Computerized Drill-and-Practice and Academic Attitudes of Learning Disabled Students

Computerized drill-and-practice is currently a primary application of microcomputers in special education. This application has been disparaged by some, but in many cases has been demonstrated effective in improving the academic skills of learning disabled (LD) and underachieving children. This investigation found that 126 LD students who received computerized math and spelling drill-and-practice for a year expressed significantly more positive attitudes toward academic work on the computer than toward similar academic tasks undertaken in the regular classroom. They also reported opinions significantly more favorable toward math and spelling drill than opinions expressed by 89 other learning disabled students, who did not have access to computerized math and spelling instruction, toward academic work performed in their special education classrooms. Analysis by gender of student revealed that boys were significantly less positive about school than girls but that boys and girls were equally positive about practicing academic skills on the microcomputer. It was concluded that computerized drill-and-practice may be more effective than once believed and that additional research is needed to identify the components of computerized drill-and-practice that result in academic and attitudinal gains among learning disabled pupils.