Long term objectives of Phase II involve extending and completing the production and evaluation of two prototype multimedia products successfully developed in our Phase I grant, validated as producing significant improvements in decoding and oral language comprehension.
Specific aims are to research both products, in preparation for commercial release. These products have preventive, remedial, and ESL applications. They develop sensory-cognitive functions that underlie competence with spoken and written language. One product develops phonemic awareness and application to accurate decoding. The other develops concept imagery and application to comprehension and higher order thinking skills. Contingency programming provides responses that stimulate discovery learning and self-correction. Both products cover elementary to adult levels of skill development. There is need for improved language comprehension and literacy skills worldwide. The importance of direct instruction in these areas is documented by research on the causal role of phonemic awareness in developing decoding skills, and the role of imagery in language comprehension. There are no computer-assisted instructional products with similar focus and range, so commercial appeal will be broad. This project is health related-good language and literacy skills contribute to mental health and improved employment opportunities for the use of human resources.
The recognized need for improved literacy and higher order thinking skills within our population creates a large potential market. Market sectors include: all public and private education settings; worker training/retraining; the armed forces; the welfare system; federal and state correctional systems; and the English as a second language sector. Each of these markets recognizes a need for cost-effective to improve literacy and critical thinking/problem solving in its participants.
