READING COMPREHENSION

The school team expressed an interest in learning more about the ways in which assistive
technology tools and strategies might be able to provide XXXX with an effective way to
demonstrate reading comprehension skills.

Performance Level
XXXX demonstrates the ability to decode words while reading books at a DRA Level 24-28,
placing his performance in this area close to the benchmarks for his age/grade level. The extent to
which XXXX is able to gain meaning from print remains unclear. Despite exhaustive and creative
efforts on the part of staff to provide comprehension activities in a variety of formats, XXXX
remains unable to consistently demonstrate comprehension of single sentences, at levels
significantly below where he is presently decoding.

With respect to encoding, XXXX demonstrates the ability to spell “cvc” pattern words with
nearly 100% accuracy, however finds “within word” patterns involving diphthongs significantly
more challenging. XXXX receptively identifies grade level high frequency sight words from a
field of four with accuracy, though experiences relatively greater difficulty spelling them from
memory.

SUMMARY and IMPRESSIONS

XXXX’s current performance level as described above was depicted in a collection of work
samples reviewed, was recounted in conversations with XXXX’s Speech/Language Pathologist,
Special Educator, and 1:1 Teaching Assistant, and was demonstrated during observations across
these settings.

Attempts to tap XXXX’s reading comprehension skills have included literally dozens of
variations on presentation and response formats, in most cases using reading materials at the K-1
level. The following models have been used, with the questions presented verbally, in writing, or
in writing with picture supports. XXXX has not been able to demonstrate comprehension skills in
these activities with any reliable degree of accuracy or independence.
• who or what question about a story- followed by cloze sentence,
where XXXX generates the missing word to answer the question
• who or what question about a story- followed by cloze sentence,
where XXXX selects the missing word (from 2, or word bank) to answer the question
• who or what question about a story- followed by cloze sentence,
where XXXX selects a picture (from 2, or picture bank) to answer the question

XXXX’s responses to comprehension questions reveal a strong tendency to gravitate toward

answers that represent personal preferences, are part of the question, or are represented in an
accompanying picture. In other instances XXXX’s responses appear to reflect something concrete
that was present in the sentence or story, though unrelated to the question posed.

XXXX has been successful demonstrating the ability to read a phrase or sentence and matching it
to one of several pictures in the Edmark program. In some cases the items in the field of pictures
contain variations on the same elements (same item depicted in different colors, sizes, positions,
combinations), forcing precise interpretation of the text in order to make a correct match. In this
activity format XXXX’s challenges are scanning all of the choices, controlling his impulsivity,
and avoiding the distraction of preferences.
RECOMMENDATIONS: Reading Comprehension
It remains difficult for XXXX’s team to determine if he is comprehending what he is decoding in
books close to grade level. XXXX’s limitations in oral communication and written language, and
inability to respond to “wh” questions, make this an understandably challenging determination to
make at this point in time.

Research to Consider
Some of the notable work in the area of literacy and disabilities is being done by Paula Kluth,
Emily Iland, Karen Erickson and David Koppenhaver, and Dr. Marion Blank. Some of this work
will be referenced here as it appears appropriate to consider in pursuing program options and
teaching methodologies to support the development of XXXX’s reading comprehension skills. I
recently spoke with Mary Beth Cull from Dr. Blank’s project in New York and expect to
reconnect with Dr. Blank herself in the coming weeks to discuss her research as it relates to
XXXX’s profile of needs in this area. I plan to reconnect with the XXX team to update them on
this conversation.

A review of the recent research makes it clear that the characteristics of ASD have a strong
potential to impact reading comprehension to varying degrees, depending upon the severity of an
individual’s deficits in key areas.

Emily Iland reminds us that comprehension, or constructing meaning requires individuals to-
• Understand the text at the word and sentence level, “word knowledge”
• Identify relevant information
• Integrate and relate to what is already known a.k.a. “world knowledge” or prior knowledge
• Internalize to own experience
• Create a new construct or idea, the gist or meaning
• Store the new idea
• Retrieve upon demand

She further describes good comprehenders as those who are able to-
• Monitor understanding
• Use strategies (Re-read, Look back, etc.)
• Predict, revise, infer, summarize
• Mark, highlight
• Use context
• Know why they are reading, understand the point
• Relate to prior knowledge, relate to other text
• See cause and effect
• Interpret characters’ actions and emotions, understand the author’s intentions

Considering this alongside what we know about ASD, and XXXX’s individual presentation, we
can begin to see the complex nature of the interrelationship, and appreciate why his
comprehension challenge has been so difficult to understand and remediate. Embedded in the Dr.
Marion Blank and Emily Iland resources are references to the ways in which characteristics of
ASD, many of which are present in XXXX’s profile, impact reading comprehension. I invite the
team to explore these resources and determine their usefulness in supporting their continued work
with XXXX on reading comprehension. I suspect they will yield insight into some potentially
effective instructional methodologies.
Recent efforts by the school team have focused on comprehension at the sentence level, through
the use of “wh” questions and cloze activities, in a variety of formats. Dr. Blank has found that
questions are one of the most difficult aspects of language for ASD children. She suggests that
initial work in transforming words into meaning is better accomplished using other techniques.
One technique offered is to use the child’s receptive language in activities to build reading
comprehension. After teaching a collection of key command words (put, take, turn, etc.) students
are asked to read and carry out actions conveyed in the directions using objects. This single
technique is one of several presented in the Light on Literacy program that Dr. Blank has
developed. This intensive program (4-5 times/week, over 10-12 mos.) is delivered in a distance-
learning model by parents at home, in collaboration with Dr. Blank and instructors in New York
via videoconferencing. Phonics Plus Five, another program developed by Dr. Blank is based on
the same principles, though it lacks the intensive focus on steps to build up the child’s underlying
sentence structure, according to project co-coordinator Mary Beth Cull. I am sharing a copy of
the book The Reading Remedy, which explains the Phonics Plus Five program, for staff review
and consideration. Another program by the same author, Steps to Stories, is a collection of twenty
stories at two levels of complexity, intended to build story comprehension in children with ASD.
Dr. Blank also developed the Sentence Master software by Laureate, which could be a valuable
component to add to XXXX’s language and literacy program. This software is used extensively
in the Light on Literacy program. While not developed for ASD children, parts of the program are
appropriate to consider implementing. XXXX’s Speech and Language Pathologist has explored
this software in a demo version with him, and reports that XXXX responded well to it. A
conversation with Dr. Blank about XXXX could aid in determining which, if any of these
program supports match his needs. It is hoped that these resources will shed light on additional
teaching methodologies that will be useful in supporting the development of XXXX’s reading
comprehension skills, such as imitating text structures and teaching and learning patterns that tie
question asking to question answering.

The Sentence Master Software

Laureate Learning Systems
www.laureatelearning.com
$495.00 each
Level (1-4: assessment activity available to determine level)

Steps to Stories
A Unique Program to Build Story
Comprehension in Children with
Autism Spectrum Disorders
http://www.stepstostories.com/
$79.95

Additional reading comprehension instruction could include introducing XXXX to concrete, three
to five sentence stories, tightly constructed, with a demonstrable element in each sentence.
Initially XXXX could be encouraged to demonstrate comprehension of the text, one line at a
time, by manipulating objects or pictures. This approach could be implemented with some of the
early DRA leveled books. Using a digital camera, images from the story could be duplicated and
cut out, allowing XXXX an opportunity to manipulate story elements in dramatizing
comprehension of the text.
It would be worthwhile to build upon XXXX’s success in matching phrases and sentences to
pictures (Edmark) as a way to demonstrate comprehension. Again, these types of activities could
be developed by using a digital camera to reproduce pictures from books, and using a free online
flashcard program to make accompanying word cards, sentence and cloze strips from the text.

Activities that use written commands or directions, as described by Dr. Blank, would also seem
appropriate to try with XXXX. After explicit teaching of key vocabulary he could be expected to
demonstrate understanding of those words in connected text at the sentence level through
demonstration, matching, or manipulating pictures and text.

It will remain important to keep XXXX connected to reading books at his decoding level, though
consideration should be given to the goals of reading at this level, the format, and the integration
of additional visual supports. XXXX presently participates in a guided reading group with typical
peers using books at a DRA Level 24-28; a mid to end of Grade 2 level. When observed in this
group XXXX was able to remain seated at the table alongside his aide for the entire 35-minute
period. While generally compliant, XXXX fidgeted throughout the session. With the constant
redirection and support of his aide, and a good deal of effort on his part, XXXX was able to
contain himself, only occasionally lapsing into noise making and verbalizations indicative of
frustration. XXXX sat through the teacher’s review of the story’s content vocabulary, and a
preview discussion. While XXXX was able to participate in naming vocabulary words and
labeling images in story illustrations when asked, he was not able to actively participate in the
discussions, nor did he appear to attend to them, or process their meaning. XXXX took repeated
turns reading aloud, one page at a time. He spoke in a low voice and read in a somewhat halting,
word-by-word manner, though generally responded appropriately to punctuation. XXXX
spontaneously decoded the majority of the words, his aide supplying new vocabulary including
character names and other random words, approximately 3-4 per page. XXXX was internally
distracted and visibly disengaged as each of the other three students read aloud. He was not able
to participate in the discussion of the story, nor did he appear to be receptively processing or
comprehending the discussion. If the goals attached to XXXX’s participation in this reading
group extend beyond learning to be part of a group, and include developing reading strategies, he
will require additional supports. The following are offered for consideration.
• planned opportunities for 1:1 preview, review of the story
• visuals and manipulatives to represent characters, setting, key events
• large story map with embedded visuals to track characters and connect events as they
unfold
• use of visual supports integrated into group lesson, discussion
• modified version of the text in a summary format

Interactive Books
Interactive books are sold commercially and can be easily made with a digital camera. Visuals
and text from stories are made into manipulatives enabling the reader to interact with the
characters, content vocabulary, and text, in previewing, reading, and retelling the story.

Interactive Reading Books by Joan Green

Different Roads to Learning
www.difflearn.com
$21.95

Remnant Books
Staff should consider collaborating with family in developing and sharing home and school
remnant books. The books are developed using notebooks with sheet protectors or photo albums.
Remnants of activities and events are collected in the book and captioned with key details related
to the experience including when, where, who, what happened, etc. Tickets, photos,
menus/napkins from restaurants, something collected on a walk, anything at all that will trigger
recall of the event should be tucked away in remnant books. These will serve as rich collections
to support reflection, sharing, and connections in communication, social interaction, reading and
comprehension, and writing.