Effects of Visual and Auditory Background on Reading Test Performance

Forty-two brain injured and 42 non brain injured sixth grade boys were administered reading achievement tests under three visual and three auditory distraction conditions. The results indicated that (a) the overall performance was higher for the non brain injured group, and (b) increased amounts of visual and/or auditory distraction did not result in significantly lower scores for either group. It is concluded that many assumptions concerning stimulus control and teaching materials and methodology for brain injured children of this age group should be questioned.