The research was conducted using a 2 x 2 between subjects design to compare the
effectiveness of two methods of instructional training. The first factor was gender of the
subjects. The second factor was presentation. A printed text presentation (control
condition) was compared to a computer based multimedia presentation with redundant
audio (experimental treatment). The experimental treatment was set up as a workbench to
present guidelines to developers of computer equipment and software for the visually
impaired. The guidelines were presented and then illustrated through pictures, sound,
animation, and quicktime video. Each condition was measured for its effectiveness in
increasing knowledge in the subject area and positively influencing attitudes toward the
blind and disabled. The experiment was conducted as follows. To counter any possible
gender/computer variables, forty subjects of similar knowledge, skills, and computer
abilities were recruited. Subjects received three pretests in the order listed; an Attitude
Toward Blindness (ABS) questionnaire, an Attitude Toward Disabled People (ATDP)
questionnaire, and a pretest on the research material. Training subjects then completed
either the printed text or the multimedia with redundant audio presentation. Following the
presentation of the study material the subjects completed three posttests in the order
listed; a posttest on the research material, an ATDP questionnaire, and an ABS
questionnaire. It was hypothesized that subjects would spend a significantly longer time
studying the multimedia material because of interest and motivation. It was also
hypothesized that the multimedia condition would produce significantly higher results in
the knowledge test and significantly improve attitudes toward the visually impaired and
disabled. The knowledge scores and the study times were recorded, analysis of variance
was used to analyze the results. The analysis showed that there were no significant effects
for either gender or presentation for knowledge posttest scores, although the difference
between pretest and posttest for all groups was significant, indicating effective training.
Females took significantly less time to complete the second attitude pretest and two
attitude posttest questionnaires. Subjects who were exposed to the multimedia
presentation finished the posttest significantly faster. And multimedia subjects spent
significantly longer studying the material and completing the experiment. The attitude
questionnaires were scored, treated as nonparametric data, and analyzed using a KruskalWallis
test. No significant pretest to posttest changes in attitude resulted, although both
groups of females (printed text and multimedia) held more favorable posttest attitudes
toward the disabled in general than did males exposed to the printed text presentation.
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