IMPROVING READING PERFORMANCESingle Subject Action Inquiry

Significance of Single Subject Research (SSR) for Teachers/SPED Practitioners “(SSR) is experimental rather than correlational or descriptive,

and its purpose is to document causal, or functional, relationships between independent and dependent variables” (Horner, et al., 2005, p. 165).

Focuses on individual learner or single group (e.g. a class) “whose performance generates a single score per measurement period” (ibid., p. 166).

As such, benefits practitioners developing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs) .

Used to establish “evidence-based practices” because of rigorous documentation of experimental control.

Significance, cont.

Multidisciplinary use of SSR (more than 45 professional journals report single subject research) (APA, 2002; Anderson 2001, cited in ibid., p.166)

“Interventions derived from social learning theory, medicine, social psychology, social work, and communication disorders are but a sample of procedures that have been analyzed by single subject designs and methods” (ibid., p. 166)

Problem Statement

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7nCfRDCcT4

1 in 7 American adults are unable to read (National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) (http://nces.ed.gov/naal/estimates/overview.aspx, cited in G. Toppo, USA Today,2009).

42 million adult Americans can't read. 50 million can recognize so few printed words they are limited to a 4th or 5th grade reading level (National Adult Literacy Survey, cited by Robert Sweet Jr. of the National Right to Read Foundation[http://www.nrrf.org/]).

One out of every four teenagers (approx. 1 million per year) drops out of high school, and of those, over 75% say that difficulty reading was a major factor in their decision. (http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pdf/dst2011/2012455.pdf)

Social, economic, and medical consequences of illiteracy are well documented (e.g., see Weiss et al., 2001; Marcus, 2006; Martinez & Fernandez, 2010, among others).

Research Question

What can I do within 4 to 8 weeks of student teaching to improve the fluency (rate, accuracy and prosody) and/or comprehension of 4-6 struggling readers?

Specifically,

If I administer x, y, and z interventions , x number of times a week for x length of time per session for x number of weeks, will participating students show gains in reading fluency and/or comprehension as measured by pre-post assessments?

Methodology

Individual Participant (or Group ) as Unit of Analysis

Precise Participant and Setting Description Operational description of participants,

setting, and the process by which participants were selected

For example, specific disability & determination instrument/process (e.g., ASD & Autism Diagnostic Interview – Revised, respectively)

Description, cont.

Standardized Tests KTEA 2 (Reading Fluency subscale) WJ-III (Reading Fluency subtest) Gray Oral Reading Test IV (Rate +

Accuracy) Test of Silent Word Reading Fluency

Criterion-Referenced Measures Qualitative Reading Inventory (QRI) DIBELS

Dependent Variables

Operationally Defined, allowing1. valid & consistent assessment of

variable,2. replication of assessment process3. (i.e., direct observation and

empirical summary; e.g., silent/oral words per minute, instances of correct phrasing, expressing and intonation, number of uncorrected miscues, etc.)

Dependent Variables

Measured Repeatedly, allowing1. identification of performance

patterns prior to intervention as baseline for comparisonM T T T M T T T M

2. comparison of performance patterns across conditions, phases, levels, environments, etc.

Dependent Variables

“Dependent variable recording is assessed for consistency throughout the experiment by frequent monitoring of inter-observer agreement (e.g., the percentage of observational units in which independent observers agree) or an equivalent, (allowing) assessment for each variable across each participant in each condition of the study” (ibid., p.167).

Dependent Variables

Selected for their social significance

A dependent variable is chosen ….

“because it is perceived as important for the individual participant, those who come into contact with that individual, or for society” (ibid., p.167).

Independent Variables

Operationally defined, allowing “valid interpretation of results and accurate replication of procedures” (ibid., 167).

Specific descriptions of procedures typically include A) documentation of materials (e.g., 7.5 cm x 12.5 cm card)

B) documentation of actions (e.g., peer tutors implemented the reading curriculum 1:1, 30 min/day, 3 days/wk for 6 weeks)

Avoid general descriptions of procedures.

Independent Variables

“To document experimental control, …the independent variable is actively, rather than passively, manipulated” (ibid., p.167).

Fidelity of implementation – important b/c independent variable is applied over time.Looks like…”continuous direct measurement of independent variable…” (Gresham, Gansel, & Kurtz, 1993, cited in ibid., p.168).

Time Series Research Design

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T O X X X O XXX O XXX O XXX O

Baseline/Comparison Condition “Treatment as usual” condition Precise description

Base.

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Base.

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Interv

...

Interv

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10121416

Student 1Student 2Student 3Student 4

Experimental Controls

Internal validity requires three things:

Repeated and reliable measurement - valid and reliable measuring instruments or techniques)

Baseline stability

Single variable rule - manipulate only one variable at a time

Threats to Reliability

Interobserver reliability (sometimes referred to as interrater reliability or interobserver agreement) is important to establish confidence in the measurement of the dependent variable.

Interobserver Reliability

Identify and define the target behavior in such a way that at least two people can observe the individual and agree whether or not the behavior has occurred, or to what extent, or for how long, and so on.

Identifies at least two people to serve as observers (one can be the researcher :). Then the observers are trained and practice observing the individual and scoring the dependent variable.

Following practice sessions, the observers should compare results for each and every occurrence or measurement of the target behavior (dependent variable).

Control Designs

Reversal Design https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/i

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Control Designs

Multiple Baseline Design https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/i

mages?q=tbn:ANd9GcRHiRqDFRpxxNzyaGTB-u5vp3WMRDjimt1b3cP7jIhwaKIAg5Ub

Control Designs

Changing Criterion https://encrypted-tbn0.google.com/i

mages?q=tbn:ANd9GcSDmqKxbhgo3hOeSezKa3tC2BvrWuxWbwt_DP3XhglZSNPLx_FqTQ

Control Designs

Alternating Treatments http://winginstitute.org/uploadedIma

ges/Graphs/Mindmap/SSD3e.png

Threats to Internal Validity Do the research conditions warrant the conclusions? Un-controlled extraneous variables that might account for the

results of a study, e.g.:

History – events that occur b/t 1st & 2nd measurement Testing – potential increases as time between pre & post is

shortened. Instrumentation - changes in the way a test or other measuring

instrument is calibrated that could account for results of a research study (unreliability of measuring instrument)

Selection – different interventions for different individuals Maturation Statistical regression - individuals are selected for an intervention

or treatment on the basis of extreme scores on a pretest. Research mortality - volunteers drop out of study

Threats to Internal Validity

Multiple treatment interference –May occur when more than one independent

variable is used.

EX: Because I’m planning to use a variety of interventions, it may be difficult if not impossible for me to accurately determine which of the components of the independent variable or variables actually accounted for changes in the dependent variable.

Threats to External Validity

Can the results be generalized beyond the study itself?

Population validity (when the sample does not adequately represent the population).

Personological validity (when personal/ psychological characteristics interact with the treatment).

Ecological validity (when the situational characteristics of the study are not representative of the population).

Results

Graph it!

Citations

Horner, et al. (2005) The use of single subject research to identify evidence-based practice in special education. Council for Exceptional Children, 71:2. pp. 165-179.

Marcus, E. N. (2006). The silent epidemic: the health effects of illiteracy. New England Journal of Medicine, July, 2006. 355:339-341.

Martinez, R., Fernandez, A. (2010). The social and economic impact of illiteracy: analytical model and pilot study. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Dec. 2010. Downloaded 10/20/11 from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0019/001905/190571e.pdf.

Weiss, B. D., Hart, G., Pust, R. E. (1991). The relationship between literacy and health. Journal of Healthcare for the Poor and Underserved. 1 (4), 351-363.