The Impact of a Training Program on the Development of Perceived Cognitive Competence among Students with Learning Disabilities: An Experimental Study

Aims: This paper aims to examine the relationship between a training program designed for students with learning disabilities and their perceived competence. The research investigates the strong need for detecting the obstacles hindering Jordanian students, especially those at the early stages, who are continually require intensive care and attention.

It is obvious that students with different disabilities need to attain special training programs and individualized and adequate treatment. The first step in learning and participating in different activities is the cognitive competence of students which they receive from different sources.

Study Design: The study used a quasi-experimental design.

Place and Duration of Study: Ministry of Education in the Jerash District, in Jordan.

Methodology: The current research adopted a self-report instrument “Perceived Competence Scale for Children” [1] as the main tool. The study sample consisted of 26 fourth-grade students (13 male and 13 female) with learning disabilities who joined the resource rooms. The samples were distributed among eight schools. The instrument was modified by Sheikha to cope with the Jordanian environment and the unique societal traits. In order to achieve the research objectives and answer the research questions, the current research employed the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) on the control group prior to the employment of the training program. This type of analysis was employed to test the DIFFERENCES in the students’ with learning disabilities performance prior to the employment of the training program and in a later stage. Additionally the mean and the standard deviation were employed to detect variations between the experimental and the control group.

Results: The results showed that there were no statistically significant differences among the students with learning disabilities performance due to gender. The mean values also indicated that the students with learning disabilities cognitive competence signaled obvious differences in the performance of the students after conducting the training program on the experimental group.