A Systematic Model for Curriculum-Based Assessment & Intervention for Postsecondary Students with Mild Disabilities, January 1, 1998 to December 31, 2000. Final Report.

This final report describes a project to develop, implement, evaluate, and disseminate a framework, the James Madison University (JMU) Active Learner Approach, for course-specific strategy assessment and tutorial instruction for 46 college students with learning disabilities or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Individual sections address the project's objectives, activities, the JMU Active Learner approach, project subjects, and results. On average, students improved their grade point average from 1.98 to 2.43 and were able to maintain this improvement the semester following the intervention. Quantitative factors found related to improvement were the independent use of strategies taught, type of disability, subject area of disability, and academic standing. Qualitative factors found related to improvement were the nature of the student (e.g., motivation and organization), nature of the intervention (especially course-specific strategy instruction), and the nature of the tutor. The paper recommends that the JMU Active Learner Approach using 1:1 instruction provided by specially trained tutors be available for students at the postsecondary level and describes a Web site that provides students with strategy instruction using the JMU Active Learner Approach. A student questionnaire and case studies are appended. (DB)