The study group included: 149 high school special education students, four teachers, two Educational Assistants, and two administrators. The 'intervention' group included 51  special education students, two teachers, and one educational assistant. The remaining students and staff participated in surveys and assessments, and data collection.

      The writer’s classroom was one of the four SPED English classes, and was the classroom setting for the study intervention group. The room was an air-conditioned portable-style building. The lighting was florescent, and controlled to the extent of turning off either the front half of the room or turning all lights out for a partially dimmed room.  There was seating for 16 in standard school chair-desk combinations, and one large worktable with four chairs. The room was equipped for broadband Internet access with six computer stations. The room was also equipped with two 600 lumens projectors and a sound system.

Writer’s Role

      The writer is a  teacher in the SPED program at CHS. The writer’s classroom was the primary setting for inclusion of SLS activities in the reading program. The writer’s students formed the intervention  group. The writer located and created SLS materials, and devised additional activities to engage students with subtitled video programs. The writer assessed students’ work to determine effectiveness of the activities and to adapt activities to individual class needs. The writer trained students in use of computer subtitling programs and associated Internet programs and technology. The writer reviewed and reported on pre- and post reading assessments and surveys.