This study investigated the effectiveness of the Fast ForWord program (FFW) on attention for students with learning and behavior problems, compared to two other reading programs (Achieve 3000 computerized reading program and a traditional reading program). Improvements in attention skills were observed and compared following a 30-minute, 5 day-a-week schedule. The three programs were implemented within the curriculum in a middle school setting for a 40 day period. The design was a single group study conducted within a single school in the Gloucester County Special Services District. The study participants were 12 seventh through ninth-grade students attending Bankbridge Regional School in Sewell, New Jersey, during 2008-2009. An attention rubric was used to determine off-task behaviors, as well as, on-task behaviors, during all three programs and then compared at the end of a 40 day period. On average, students made significant improvements in attention skills, while on the FFW program, compared to the traditional reading program. The FFW program had only a slight improvement, on attention skills, compared to the Achieve 3000 computerized, reading program.
","abstract_html":"<p>This study investigated the effectiveness of the Fast ForWord program (FFW) on attention for students with learning and behavior problems, compared to two other reading programs (Achieve 3000 computerized reading program and a traditional reading program). Improvements in attention skills were observed and compared following a 30-minute, 5 day-a-week schedule. The three programs were implemented within the curriculum in a middle school setting for a 40 day period. The design was a single group study conducted within a single school in the Gloucester County Special Services District. The study participants were 12 seventh through ninth-grade students attending Bankbridge Regional School in Sewell, New Jersey, during 2008-2009. An attention rubric was used to determine off-task behaviors, as well as, on-task behaviors, during all three programs and then compared at the end of a 40 day period. On average, students made significant improvements in attention skills, while on the FFW program, compared to the traditional reading program. The FFW program had only a slight improvement, on attention skills, compared to the Achieve 3000 computerized, reading program.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Mosby, Eileen A."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"M.A. in Special Education","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Interdisciplinary and Inclusive Education","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Kuder, Jay"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2009,"date_issued":"2009-08-18T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2009-08-18T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:13:27Z","subjects":["Learning disabled teenagers--New Jersey; Special education--New Jersey","Special Education and Teaching"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/651","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Kuder, Jay"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Mosby, Eileen A."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2016-03-18T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Interdisciplinary and Inclusive Education"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["M.A. in Special Education"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Learning disabled teenagers--New Jersey; Special education--New Jersey","Special Education and Teaching"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/651"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This study investigated the effectiveness of the Fast ForWord program (FFW) on attention for students with learning and behavior problems, compared to two other reading programs (Achieve 3000 computerized reading program and a traditional reading program). Improvements in attention skills were observed and compared following a 30-minute, 5 day-a-week schedule. The three programs were implemented within the curriculum in a middle school setting for a 40 day period. The design was a single group study conducted within a single school in the Gloucester County Special Services District. The study participants were 12 seventh through ninth-grade students attending Bankbridge Regional School in Sewell, New Jersey, during 2008-2009. An attention rubric was used to determine off-task behaviors, as well as, on-task behaviors, during all three programs and then compared at the end of a 40 day period. On average, students made significant improvements in attention skills, while on the FFW program, compared to the traditional reading program. The FFW program had only a slight improvement, on attention skills, compared to the Achieve 3000 computerized, reading program.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["An observational study of the Fast ForWord program and attention skills of students with learning and behavioral difficulties"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Kuder, Jay"],"dc:creator":["Mosby, Eileen A."],"dc:date.available":["2016-03-18T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This study investigated the effectiveness of the Fast ForWord program (FFW) on attention for students with learning and behavior problems, compared to two other reading programs (Achieve 3000 computerized reading program and a traditional reading program). Improvements in attention skills were observed and compared following a 30-minute, 5 day-a-week schedule. The three programs were implemented within the curriculum in a middle school setting for a 40 day period. The design was a single group study conducted within a single school in the Gloucester County Special Services District. The study participants were 12 seventh through ninth-grade students attending Bankbridge Regional School in Sewell, New Jersey, during 2008-2009. An attention rubric was used to determine off-task behaviors, as well as, on-task behaviors, during all three programs and then compared at the end of a 40 day period. On average, students made significant improvements in attention skills, while on the FFW program, compared to the traditional reading program. The FFW program had only a slight improvement, on attention skills, compared to the Achieve 3000 computerized, reading program.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/651"],"dc:subject":["Learning disabled teenagers--New Jersey; Special education--New Jersey","Special Education and Teaching"],"dc:title":["An observational study of the Fast ForWord program and attention skills of students with learning and behavioral difficulties"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Interdisciplinary and Inclusive Education"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["M.A. in Special Education"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:13:27Z"}