The efficacy of the SRA reading program for disabled learners as measured by the Terra Nova Achievement Test

Linda S Earheart, Tennessee State University

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy of the SRA Reading Mastery program for the reading instruction of disabled learners. The study was conducted with participants from two rural middle Tennessee schools. Students selected for this study received reading instruction in the resource room 5 days a week for approximately 45 minutes each day. The majority of the sample were identified as learning disabled in reading and/or written expression, with a few categorized as mentally retarded, functionally delayed, language impaired and health unpaired (ADHD). All met state/federal guidelines for the respective disabilities. The Terra Nova scale score gains were used as pre-treatment data prior to beginning the program After one year of instruction, Terra Nova scale score gains were used as post-treatment data. Pre- and post-treatment gains were compared using a related samples t-test to determine whether significant progress was made. The difference in their gains with standard teaching and SRA instruction was not significant. A group of students who were identified as disabled, but who had been taught by a variety of methods were selected as a control group. The control group met the same demographic description as the SRA group, and was recruited to determine whether the progress made by the group that received instruction by the SRA method was not significantly different from the progress made by the group that received instruction by a variety of methods selected by their teacher(s). When comparing progress of the two groups using a t-test for independent samples, the difference between the gains made by the two groups was not significant. Although not the focus of this study, gains of these two groups were compared to the Terra Nova TVAAS estimated gain scores of their respective schools to determine whether there was a difference between special and regular instruction. There was a significant difference in favor of both special education groups.

Subject Area

Literacy|Reading instruction|Special education

Recommended Citation

Linda S Earheart, "The efficacy of the SRA reading program for disabled learners as measured by the Terra Nova Achievement Test" (2002). ETD Collection for Tennessee State University. Paper AAI3061780.
https://digitalscholarship.tnstate.edu/dissertations/AAI3061780

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