Several theoretical issues are reviewed which address the pictorial vs. verbal characteristics of media and provide a beginning framework for understanding how these influence learning. (STS)

An overview of psychophysical studies on visual factors that influence normal- and low-vision reading is presented. General principles, such as the presence or absence of central vision, were found to predict reading performance despite the heterogeneity of low-vision conditions. Results suggested most low-vision subjects meet the visual…

Reading comprehension performance of 50 prelingually, profoundly hearing-impaired and 50 normal-hearing Ss of comparable ages and reading levels was compared. Results indicated that although visual matching was used to some extent by normal-hearing students, it was used much more extensively by hearing-impaired students with comparable ages and…

An exploratory study involving three learning disabled students suggested that semantic maps, a visuospatial strategy in which concepts are linked, promoted reading comprehension. (CL)

Research on visual and phonological coding in reading words for meaning is reviewed, and two studies are described that examined the word processing of skilled and less skilled elementary school readers. Findings revealed support for previous studies stressing the importance of the automatic nature of reading skills. (CL)

The author cautions that far from being an educational panacea, computers may actually be frustrating or even harmful for children with visual problems, including difficulties with visual-tactual development, visual attention span, and nearsightedness. A coordinated program implemented by education and clinicians is advocated. (CL)

A model is proposed that organizes factors related to visual function into three dimensions: visual abilities, available resources and past experiences, and environmental cues. The model is explained to be useful in determining how to elicit visual behaviors or maximize visual function in persons with low vision. (Author/CL)

Reviews a series of papers which report a sequence of experiments concerned with how repeated visual encounters with objects or patterns influence attentional preference for what is familiar of what is unfamiliar or novel. (WY)

Among the study's results were that there is a significant relationship between reading and lipreading ability, and although good readers may be either good or poor lipreaders, poor readers are more likely to be poor than good lipreaders. (Author/CL)

Visual scanning patterns were investigated in 32 children (mean age 9.8 years) referred for hyperactivity in a double blind crossover comparison of methylphenidate and placebo treatments. Results suggested that the stimulant drug may increase attentional selectivity even when such a shift fails to produce improvement in task performance. (Author)

Reviews research examining the effects of pictorial illustrations on learning from textbooks; notes differences in purpose, approach, and methodology; identifies some shortcomings; and offers suggestions for future research. Forty references are listed. (FM)

In three experiments, sighted college students tried to learn the names of the first 10 symbols of the braille alphabet. In Experiments 1 and 2, visual examination of the symbols enhanced learning. In Experiment 3, similar results were obtained when standard size braille symbols were used during the study trials. (Author)