The purpose of this Phase II project is to develop and test the effects of interactive multimedia (IM) writing strategy instruction on the writing performance of students with learning disabilities. The major goals associated with the project are to: (a) revise, expand, and field-test the IM program for teaching comma strategies that was developed and pilot tested in Phase I, and (b) design and field test three new IM computer programs focused on capitalization rules, punctuation rules, and grammar rules. Each new program will focus on one area and will cover several rules and their associated strategies. During each year in this three-year project, at least 11 instructional modules will be developed, including lessons and integrative reviews. Each lesson module within each program will focus on one rule and its associated strategies and will include description, demonstration, practice activities, and feedback. The evaluation will focus on (a) usability of the program, (b) student knowledge of the rules and strategies, (c) student use of the strategies to detect errors in others' writing and in their own writing, (d) instructional time required, and (e) social validity of the medium. During the first project year, the Commas Program will be revised, expanded, and field-tested. Also during the first year, the Capitalization Program will be developed, pilot tested, and field-tested. During each of the remaining years, one of the remaining programs will be developed, pilot tested and field-tested. A pretest-posttest control-group design will be utilized in each field test to determine the effects of each instructional program on student knowledge and performance of the writing strategies.
