Computer-based education: Classroom application and benefits for the learning-disabled student

The wave of computer use in the classroom is coming; the wave of computer programs is coming close behind. What are some of the charac teristics of programs suited for learning-disabled children? Will computer programs present opportunities for enhanced educational growth for learning-disabled children? This paper does not attempt to provide defi nitive answers to these questions; it attempts only to look at the results of two brief forays into this new educational arena. This paper describes the design and content of a reading comprehension program aimed speci fically at the learning-disabled student in grades 4-9, and then presents the results of two pilot studies using that program. The third section of the paper examines the characteristics of computer-based education and their benefits for learning-disabled children.