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Access Type
WSU Access
Date of Award
1-1-2003
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ed.D.
Department
Curriculum and Instruction
First Advisor
Michael Peterson
Abstract
Assessing the learning style preferences of adult workers (consumers) with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities and accommodating the consumer's learning style preference during the job training process is a critical feature of quality supported employment services and an under-explored area of applied research. However, before evaluating the effects of learning style preferences on job training outcomes, consumers must first demonstrate the skills to express learning preferences. This research sought to demonstrate a method of assessing the learning style preference of consumers with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities and to investigate which of two instructional interventions, when matched with the consumers preferred learning style, would have the greatest impact on consumer job performance. Three independent variables were included in this study: (1) the consumer's learning style preference, (2) auditory instructional cues, and (3) visual instructional cues. The dependent variable was the accuracy of job task performance for each consumer under the alternating instructional interventions. Four participants participated in the exploratory phase (phase I) of the study and three participants participated in the empirical phase (phase II) of the study. Phase I involved a descriptive analysis. Consumer learning style was assessed utilizing the Learning Style Inventory-Primary (Perrin, 1991), which was modified for use with the participant group. Phase II involved single-subject research design principles. Specifically, an alternating treatment withdrawal design was utilized to determine which instructional strategy (auditory or visual cues) when matched with the consumer's preferred learning style, had the greatest impact on the dependent variable. An Independent t-Test and a Helmert Contrast were used to determine statistical significance between conditions. An alpha level of .05 was set for determining significance. Results indicate that learning style preferences for consumers with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities can be reliably assessed. Analysis of the data indicated that there was a significant difference in the effect of the two instructional interventions on consumer job performance. When the instructional intervention was congruent with the consumer's learning style, the greater the improvement in job performance. When the intervention was incongruent to the consumer's preferred learning style, a lesser degree of improved job performance would result.
Recommended Citation
Johnson, Kendra Deshawn., "The effects of learning style based instruction on consumer skill acquisition in supported employment programs" (2003). Wayne State University Dissertations. 3301.
https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/oa_dissertations/3301