Using Hypermedia and Multimedia to Promote Project-Based Learning of At-Risk High School Students

The writer describes a project-based learning program in which at-risk students used hypermedia and multimedia to self-direct their learning. Participants in the program were nine tenth grade students from a special education class who volunteered and mentored at a homeless shelter for preschool-age children and their mothers. Students reflected on their project experience in journals and used the Internet to identify resources related to homelessness. They then organized the information into a meaningful multimedia presentation. The program benefited students by giving them a sense of accomplishment and pride and by promoting their self-growth and empathy for others. The project also led to increases in attendance rates and met students' Individualized Education Plans for reading, writing, and speaking.