Master's Theses

Document Type

Thesis - campus only access

Date of Award

Summer 1987

Degree Name

Education Specialist (Ed.S)

Department

Advanced Education Programs

Advisor

Bob L. Chalender

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to determine how well learning disabled middle school students were able to learn and apply an age-appropriate data base software program when compared with a similar group of non-learning disabled students. A commercial database management program was employed. This program included a tutorial, sample data base with questions for practice, and a format for entering and retrieving data. Dependent variables were satisfactory completion of a search for information and length of time each individual needed to complete the study. The 53 subjects, 26 of whom had been determined to be learning disabled, were selected from two middle schools. Data was analyzed by computer. Six hypotheses were tested. Of these only hypothesis 4 was rejected. Hypothesis 4 contained a comparison between the mean time taken for learning disabled students to complete the study compared to that taken by other students. Learning disabled students took numerically and statistically longer to complete the study than did other students. However, hypothesis 5, which contained a comparison of adjusted mean time using SRA composite reading scores as covariant, was retained. When adjustment was made for reading ability there was no statistically significant difference between the time it took learning disabled and other students to learn to use the program. In this study both learning disabled and other students were able to enter information into a data base management program and search the data base for information. There were no gender differences in time needed to complete the study in either group or between the learning disabled groups when adjustment was made for reading ability. Although the learning disabled group was slower than the other group in completing the program there was no statistically significant difference between the two when an adjustment was made for reading ability. These results indicated that while learning disabled students can learn the skills needed to use a data base management program, they would need more time than other students to do so.

Comments

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Rights

© 1987 Carrol L. Walker

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