This is a Shannon Award providing partial support for the research projects that fall short of the assigned institute's funding range but are in the margin of excellence. The Shannon Award is intended to provide support to test the feasibility of the approach; develop further tests and refine research techniques; perform secondary analysis of available data sets; or conduct discrete projects that can demonstrate the PI's research capabilities or lend additional weight to an already meritorious application. The abstract below is taken from the original document submitted by the principal investigator. This project evaluates the effectiveness of 4, theoretically-motivated treatment packages for children with developmental, language-based reading disabilities (RD). Treatments are based upon increasing, converging evidence that developmental reading problems are primarily due to two core linguistic deficits (phonological awareness; retrieval/access speed) that are highly specific and relatively independent, and a more general metacognitive control problem. Three different types of treatment modules (PHAB/DI-Phonological Analysis & Blending; WIST-Word Identification Strategies; RAVE-O Retrieval-Rate and Accuracy, Vocabulary Elaboration, and Orthography) and a contrast/control module (CSS, Classroom Survival Skills) will be combined into 4 different treatment packages based on a multidimensional model of RD (PHAB/DI+CSS; PHAB/DI+WIST; PHAB/DI+RAVE-O; PHAB/DI+WIST+RAVE-O) and compared to each other and to a Curriculum Control Comparison (CCC) group. All treatment packages will be of equal length, similar format, and independently monitored for integrity. For each of the 5 treatment/control groups, 64 children will be evaluated (total=320). Each sample will be generated using IQ level, socioeconomic status, and race (African-American Black/Caucasian) in a factorial design that permits evaluation of these factors in relation to treatment outcomes. This will result in half of the children involved in the treatments being African-American, and half coming from lower socioeconomic classes, two understudied RD groups. The sampling strategy is key to evaluating differential remedial outcomes based on a child's individual characteristics, including co-morbidity, different subtype classifications, other definitions of RD, and RD typologies. Three treatment sites (Atlanta, Boston, Toronto) will be utilized to ensure generalizability of results. Both repeated measure designs and learning (growth) curve modelling techniques will be used to evaluate treatment outcomes in relation to individual ability characteristics, as measured by standardized and experimental measures.
| O'Brien, Beth A; Wolf, Maryanne; Lovett, Maureen W (2012) A taxometric investigation of developmental dyslexia subtypes. Dyslexia 18:16-39 |
| Morris, Robin D; Lovett, Maureen W; Wolf, Maryanne et al. (2012) Multiple-component remediation for developmental reading disabilities: IQ, socioeconomic status, and race as factors in remedial outcome. J Learn Disabil 45:99-127 |
| Frijters, Jan C; Lovett, Maureen W; Steinbach, Karen A et al. (2011) Neurocognitive predictors of reading outcomes for children with reading disabilities. J Learn Disabil 44:150-66 |
| O'Brien, Beth A; Wolf, Maryanne; Miller, Lynne T et al. (2011) Orthographic processing efficiency in developmental dyslexia: an investigation of age and treatment factors at the sublexical level. Ann Dyslexia 61:111-35 |
| Wolf, M; Bowers, P G; Biddle, K (2000) Naming-speed processes, timing, and reading: a conceptual review. J Learn Disabil 33:387-407 |
