mwang (12/07/82)
DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE
UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO
SEMINAR ACTIVITIES
Artificial Intelligence Seminar - Friday, December 17, 1982.
Prof. M.J. Colbourn of the University of Saskatchewan
will speak on "An Expert System for the Diagnosis of
Reading Difficulties".
TIME: 10:30 AM
ROOM: M&C 5158
ABSTRACT
An expert system is an automated consulting system
which provides the user with expert advice within a
particular domain. We briefly review some of the re-
cent literature pertaining to the development and
uses of expert systems. In particular, we discuss
the design and implementation of an expert system
which we have developed to guide a
teacher/diagnostician through the various stages of
diagnosing reading difficulties.
The system is implemented as a production system and
is programmed in LISP. Information regarding diag-
nostic procedures is encoded in the system's produc-
tion rules. These rules are based upon previous di-
agnoses undertaken at the Institute of Child Guidance
and Development at the University of Saskatchewan.
Hence, the system incorporates the opinions of many
diagnosticians.
In addition to an explanation of the system's design
- including the underlying model of educational diag-
nosis, the development of the system's production
rules, representation of test-specific or case-
specific knowledge - the system's performance is dis-
cussed, including examples illustrating interaction
with the system. In conclusion, directions for fu-
ture research will be presented.
December 7, 1982