reading sub-skills) , such as sight word recognition or phonics, can be valuable for students with intellectual disabilities . Specifically for students with more than mild intellectual disability, in which focusing on one skill in a time appears more appropriate. An overall understanding and gaps in the literature will be discussed.

For example, future research could explore various interventions or reading teaching strategy across different level of intellectual disability. In addition, special education preparation programs could be explored to examine whether there adequate number of courses and training on how to teach reading for students with intellectual disability.

Keywords:

Reading, Students with Intellectual Disabilities, instructional interventions, Systematic literature.