Abstract
This study compared the effectiveness of computer-assisted
instruction to that of one-on-one tutoring for teaching people
with mild and moderate cognitive disabilities when both training
methods are designed to take account of the specific mental
deficits most commonly found in cognitive disability
populations. Fifteen participants (age 22 to 71) received
either computer-assisted instruction or one-on-one tutoring in
three content domains that were of functional and daily
relevance to them: behavioral limits, rights and
responsibilities (two modules), and alphabetical sorting.
Learning was assessed by means of a series of pretests and four
learning cycle posttests. Both instructional conditions
maintained time-on-task and teaching material equivalence, and
both incorporated a set of best practices and empirically
supported teaching techniques designed to address attentional
deficits, stimulus processing inefficiencies, and cognitive load
limitations. Strong evidence of learning was found in both
instructional method conditions. Moreover, in all content
domains the two methods yielded approximately equivalent rates
of learning and learning attainment. These findings offer
tentative evidence that a repetitive, computer-assisted training
program can produce learning outcomes in people with mild and
moderate cognitive disabilities that are comparable to those
achieved by high-quality one-on-one-tutoring.