Multimedia and Adhd Learners: Are Subtitles Beneficial or Detrimental?

This paper will present the preliminary findings of a pilot study. Participants were randomly assigned into one of two groups, those receiving instruction 1) with subtitles (redundant text); & 2) instruction without subtitles. A diagnostic test was used to categorize learners as 1) having symptoms consistent with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); or 2) non-ADHD learners. Two performance variables were considered (retention & transfer). Finally, learner cognitive load was also measured. Introduction Mayer (2009) describes multimedia instruction as including a combination of audio, words and pictures, which may be presented to the learner as animation, narration, visuals, and text. The use of these various forms of media spawned an intense debate in the 1990s (Clark, 1983; Clark 1994; Kozma, 1991; Kozma, 1994). Rather than considering a media-centric approach, Mayer proposed we should turn our attention to the learner and learning (Mayer, 1997; Moreno & Mayer, 2000). This learner-centered approach has led to the development of a wide variety of instructional principles for the design, and development of multimedia (Mayer, 2009; Moreno & Mayer, 2000; Moreno, 2006). Several studies have found learners perform better given multimedia that includes narration and animation, as opposed to animation and text (Mayer, 2009; Moreno & Mayer, 2000). This was described as the modality effect (Penney, 1989), or the modality principle (Mayer, 2001). Much of this work revolves around the idea that a reduction of on-screen text during animated multimedia, helps learners to process their instructional materials (Mayer & Moreno, 1998). However, a conflicting body of research has shown that bimodal presentation (or redundant text) during instruction can aid verbal recall, especially in those with learning disabilities (poor reading skills) (Montali, & Lewandowski, 1996). Evidence supporting these bimodal presentation techniques dates back to the 1970s (Halpern & Lanz, 1974; Kinchla, 1974). It should be noted that these studies only describe the presentation of text with redundant narration. This body of research was prior to the development of modern multimedia, which often includes concurrent animation, or the concurrent presentation of additional visual elements. Therefore, redundant visual elements like text (e.g. subtitles) during an animation sequence would likely cause a learner to split their attention between the animated visual elements, and the redundant text (subtitles). This is known as the split attention effect (Chandler & Sweller, 1992). According to cognitive load theory, redundant visual elements (e.g. subtitles) may impede learning if those additional elements could be understood in isolation (Chandler & Sweller, 1991). According to Mayer’s “cognitive theory of multimedia learning” (Mayer, 1997; Mayer, 2009; Mayer & Moreno, 1998) learners must integrate the verbal and visual information that they receive. Given narration and redundant text within multimedia, a learner may find this amount of information overwhelming.