The effects of the Paired Associates Strategy (PAS) on the recall of factual information by postsecondary students with learning disabilities

Despite the success of independence-oriented interventions such as strategy instruction (SI) in secondary populations, very little research has examined the effectiveness of SI at the postsecondary level. Thus, we sought to determine if one form of SI, the Paired Associates Strategy (PAS), improved the recall of factual information by postsecondary students with learning disabilities. Results suggest that PAS, in a modified format, was generally effective in increasing recall of information by all 5 participants. However, recall of information did not maintain. In addition, student perception varied regarding the usefulness of the strategy and its application to other situations. Implications, limitations, and future research directions are discussed.