The Efficacy of a Content Area Reading Comprehension Intervention for Students With Disabilities

Abstract

This pilot study investigated the efficacy of the Promoting Adolescent Comprehension Through Text (PACT) intervention, a social studies content knowledge and reading comprehension set of practices implemented with social studies classes including students with disabilities. Social studies general education teachers were provided with professional development on the PACT and differentiation practices to support students with disabilities in the general education classroom. A total of 28 teachers and 893 students (58 students with disabilities) participated in the study, across 20 rural and urban middle schools. Effect sizes (ES) ranged from 0.21 to 0.36 on measures of content knowledge acquisition and reading comprehension for students with disabilities in the treatment classes.