Evaluating Text Complexity at Different Writing Development Stages for Students With Significant Cognitive Disabilities

• In Event: Writing and Writing Instruction: Perspectives and Practices

Abstract

Writing is a crucial component of comprehensive literacy. For students with significant cognitive disabilities (SCD), effective writing instruction that guides students in writing across multiple purposes and contexts is essential for academic success. This study expanded upon an initial study investigating the general characteristics of writing samples for students with SCD by performing a detailed analysis of the specific characteristics of these texts. Reviewers used a protocol based on the Developmental Writing Scale (DWS; Sturm et al., 2012) to evaluate each sample. The texts increased in complexity across DWS levels and demonstrated high variability in their characteristics across grade levels. The findings underscore the need for specially designed writing instruction for individual students with SCD.

Authors

• Jonathan Schuster, The University of Kansas

• Jennifer L. Kobrin, The University of Kansas

• Amy Clark, The University of Kansas

• Russell E. Swinburne Romine, The University of Kansas