Applying Instructional Design Principles to CAI for Mildly Handicapped Students: Four Recently Conducted Studies

This report summarizes four recently conducted studies involving computer assisted instruction for mildly handicapped secondary students. A variety of CAI programs were used—drill and practice, tutorial, and simulation—and each study focused on the effects of specific instructional design variables. Three of the four studies produced statistically significant differences for the experimental treatments, indicating that sophisticated instructional design principles can make a considerable difference in the effectiveness of an instructional program. This research agenda also has implications for teaching practices which work in concert with the principles used in designing a practical CAI programs.