Exploring the Impact of Contrasting Cases in Text and Picture Processing.

Multimodal learning materials are frequently met in education assuming enhanced learning outcomes. This study examined whether contrasts in such materials are likely to support reading comprehension for all readers. Young adults (n=46) met either text-only or text+picture material. Participants (19 with low phonological awareness [PA] and 27 controls with high PA) thereafter answered open interview questions to check for reading comprehension. Learning materials were designed to focus readers on aspects critical to understanding the content by the use of contrasts; eyetracking was used as method. Well-known pictures aided information recall, but contrasts described in the text were most effective for learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]