We used SkillsTutor some last year.  I was not particularly impressed.  I believe it might be a good option where groups of students need independent  practice because the management and assessment were good.  However, the readings were geared towards K-12 students; sometimes even the questions asked the student about "other children" - and when the student is 22, that's at best confusing.   

(Digressing - We're trying Reading P1us  this year which uses a completely different approach.  So far, I like it better, but we've only got four students on board.  This program is fascinating to me 'cause it is structured and systematic... and focuses on the visual aspects of reading.  Its theoretical introduction does the trying-to-disguise-disdain dismissal of phonics (as in, that phonics is necessary but simply being able to decode doesn't mean you can read and understand - very true, but they make an underlying assumption that the students in question do, in fact, know how to decode already).  It's better suited to our setting because we *can* spend time individually with students and prefer to.) 

  

Susan Jones
Academic Development Specialist
Center for Academic Success 
Parkland College
Champaign, IL  61821
217-353-2056
sujones at parkland.edu 
Webmastress,
http://www.resourceroom.net 
http://bicyclecu.blogspot.com 



>>> "Stephen Goerdt" <SGoerdt at dbq.edu> 8/5/2008 12:06 PM >>>

I want to set up a computer learning system for assessment and developmental instruction in the Academic Success Center at a small, private college and have narrowed my choices to PLATO and to Houghton-Mifflin's SkillsTutor. I'd like some feedback on these learning systems, including some cost comparisons. I am at sgoerdt at dbq.edu. Thank you!


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