Abilities of Normal and Reading-Disabled Children to Combine the Visual and Auditory Modalities with Dimensions of Space and Time

Abstract

The effects of various combinations of modalities with the dimensions of space and time on reproduction of stimulus patterns by 162 normal and 83 reading-disabled children aged 6 to 12 yr. was studied. Scores on three subtests with three different combinations of modalities with space and time dimensions were analyzed. They were (a) visual temporal input, vocal temporal output; (b) auditory temporal input, vocal temporal output; and (c) visual spatial-temporal input, vocal temporal output. Visual spatial-temporal input was superior to the other subtests. Auditory temporal input was superior to visual temporal input. There were significant differences between normal and reading-disabled subjects on each subtest so the spatial dimension gives an advantage. The spatial and temporal dimensions need to be attended to in research.