Using Writing Strategies and Visual Thinking Software To Enhance the Written Performance of Students with Mild Disabilities.

Abstract

Students with mild disabilities often have difficulties with organization and written performance. These students can be helped by a combination of effective instructional strategies, compensatory strategies, and technological tools. Planning and organizing tools can encourage activities such as concept mapping, story webbing, brainstorming, visual graphing, and outlining. is one such tool--a computer software program that helps students visually organize their ideas and investigate relationships during the writing process. During a 1-month summer remedial program, 24 seventhand eighth-grade students with mild disabilities were taught to use writing strategies, Inspiration software, and word processors. The quality and quantity of each student's written products were tracked daily, as well as student attitudes toward writing. As the project proceeded, more and more students began to plan their writing before beginning to write. In addition, teachers noted decreasing reluctance to write, and student interviews showed increased positive attitudes toward writing. There was modest improvement in the quality of students' written products and a substantial increase in the amount that students wrote. In addition, students became more comfortable with computers and increased their keyboarding skill. (SV) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the ori inal document. Using Writing Strategies and Visual Thinking Software To Enhance the Written Performance of Students with Mild Disabilities Regina B. Blair, Christine Ormsbee, and Joyce Brandes U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) O This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. O Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. 1 PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)