The Effect of Color Coding on Over-Arm Throw Skill Acquisition With Moderately
Mentally Retarded Students
Charles Eisler
May 2002
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of color coding on teaching subjects
over-arm throwing skills. The subjects of this study were four students, ages ten to
fourteen, identified with moderate mental retardation. This study investigated student
performance of seven over-arm throw sub-skills. A checklist was used to record data of
student performance on over-arm throw sub-skills and throwing distance. Data was
recorded for a period of five weeks. The research hypothesis stated that there would be
no effect on student skill acquisition (placing ball in dominant hand, positioning body
sideways, aligning arm with shoulders, stepping with opposite foot, uncoiling body,
releasing over head, rolling arm and wrist at release) over time when using color coding
for body parts. Results of the data collected for this study only partially support the
hypothesis. Student performance on sub-skill mastery was not found to be significant
even though all four subjects mastered four of the seven sub-skills. Student performance
in the area of throwing distance increased to a significant level.