Randomized Control Trial of an Early Learning CAI on Literacy Skills Across Demographic Factors

This study examined the impact of a targeted computer-assisted instruction (CAI) program on pre-kindergarten literacy skills across demographics, including race/ethnicity, gender, multilingual/monolingual learners, and experience of poverty. A diverse population of students (N = 2356) across five U.S. states was randomly assigned to either a CAI reading (experimental) condition or a CAI math and science (control) condition. When assessed following the completion of their respective programs, students in the experimental group outperformed their control counterparts across all subskills assessed. These overall positive literacy outcomes were also mirrored in observations of the demographics considered. The results of this study provide a high-quality contribution to the body of research indicating that usage of CAI can equitably benefit early learners.