| This study examined the effects of incorporating iPadRTM mobile digital devices within repeated reading interventions for second- through fourth-grade students with learning disabilities. More specifically, this study compared two variations of a repeated reading intervention condition to see what effects the addition of audio modeling by a fluent reader produced on the reading rate and accuracy of the participants. Five students and their special education teacher participated. The study took place in a resource room within a rural, Midwestern school. The participants engaged in one-minute repeated readings of instructional-level texts using an application developed for use on iPadRTM mobile devices. Student performance was charted using Standard Celeration Charts. Performance trends were analyzed to measure growth in oral reading rate and accuracy. This study found that the use of iPadRTM devices within repeated reading procedures resulted in moderate improvements in participants' oral reading fluency. With the addition of audio modeling by a fluent reader, participants required fewer readings of a passage to reach criterion. Measures of interobserver reliability, procedural integrity, and social validity were reported. Limitations such as student absences, researcher absences, and setting characteristics may have influenced the results. This study could have implications for educators who work with students who exhibit learning disabilities and experience difficulties with oral reading fluency. |
