A Comparison of High-Tech and Low-Tech Response Modalities to Improve Student Classroom Behavior

This study compared the effects of high-tech (clickers) and low-tech (response cards and hand raising) active student responding modalities on student classroom behavior during whole-group English language arts instruction in two 1st-grade classrooms serving students with and without disabilities. The authors combined an ABAB reversal design with an alternating treatments design to compare the impact of using high-tech and low-tech modalities on academic responding, disruptive behavior, and accuracy of responding across four teacher-nominated students in two classrooms. The results of the study indicate that both clickers and response cards were equally effective in increasing student academic responding and decreasing disruptive behavior. Additionally, accuracy of responding was similar during the response cards and clickers conditions for all participants.