Direct and Indirect Effects of Writing Abilities and Skills on Essays by Students With Disabilities

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 5:25 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: Innovative Literacy Instruction for Disabled Students (Table 2)

Abstract

This study examined the direct and indirect relations of foundational skills and cognitive abilities on essay quality and output for students with disabilities. Participants included 271 students with disabilities in Grade 4. All students were administered six writing measures. Structure equation models investigated relations among cognitive abilities and foundational skills on writing quality and output. Results indicated students’ grammar skills predicted spelling, handwriting, and sentence writing fluency, which in turn predicted writing quality and output. Furthermore, writing output predicted quality. Also, writing motivation was correlated with output, but not quality. Findings suggest higher-level cognitive abilities and transcription skills may influence the quality and length of essays composed by students with disabilities, underscoring areas to address for these diverse learners.

Authors

• Joong won Lee, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies

• Alyson Alexander Collins, Texas State University

• Stephen Ciullo, Texas State University

• Steve Graham, Arizona State University

• Sagarika Kosaraju, University of Houston - Downtown