Volume 6, Issue III, June 2017, ISSN: 2277-1255

BHARTIYAM INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EDUCATION & RESEARCH

A quarterly peer reviewed International Journal of Research & Education

ROLE OF COMPUTER ASSISTED INSTRUCTION (CAI) IN TEACHING TO

CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS: REVIEW

*Dr. Sarika Sharma & **Suraj Kumar

Abstract

The world is moving towards science and technology to become better human being as
well as for mankind work which has vital role to lead personal, social and professional
life in present and future. As we know, educational technology has many generation i.e.
Gurukula era, institutional based, satellite, distance and open learning, internet and web
based education etc. Today, the world is on internet and ICT based generation.
Educational technology or ICT has been promoted by E-Sadhya, i-tec; National
Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) developed educational devices, Media Lab Asia,
barrier break technology and many mote technology based instructions. Presently the
Government of India has major focus to promote digital and accessible India. The use of
computer and other technical devices has improved teaching learning process. Therefore
the use of Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) as teaching material has become the need
of the present education system. This paper review the Role of Computer Assisted
Instruction (CAI) as teaching material in special education to teach the different aspects
of the academic and, communication skills to children with special needs. This concepts
paper aims to review the related literature of the various researches done and published
in this area and a research gap for further research. The major findings will show a
positive impact of technology on learning of children with special needs. The study
supports the fact that teachers and parents can also use the technology where ever can
be easily used in the curriculum and teaching learning process.

Keywords: Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI), Children with Special Needs (CwSNs),
Teaching and Disability

Conceptual Framework
The use of computer as teaching material in the learning process of children with
special needs is an important concern for the people working in the area of special education.
In Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI), the computer interacts directly with the learner with

*Associate Professor & Head, Department of Education, Central University of Haryana

** Ph.D. Scholar, Department of Education, Central University of Haryana 16
 Volume 6, Issue III, June 2017, ISSN: 2277-1255
BHARTIYAM INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EDUCATION & RESEARCH
A quarterly peer reviewed International Journal of Research & Education

the assistance of teacher. The computer is used to present lessons and gives instruction to
learner. Then learner interacts by giving appropriate responses to the programmed questions.
Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) has many types of educational programme such as drill
and practice, tutorial, educational games, demonstration, simulation, problem solving and
discovery learning. Computer can be used to combine approaches and tailor individual
learning experiences. This is the reality that computer is a powerful tool in teaching and
training for these groups of children having special needs. Through Computer Assisted
Instruction (CAI) teacher can teach text, graphics, sound and videos to enhance the teaching
learning process in all the subjects of the curriculum.
Some Children are highly gifted and some children are less talented; some have
physical disabilities like blindness, deafness, speech problems, motor problems; some are
intellectual challenged; some may be suffering from epilepsy, emotional disturbance and
some have learning disabilities. In Some children the deviation may be so pronounced that it
marks them as exceptional or special needy. While all students require support to varying
extents from teachers, classmates, family and the community at large in order to derive the
fullest benefit from their school experience, these exceptional children have special needs
that demands additional support. Such support may be in the form of special educational
services, special educational programme or special infrastructural or learning facilities and
most importantly, special skills on the part of the teachers, in order to enable them to
participate effectively in the learning process, in the school setting or outside it.
“Education” is the fundamental right of every disabled or non-disabled child for his/her
overall development. Over the years, there have been a lot of changes in the philosophy of
education of children with special needs. The paradigm shift to segregate the children with
special needs from the society to include them in mainstream and provide education in
inclusive environments. The recent innovations in information technology and their
implication in the field of education opens greater opportunities for professionals in training
children to maximize their potential and also made it possible to share and borrow
information across the globe.
In the present study researcher is working on three objectives i.e. to find out the major
role of Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) in teaching to CWSNs specially mentally
challenged, to examine the role of CAI with regards to improving academic, communication

*Associate Professor & Head, Department of Education, Central University of Haryana

** Ph.D. Scholar, Department of Education, Central University of Haryana 17
 Volume 6, Issue III, June 2017, ISSN: 2277-1255
BHARTIYAM INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EDUCATION & RESEARCH
A quarterly peer reviewed International Journal of Research & Education

and other skills to CWSNs and to examine the major reviews on Computer Assisted
Instruction (CAI) for improving learning and comprehension of CwSNS.
Many studies have been conducted on the use of Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) in
teaching to children with special needs. Some studies have discussed here which shows the
positive effect of Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI)in teaching the various skills to
children with special needs.

Aim of the Study

It is a common phenomenon that training with systematic planning enable a child to learn
various skills with more efficiency and easily especially in the case of children with
Intellectual Disability. Various strategies have been used to teach the children with special
needs. Very few studies are available related to implantation of ICT in special education and
using Computer Assisted Instruction for improvement of various skills in the children with
handicapped in India. Anitha (2005) did a study on Effect of computer assisted instruction on
learning of multiplication among children with mild mental retardation. Kumar, M (2012)
conducted a study on the evaluation of computer assisted instruction in teaching language &
arithmetic to children with mild mental retardation. Narayan et. el. (1994) developed a
software package under CAI for children with Mental Retardation (CAI) multicentred
projects-1. The first package included 1. Reading functional words, 2. Numbers up to 10 and
prepared for DOS environment. Sharma (2004) conducted a study to find out the efficacy of
computer assisted instruction in improving mathematic concepts of students with mild mental
retardation. The Present study is expected to through light on the impact of CAI on the
development of motor, academic and communication skills in children with mental
retardation. The findings will be useful to develop more packages to teach the concept to
children with needs. The result of the study could be significant and likely to provide the
input for charting an entirely new teaching and learning programme for the children with
intellectual disability.

Researches in the area of Computer Assisted Instructions:

The major research study revealed by Hess and Tenezakis in 1971 compared attitudes of
junior high school CAI participants with those of nonparticipants towards teachers,
computers and other sources of information. He found in the study that both groups had a

*Associate Professor & Head, Department of Education, Central University of Haryana

** Ph.D. Scholar, Department of Education, Central University of Haryana 18
 Volume 6, Issue III, June 2017, ISSN: 2277-1255
BHARTIYAM INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EDUCATION & RESEARCH
A quarterly peer reviewed International Journal of Research & Education

more favourable view of computer than teachers, textbooks or television news. Edward,
Norton Taylor in 1975 reviewed research on the effect of CAI on achievement, retention
and the learning rate and its effects on student of differently ability levels. Computer Assisted
Instruction (CAI) as a supplement to traditional, teacher-directed instruction was found to be
very beneficial. Burns and Bozeman in 1981 conducted a study on relationship between
CAI and mathematics achievement. They presented the results of meta-analysis of 40 studies
to compare the effectiveness of traditionally instruct alone with a combination of traditional
instruction and CAI on students mathematics achievement. The combined traditional CAI
approach was significantly more effective. Gore, Morrison, Mass and Anderson in 1989
studied improving and reinforcing basic reading skills through computer. The sample consist
five years old children. The study was conducted to compare the basic reading skills by
applying computer software programme through drill and practice and found that the CAI
programme has a positive effect on improving basic reading skills with and without use of
drill and practice computer programme. Rupe in 1986 reviewed research on the effect of CAI
as well as reviewing literature on other aspects of computer use in education. The report of
review recealed favourable results regarding CAI and achievement, attitudes, learning time
requirements, learning retention, social development and self-esteem. Campbell, Pele, Horn
and Leigh in 1987 compared computerized drill and practice programme with that of similar
students using a conventional prints drill programme. These were no statistically significant
differences between groups. Hall, McLaughlin & Bialozor in 1989 reported the result of a
study in which CAI was used with mildly handicapped elementary students. The spelling
achievement scores of CAI participants was significantly greater than the scores of
conventionally instructed students and half the CAI students had scores equal to those of their
non-handicapped peers. Mastropieri, Scruggs and Shiah in 1997 studied on the arithmetic
problem solving performance among children with mild mental retardation. The skills were
taught through computer assisted instruction and traditional method. The study found that the
children with mild mental retardation may be use computer assisted instruction successfully
to facilitate arithmetic problem solving. D. Mioduser at el in 2000 studied on effectiveness
of computer based instruction for teaching early reading skills acquisition when compared
with more traditional methods of instruction. The study was conducted with sample of 5 to 6
years age children with severe learning disabilities studying at pre-school, were assigned to
one of three group i.e. phonological awareness, word recognition and letter recognition skills.

*Associate Professor & Head, Department of Education, Central University of Haryana

** Ph.D. Scholar, Department of Education, Central University of Haryana 19
 Volume 6, Issue III, June 2017, ISSN: 2277-1255
BHARTIYAM INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EDUCATION & RESEARCH
A quarterly peer reviewed International Journal of Research & Education

The study found the significantly difference between reading intervention programme
through computer than traditional practice through printed materials or formal reading
practice. Mary Jo Noonan in 2000 studied on comparison of Computer assisted instruction
with interactive software and Teacher assisted instruction with manipulative. An adapted
alternating treatments design was used in this study. The study found that both instructional
strategies produced significant gains achievement. CAI method was eigher equal or superior
to TAI method. Moore M, Calvert S. in 2000 studied on the impact of computers on the
vocabulary acquisition of young children with autism. In the study the behavioural
programme and an educational software programme were compared. The study found that the
children with autism were more attentive, greater gain achievement in motivation as well as
vocabulary learn by the educational software method through computer than the behavioural
programme. So the computer has positive effect in teaching vocabulary skill. Pekka Rasanen
et al in 2009 studied on Computer assisted intervention in teaching skills in kindergarten
children. The study consisted a sample of 30 children with low numeracy skills were taken
for two treatment groups i.e. first group played a computer game which emphasized
numerical comparison and designed to train number skill. Second group played a game which
emphasized small sets of exact numerosities by training matching of verbal labels to visual
patterns. The study found that both intervention groups improved skills. Vashisht K. C. &
Malik S. in 2001 suggested the advantages of computer technology in special education. A
criterion for evaluation of special education software packages is given. Further it was
pointed out that computer was a powerful tool to combine approaches and tailor course to
meet individual needs. Although children can learn at their own capacity and speed as well as
teacher and student both can make self-evaluation of goal achievement.

Results and discussion

The review of literature indicates that researches were conducted on academic areas
only. The use of CAI in teaching produces higher achievement that the use of conventional
instruction alone. Students learn easily and faster with Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI).
The use of CAI leads to positive attitude towards computer, content, quality of instruction
and self-learning. Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) is effective for teaching lower
cognitive material than higher cognitive material. No significant difference was seen between
achievement of boys & girls while using drill & practice. Favourable results were found in

*Associate Professor & Head, Department of Education, Central University of Haryana

** Ph.D. Scholar, Department of Education, Central University of Haryana 20
 Volume 6, Issue III, June 2017, ISSN: 2277-1255
BHARTIYAM INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EDUCATION & RESEARCH
A quarterly peer reviewed International Journal of Research & Education

social development and self-esteem. The use of CAI is very effective in teaching
mathematics. There have been many studies of the efficacy of CAI including a number of
meta-analysis. While there have been studies which found CAI to be no more effective but
most have found Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) to be more effective than traditional
instruction. It can be seen that there are enough evidences in support of CAI that can be
effective method for teaching to children with special needs. Children with mild to severe
disabilities may need systematic instruction to acquire personal skills, self-care, numbers, and
mathematics and self-help etc. One of the relevent findings about CAI is that it is not the
brightest students who benefited most from it but rather the below average pupil who stands
to benefit more. The children with special needs can benefit from CAI courseware. The
computer provides additional instruction from these students. But still in spite of the growing
use of ICT in the world, there is limited research in the area of software development for
students with special needs. Only few studies have conducted the use of CAI to teach the
academic skills and there is no study using ICT for communication and motor development.
In the review, it was seen that a number of software programme are available to teach
the academic skills. But adaptive behaviour, motor development and communication
development is also a major area where there is a need to develop software to teach the
communication and behaviour skills. Therefore it is hoped that the study will open up a new
area where innovation or development of software could give major focus to adaptive
behaviour, communication development and motor development to children with special
needs. No study was found which develop communication skills through Computer Assisted
Instruction (CAI) of mentally challenged persons. The current study is an experimental study
based on enhancing communication skills through Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) for
mentally challenged children.

References.
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2. Hasselbring, T.S and William, H.G. (2000). Use of Computer Technology to help
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*Associate Professor & Head, Department of Education, Central University of Haryana

** Ph.D. Scholar, Department of Education, Central University of Haryana 21
 Volume 6, Issue III, June 2017, ISSN: 2277-1255
BHARTIYAM INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EDUCATION & RESEARCH
A quarterly peer reviewed International Journal of Research & Education

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*Associate Professor & Head, Department of Education, Central University of Haryana

** Ph.D. Scholar, Department of Education, Central University of Haryana 22