Evidence-based Practices in the Design of Interactive Multimedia for Learners with Cognitive Learning Disabilities Julia Allen University of North Texas

Introduction ● Clark (1983) says it’s the design, not media, which influences learning. ● Kozma (1991) claims the constructivist properties of media may benefit some students. ● This study extrapolates design principles from studies which show positive benefit with use of interactive multimedia for students with cognitive disabilities.

Evidence-Based Practice: Signaling ● Hetzroni and Schanin (2002): Children with severe disabilities used interactive storybooks. ● Key words were highlighted as the story was read. Children displayed increased word identification over time. ● Per Mayer’s (2002) multimedia designs for learning, signaling tells learners that something is important.

Evidence-Based Practice: Personalization ● Deliyannis and Simpsiri (2008) taught MAKATON method to children with communication difficulties using interactive multimedia. ● Devices were personalized to speak child’s name and display same-gender actor as the child. ● Mayer (2002) and Hartley (2004) discuss benefits of personalization to increase learning.

Evidence-Based Practice: Dual Channel Use ● Abtahi (2012): Children with dyslexia used interactive multimedia learning objects (IMLO) to improve math skills. ● Children felt IMLO assisted them in learning the topic. They were motivated to use IMLO. ● This along with other studies demonstrates Mayer’s (2002, 2005) principle of Dual Channel Use.

Evidence-Based Practice: Collaborative Learning Environment ● Marino, Gotch, Israel, Vasquez, Basham, and Becht (2013): Studied use of interactive video games for students with dyslexia as part of universal design for learning (UDL) middle school science curriculum. ● Gameplay was most effective as learning tool when played with peers. ● Collaborative discourse was effective as a debrief to gameplay. ● Students felt would have been more effective assessment than paper tests.

Evidence-Based Practice: Self-Paced Instruction ● Schelling and Rao (2013): Used interactive multimedia to improve self-advocacy skills of secondary students with intellectual disabilities. ● Students used Self-Advocacy Compact Disc (SACD) at their own pace to complete training. Built-in quizzes check for learner comprehension. ● This and other studies demonstrate effective use of self-paced instruction, which can be paced based on the learner’s skill and performance.

Evidence-Based Practice: Integrated Assessment ● Lopez-Basterretxea, Mendez-Zorrilla, and Garcia-Zapirain (2014): used interactive games to help students with Down’s syndrome learn money management skills. ● Game results were reported back to psychologists and specialists working with the students. ● Assessments built in to the multimedia; results reported back to the instructors. Can personalize instruction based on strengths and weaknesses.

Evidence-Based Practice: UDL ● Book chapter by Kinney and Kinney (2003): Discuss using interactive multimedia and UDL to meet the needs of all learners, especially those with disabilities. ● Many studies utilized UDL (CAST, 2011): o Alternatives for auditory or visually presented information o Customizable displays o Built-in support o Options for learners with limited physical ability o Return to the main menu at any point of game play o Options for self-regulation o Intrinsically motivating o Sustained the learners’ interest through built-in rewards

Discussion ● Benefits of multimedia instruction include: ○individualized instruction ○self-paced anytime anywhere instruction ○instructor’s time freed to provide more direct, one-on-one instruction ● Most effective practices include those consistent with Mayer’s (2002, 2005) theory of multimedia learning: ○dual channel use, ○signaling, ○personalization ● A collaborative learning environment ● Self-paced instruction ● Formative assessment tools ● UDL

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References Abtahi, M. S. (2012). Interactive multimedia learning object (IMLO) for dyslexic children. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 47, 1206–1210. CAST. (2011). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.0. Wakefield, MA: Author. Clark, R. E. (1983). Reconsidering research on learning from media. Review of Educational Research, 53(4), 445–459. Deliyannis, I., & Simpsiri, C. (2008). Interactive multimedia learning for children with communication difficulties using the makaton method. In Readings in Education and Technology: Proceedings of ICICTE 2008 (pp. 408–417). Hartley, J. (2004). Designing instructional and informational text. In D. H. Jonassen (Ed.), Handbook of Research in Educational Communications and Technology (2nd Ed., pp. 917–947). Mahwah, N.J.: Erlbaum. Hetzroni, O. E., & Schanin, M. (2002). Emergent literacy in children with severe disabilities using interactive multimedia stories. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 14(2), 173– 190.

References - Continued Kinney, D. P., & Kinney, L. S. (2003). Computer-mediated Learning in Mathematics and Universal Instructional Design. In J. L. Higbee (Ed.), Curriculum Transformation and Disability: Implementing Universal Design in Higher Education (pp. 115–125). Minneapolis, MN: Center for Research on Developmental Education and Urban Literacy. Kozma, R. B. (1991). Learning with Media. Review of Educational Research, 61(2), 179–212. Lopez-Basterretxea, A., Mendez-Zorrilla, A., & Garcia-Zapirain, B. (2014). A telemonitoring tool based on serious games addressing money management skills for people with intellectual disability. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 11(3), 2361–80. Marino, M. T., Gotch, C. M., Israel, M., Vasquez, E., Basham, J. D., & Becht, K. (2013). UDL in the middle school science classroom: Can video games and alternative text heighten engagement and learning for students with learning disabilities? Learning Disability Quarterly, 37(2), 87–99. Mayer, R. E. (2002). Multimedia learning. Psychology of Learning and Motivation, 41(1), 85–139. Mayer, R. E. (2005). Cognitive theory of multimedia learning. In The Cambridge Handbook of Multimedia Learning (pp. 31–48). Schelling, A. L., & Rao, S. (2013). Evaluating self-advocacy strategy instruction for students with an intellectual disability using an interactive hypermedia program. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 4(17), 1–11.