Improving Listening Comprehension Responses for Students With Moderate Intellectual Disability During Literacy Class

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of a peer-delivered least prompts intervention and adapted read-alouds of a grade-level novel on correct listening comprehension responses for participants with moderate intellectual disability. Before the study began, participants were taught concepts for wh- words (i.e., who, what, why, when, and where), to request help, and to self-monitor correct responses in the special education classroom. Then, fifth-grade peer tutors without disabilities (peer tutors) provided opportunities for participants to apply these skills during literacy class using a system of least prompts intervention and read-alouds of an adapted novel being read by students without disabilities in the class. The least prompts intervention included wh- word rules and opportunities to hear text again. After the intervention, all participants increased the number of unmodeled prompted correct responses and one participant learned to make independent unprompted correct responses after the text was read initially. In addition, two participants learned to respond correctly when questions were asked by the general education teacher during literacy class.