Finally, characteristics of the fourth-grade struggling students participated in this study can be described as following: (1) They are reading below level their current grade level and not meeting Sunshine State Standard as measured and documented by Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (Reading Level one or Reading Level two). (2) The struggling students at this study usually have the basic decoding skill to be able to read a story which is third or second grade level. (3) They have comprehension difficulties to understand texts in fourthgrade level. Similarly, Catts and Hogan (2002) point out that fourth-grade is particularly critical period for the reading development because some children begin to experience serious comprehension difficulties around fourth-grade. The reason is likely increasing demands of readings and materials in this grade.
Instrument For this study, it was decided to use a storybook, Sheila Rae, the Brave, which was available in printed paper book form and CD-ROM with an interactive mode (with animation) and passive mode (without animation). Designing of electronic formats of storybooks is similar in concept to printed paper book in that the reader progresses from one page to the next in a linear way. The pages are numbered, with easy directional arrows to either go to the next page or return to the beginning of the book. Electronic format of storybook includes animations, a range of sounds, music and opportunities for interaction. In addition, electronic storybook allows the reader to click on individual words to hear them read aloud but these functions were not used in this study. Groups of words are highlighted as they are read aloud. There are options to select the language (English or Spanish) at the top of the control panel page (see Figure-1). After choosing a language, the reader can begin by selecting “let me play” to play within the story (with animation) or selecting “read to me” to read the story (without animation). Electronic storybook is completely based on printed paper format of the storybook. The contents in the three formats of storybooks, electronic storybooks with animation, electronic storybook without animation, and printed paper based format, were similar in length of texts and with regard to illustrations (see Figure-2). Trushell and Maitland (2005) used Sheila Rae, the Brave in their research and they stated that both
electronic and print formats of the story contain 52 propositions, including a lengthy setting and an event structure of two episodes. Both electronic storybooks with and without animation formats include 12 fully interactive pages. Only difference between these two formats is animated storybook provides over 20 hidden click able interactive picture-plays, by cued animations on each page.