Olson, R., & Wise, B. (1995). Computer-based phonological awareness and reading instruction. Annals of Dyslexia, 45, 99-122. Description of subjects   One hundred and three students participated in this study. These subjects were in second to fifth grade. The students were chosen for this study because they scored the lowest on a word recognition test. Students were required to have a verbal or performance IQ of 90 or better. Forty-five of the subjects participated in Comprehensive Strategy training and fifty-eight students were involved in the Phonological Awareness training. Description of methodology   Reciprocal teaching was used in the Comprehensive Strategy training. Reciprocal training was described as "where teachers first model, and then students take over the teaching role, using and evaluating their use of the four comprehension strategies of predicting, generating questions, clarifying, and summarizing" (p. 107). CS training consisted of 7 hours of small-group instruction, which was divided up into 15-30 minute sessions. Students also used computers during the sessions. The phonological awareness group received 7 hours of instruction, which was divided into 15-30 minute sessions. "Four of the 7 hours of small group time were used to sounds, letters, and articulatory labels and mouth pictures for all consonants and vowels" (p. 107). Students used computers to practice the concepts that were learned in small group instruction. The remaining 3 hours focused on sound blending, vowel digraphs, r-controlled vowels, and open and closed syllables. The CS and PA groups were provided with Reading with Orthographic and Speech Segmentation (ROSS) programs. "Children read stories on the computer screen, gaining decoding assistance for any word they find difficult. When children ask for help on a word by 'targeting' it with a mouse, the program highlights and subsequently pronounces it, either as a whole, in syllables, or in sub-syllable segments" (p. 100). Summary of findings   Both training groups made significant improvements in word recognition, comprehension, and phonological decoding. "Students gained about one year in PIAT word recognition, 15(CS) or 27(PA) percentage points for phonological decoding, and one grade level in comprehension" (p. 116). The students who received phonological training became analytic and accurate decoders of words. Their phonological awareness and decoding skills improved more than the comprehensive strategy group. The CS students comprehended better when they were engaged in reciprocal teaching activities.   "The results suggest that good reading programs should include instruction in phonological awareness, decoding, and comprehension, and should include opportunity for accurate practice reading in context" (p. 120).