Kenworthy, Alastair2017-01-082017-01-081986http://hdl.handle.net/10092/12990Microcomputers are widespread in schools and are becoming so in centres for special education - the education of people with learning disabilities. Across the curriculum, Computer-Assisted Learning (CAL) has augmented conventional learning in some of these places. The object of this project has been to find the extent to which CAL can help intellectually handicapped (IH) adults learn to read. The work has involved researching educational techniques, observing existing special education CAL programmes, experimenting with CAL techniques, and developing advanced educational software. Most of the practical work has been carried out in conjunction with the Canterbury Sheltered Workshop, where IH adults are given conventional reading instruction. Chapter 1 is an exposition of the teaching techniques used for reading, irrespective of the media used to deliver them. Special requirements for teaching IH adults are examined. Chapter 2 identifies CAL's niche in a reading programme for adults, and looks at computer techniques that could be used in this niche. Chapter 3 begins with a summary of CAL reading software in operation and its deficiencies. The chapter closes with a characterisation of the problems involved in producing the necessary software. Chapter 4 continues with the software production problem - describing as yet underdeveloped productivity tools for its resolution. Chapter 5 documents the author's own attempt at such a system from design through to field trials. Chapter 6 is an outline of further work that could be done to follow up work in this project and to tackle work outside this project's scope.enAll Rights ReservedDiscussion / Working PapersField of Research::08 - Information and Computing Sciences