A Review of the Literature on Response Cards Among Students with Disabilities

Abstract

Response cards are low-cost, low-tech instructional tools designed to engage learners while simultaneously aiding educators in evaluating student comprehension. The use of such a tool in educational settings has increased over the last several decades, as evidenced by the growing body of research evaluating their impact in the classroom. Though several researchers have reviewed the literature on response cards to date, the purpose of the present study was to conduct a more current and comprehensive systematic review of the literature focused on the use of response cards specifically among learners who have been diagnosed with one or more disabilities. A multi-step search procedure revealed 15 relevant studies which met inclusion criteria. A total of 141 participants with and without disabilities ranging in age from five to 19 were included in the present study. Outcomes of interest included active responding, correct responding, on-task behavior, inappropriate behavior, and academic achievement. Results of the review extend the findings of Randolph (2007), Horn (2010), and Schnorr et. al. (2016), indicating the continued effectiveness of response cards in yielding desirable outcomes, both behaviorally and academically. Increases in nearly all dependent variables including active responding, correct responding, on-task behavior, and academic achievement were reported. However, outcomes related to decreasing inappropriate behavior were variable. There exist several limitations within the present study, and recommendations for future research are plentiful. Those recommendations as well as implications for use are discussed.