Computer Based Simulated Cases as a Tool for Teaching Reading Diagnosis

Studies show that while most clinicians agree on seven critical reading activities--instant word recognition, word meanings, oral reading, silent reading comprehension, listening comprehension, and attention/motivation--they reveal little agreement on the diagnoses and suggestions for remediation of reading problems. The computer assisted instruction (CAI) case simulation system is designed to improve diagnostic agreement through computer assisted training. Presenting five simulated case studies, the CAI program directs students to systematically collect data, using diagnostic reports and checklists. It then compares students' diagnoses with expert opinions. Besides allowing student diagnosticians to practice on a large number of representative cases, the training studies permit effective control over learning and reliabilitiy testing conditions by presenting equivalent forms to each of the five case studies. A simulation system such as the CAI model is usable in a reading diagnosis course sequence without modification of the curriculum, considerable cost, or additional staff and training. (MM)