Literacy Development for Young Children With Disabilities: The Interactions of Phonemic Awareness, Vocabulary, Decoding, and Reading Comprehension

• In Event: Reading Development and Instruction for Struggling Readers

Abstract

This study used data from a large, national sample to examine the interaction of various literacy measures among young children with disabilities. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), we examined the relationships among measures of phonemic awareness, decoding, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. Child and family factors, including sex, severity of disability, race/ethnicity, household income, and mother’s education were used as covariates. The model supported the notion of two unique paths to reading comprehension, one through decoding and a second through vocabulary.

Authors

• Elaine Carlson, Westat

• Tiandong Li, Westat

• Frank F. Jenkins, Westat

• Mary T. Brownell, University of Florida