Comparing Computer-Assisted and Teacher-Led Instruction for Teaching Emergent Literacy Skills to Chinese Preschoolers With Autism

Emergent literacy skills are critical for future reading development, but children with autism commonly struggle with these skills. Computer-assisted instruction (CAI) is increasingly utilized to enhance literacy skills in these children, yet research on the relative efficacy of CAI and traditional teacher-led instruction (TLI) for these children has yielded inconsistent findings. The varied implementation of CAI and TLI has further complicated efforts to determine their relative efficacy. This study combined a multiple probe and multitreatment design to compare the efficacy of CAI and TLI, incorporating consistent instructional strategies, in teaching Chinese emergent literacy skills to three preschoolers with autism. Results showed significant progress in emergent literacy skills for all children. Computer-assisted instruction slightly outperformed TLI in overall emergent literacy scores and character application scores, while differences in pronunciation-form-meaning were minimal. Recommendations are proposed to enhance CAI and emergent literacy intervention strategies for children with autism.