Analysis attd Intervention in Doelopmental Disabilities, Vol. 2+ pp 329-343, 1982 0270-4684,82,040329 15503.00 0 Printed in the USA. All rights reserved Cop,,right f" 1982 Pergamon Press Ltd Teaching the General Case to Moderately Retarded Children" Evaluation of a Five Year Project Russell M. Gersten University of Oregon and Alex Maggs University of Macquarie Twelve pre-adolescent students with IQ's in the low moderate range (M = 41.9, SD = 2.6) were enrolled in an intensive five-year program in Distar Language and Reading. A norm-reJerenced evaluation design (Horst, Tallmadge & Wood, 197.5) was used to assess the academic and cognitive growth of the students. Children were tested at the beginning and end of the program on the StanJbrd-Binet. In addition, they were assessed on a batteD" of criterion-referenced tests in language and reading. Results indicated a mean posttest IQ of 50.6 for the sample, indicating a statistically significant gain beyond the ~ e c t due to regression; t~t~ = 4.15, p< .001. These results were supported by third grade scores on the reading and language tests. Programming implications for moderately retarded children are discussed, including increased use of general case programming. There are many themes and threads connecting the teaching and instructional design principles articulated in the Direct Instruction Follow Through model by Engelmann (1977), Becker and Carnine (1980) and their colleagues with con- temporary trends in educational programming for cognitively impaired individ- uals (e.g., Baker & Heifetz, 1976; Koegel & Rincover, 1977; Lovitt & Hurlbourt+ 1974; Sontag, 1977). Because Direct Instruction evolved out of compensatory education (Becker & Carnine, 1980; Stebbins, St. Pierre, Proper, Anderson & Requests for reprints may be addressed to Russell M. Gersten, Dept. of Special Education, University of Oregon, College of Education, Eugene, Oregon97403. 329