Highly advanced interactive computer-based training courses are being developed as technology plays an increasingly significant role in training warfighers. Job aids and other field operation guides also contribute to warfighter performance enhancement. But these programs are only as effective as the readiness of the warfighters to benefit from them. Lack of certain basic skills, like reading comprehension, can significantly hinder the effectiveness of training and performance support systems. Of what use is a job aid to someone who does not have the literacy skills to comprehend the information presented therein? This problem is magnified by increased reliance on computer-based training since such systems still rely quite heavily on text for conveying information. Having a minimum standard for recruitment often does not guarantee that recruits will possess adequate reading comprehension skills. An effective warfighter training program will include courses in basic reading skills.

This paper will discuss the issue of using technology to support training in basic reading comprehension skills, specifically in the military environment. We will describe a novel approach to this issue, sponsored by the Navy, that applies findings from research on the cognitive processes underlying reading comprehension to develop an Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) for teaching reading comprehension skills. ITSs are computer-based tutors that make dynamic assessments of a student’s unique skill levels and provide instruction that is adapted to individual skill levels. The assessments and adaptive lesson selection are entirely automated. The tutor is accompanied by an authoring tool that enables the customization of the content completely to suit an organization’s needs. The tutor currently includes content related to the Navy.