Company Profile

In 1990, The Center for Information Technology at Utah State University initiated a long-term, programmatic research and development effort in beginning reading instruction. After surveying a wide range of different approaches to reading instruction, the Center selected the Beginning Reading Program developed by the Southwest Regional Laboratory for Educational Research and Development (SWRL), as the firm felt the best option would be building on top of the SWRL products and findings rather than try to initiate another approach from scratch in terms of theoretical base, available longitudinal research with at-risk learners, and comparative cost-effectiveness data. The firm has systematically and progressively revised and built on the SWRL reading program in the past decade and a half, and the program is now referred to the Reading for All Learners "little books". These "little books" have been supplemented with a “Phonemic Awareness” program to precede the first "little books". A fluency program has been added to follow the "little books" and incorporate more recent research findings on fluency.The Center continues to recognize and support the contributions of the education professionals responsible for the initial SWRL Beginning Reading Program. Present new research and development efforts are focusing on programs such as “Reading Instruction For Adolescents and Adults,” which was developed to address national priorities concerned with adolescent reading failure. In keeping with Utah State University’s efforts to move campus research programs into off-campus, independent enterprises, key Center personnel and products formed the basis for a company entitled, Academic Success for All L