Many handwriting programs are currently used in schools, but little research has been conducted on their effectiveness. A quasi-experimental non-equivalent comparison group pretest posttest design examined effects of the Handwriting Without Tears program with special and general education students enrolled in inclusion classrooms. Two experimental classes received instruction with the HWT method while two comparison classes received instruction using traditional methods. Handwriting performance was measured using the Minnesota Handwriting Assessment. One-way analysis of covariance tested the differences between rates of handwriting improvement for experimental and comparison groups while controlling for pretest scores. Students in the experimental classes showed no statistically significant improvement in overall handwriting skill compared to the classes receiving traditional handwriting instruction. However, the HWT program was found to be effective in improving the areas of size (p = .008) and spacing (p = .014) within a 10-week period, regardless of educational status or gender.
","abstract_html":"<p>Many handwriting programs are currently used in schools, but little research has been conducted on their effectiveness. A quasi-experimental non-equivalent comparison group pretest posttest design examined effects of the Handwriting Without Tears program with special and general education students enrolled in inclusion classrooms. Two experimental classes received instruction with the HWT method while two comparison classes received instruction using traditional methods. Handwriting performance was measured using the Minnesota Handwriting Assessment. One-way analysis of covariance tested the differences between rates of handwriting improvement for experimental and comparison groups while controlling for pretest scores. Students in the experimental classes showed no statistically significant improvement in overall handwriting skill compared to the classes receiving traditional handwriting instruction. However, the HWT program was found to be effective in improving the areas of size (p = .008) and spacing (p = .014) within a 10-week period, regardless of educational status or gender.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Owens, Lisa"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Health Related Sciences","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Dr. Janet H. Watts"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2004,"date_issued":"2004-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2004-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:54:53Z","subjects":["fine motor","Handwriting Without Tears","handwriting","Minnesota Handwriting Assessment","Medicine and Health Sciences","Occupational Therapy","Rehabilitation and Therapy"],"languages":[],"rights":["© The Author"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/1121"],"render_values":[{"text":"https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/1121","href":"https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/1121","code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://doi.org/10.25772/49P9-Y787","outbound_label":"DOI","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Dr. Janet H. Watts"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Owens, Lisa"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2014-07-09T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Health Related Sciences"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["fine motor","Handwriting Without Tears","handwriting","Minnesota Handwriting Assessment","Medicine and Health Sciences","Occupational Therapy","Rehabilitation and Therapy"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["© The Author"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://doi.org/10.25772/49P9-Y787","https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/1121"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Many handwriting programs are currently used in schools, but little research has been conducted on their effectiveness. A quasi-experimental non-equivalent comparison group pretest posttest design examined effects of the Handwriting Without Tears program with special and general education students enrolled in inclusion classrooms. Two experimental classes received instruction with the HWT method while two comparison classes received instruction using traditional methods. Handwriting performance was measured using the Minnesota Handwriting Assessment. One-way analysis of covariance tested the differences between rates of handwriting improvement for experimental and comparison groups while controlling for pretest scores. Students in the experimental classes showed no statistically significant improvement in overall handwriting skill compared to the classes receiving traditional handwriting instruction. However, the HWT program was found to be effective in improving the areas of size (p = .008) and spacing (p = .014) within a 10-week period, regardless of educational status or gender.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The Effects of the Handwriting Without Tears Program on the Handwriting of Students in Inclusion Classrooms"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Dr. Janet H. Watts"],"dc:creator":["Owens, Lisa"],"dc:date.available":["2014-07-09T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Many handwriting programs are currently used in schools, but little research has been conducted on their effectiveness. A quasi-experimental non-equivalent comparison group pretest posttest design examined effects of the Handwriting Without Tears program with special and general education students enrolled in inclusion classrooms. Two experimental classes received instruction with the HWT method while two comparison classes received instruction using traditional methods. Handwriting performance was measured using the Minnesota Handwriting Assessment. One-way analysis of covariance tested the differences between rates of handwriting improvement for experimental and comparison groups while controlling for pretest scores. Students in the experimental classes showed no statistically significant improvement in overall handwriting skill compared to the classes receiving traditional handwriting instruction. However, the HWT program was found to be effective in improving the areas of size (p = .008) and spacing (p = .014) within a 10-week period, regardless of educational status or gender.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://doi.org/10.25772/49P9-Y787","https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/1121"],"dc:rights":["© The Author"],"dc:subject":["fine motor","Handwriting Without Tears","handwriting","Minnesota Handwriting Assessment","Medicine and Health Sciences","Occupational Therapy","Rehabilitation and Therapy"],"dc:title":["The Effects of the Handwriting Without Tears Program on the Handwriting of Students in Inclusion Classrooms"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Health Related Sciences"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:54:53Z"}