Data Mountain: Self-Monitoring, Goal Setting, and Positive Attributions to Enhance the Oral Reading Fluency of Elementary Students With or At-Risk for Reading Disabilities

Abstract

Data Mountain is a self-determination program that has shown early promise in enhancing the oral reading fluency (ORF) of students with or at-risk for reading disabilities (RD). This program supports self-determined learning behaviors through explicit teaching of self-monitoring, goal setting, and positive attributions. The present study tested the effects of Data Mountain on the ORF of 81 students with or at-risk for RD in second through fifth grades, randomly assigned to one of three conditions: Data Mountain delivered in small groups, Data Mountain delivered individually, or a comparison condition. Results from hierarchical linear modeling indicated that treatment students read an average of 31 more words per minute with a growth rate twice that of comparison students ( p < .01). The transferable possibilities of Data Mountain to provide students with an opportunity to learn self-determination skills and support ORF is significant to the field of special education.