Article

Effects of computer-based graphic organizers to solve one-step word problems for middle school students with mild intellectual disability: A preliminary study

May 2014
Research in Developmental Disabilities 35(8):1828-1837

DOI:10.1016/j.ridd.2014.03.023

Source
PubMed

Authors:

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of computer-based graphic organizers, using Kidspiration 3© software, to solve one-step word problems. Participants included three students with mild intellectual disability enrolled in a functional academic skills curriculum in a self-contained classroom. A multiple probe single-subject research design (Horner & Baer, 1978) was used to evaluate the effectiveness of computer-based graphic organizers to solving mathematical one-step word problems. During the baseline phase, the students completed a teacher-generated worksheet that consisted of nine functional word problems in a traditional format using a pencil, paper, and a calculator. In the intervention and maintenance phases, the students were instructed to complete the word problems using a computer-based graphic organizer. Results indicated that all three of the students improved in their ability to solve the one-step word problems using computer-based graphic organizers compared to traditional instructional practices. Limitations of the study and recommendations for future research directions are discussed.

A Meta-Analysis of Technology-Based Word-Problem Interventions for Students with Disabilities

Article

Full-text available

Dec 2024

The aim of this meta-analysis was to investigate the effect of technology-based interventions on mathematical word problem solving for students with disabilities. This study also assessed the quality of research based on What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) design standards. A total of 21 studies were included in the analysis. This study computed an overall effect and analyzed moderators of group design studies (Hedges’ g) and single-case design studies (between-case standardized mean difference) in the same analyses. The results show that the overall effect of technology-based interventions on word problems across 21 studies was large (Hedges’ g = 1.18, 95% CI = 0.84, 1.52). Additionally, the studies meeting WWC design standards demonstrated significantly greater effects. The moderator analyses indicated that certain study characteristics, such as publication years, settings, intervention agents, technology devices and types, and mathematics topics moderated the effects of interventions. The four studies that evaluated the generalization effect of the intervention using distal standardized assessments showed a near moderate effect (Hedges’ g = 0.49, 95% CI = 0.09, 0.9). Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Access to seventh grade mathematics: A case study of two students with mild intellectual disability

Article

Jul 2019

In the United States, students with mild intellectual disability (MID) are expected to access the general education curriculum and some of these students are required to pass the same high-stakes exams as students without disabilities. Research supports that students with MID can demonstrate success with mathematics after receiving interventions that emphasize the strategic use of visual representations. In this qualitative case study, the researchers describe the teaching methods of a seventh grade, special education teacher who heavily emphasized visuals, such as diagrams and gestures, in her instructional approach. In her classroom, two students with MID demonstrated the ability to solve and discuss algebra problems that required use of the distributive property and to solve word problems of the same structure.

Social and Public Health Intervention for Improving Quality of Life of Child and Adolescent with Intellectual Disability

Article

Full-text available

Jul 2015

Rapeepong Suphanchaimat

Effective Mathematics Instruction for Students With Moderate and Severe Disabilities: A Review of the Literature

Article

Full-text available

Feb 2019

Educational programs for students with moderate and severe disabilities (MSD) have undergone drastic changes since the mandate for access to the general curriculum was provided by Individuals With Disabilities Education Act. Since then, educators have struggled to find methods to use to promote optimal learning, including in the area of mathematics. The purpose of this systematic literature review was to provide an update on research related to teaching mathematics to students with MSD published from 2005 to 2017. Results from the included studies indicated that mathematics research has started to diversify in the skills that are being taught to this population. In addition to skills taught, current research has continued to inform the field on some promising methods that can be used to teach a broader range of mathematics skills. Emerging strategies that were identified included the use of concrete representations, anchored instruction, and instructional technology. Suggestions for future research are discussed.

Developing Technology Supported Instructional Activities in a Class of Middle School Students with Intellectual Disability

Article

Full-text available

Dec 2016
EGIT BILIM

The purpose of this study is to create a class supported by advanced technological tools (e.g. tablet computer, interactive boards) in a special education middle school for students with intellectual disability; conduct technology-based instructional activities; determine the problems likely to emerge in this process and solve these problems; and improve students' competencies in the Science and Technology course. This study, which is an action research, was conducted in three stages: "Determining the Situation", "Implementation"; and "Monitoring". This paper presents the implementation and monitoring stages of the study. The research participants are 11 sixth grade students with mild intellectual disability receiving education at an official special education middle school, their parents, two classroom teachers of the intellectually-disabled, validity committee members, dissertation supervision committee members, and the researcher. The research data were obtained from video-recordings, field notes, the researcher's diary, daily lesson plans, validity committee meeting decisions, decisions taken in the reflection and planning meetings with the teachers, semi-structured interviews, artifacts, criterion-referenced test, check-lists, and official documents. The data obtained during and at the end of the research process were subjected to content analysis via Nvivo 10. The findings indicated that identifying student needs in the integration process, providing and developing electronic contents according to these needs, and planning instruction activities by taking these needs into consideration are important. In addition, the research provided very detailed data concerning the problems likely to be encountered in the integration of technology into a natural teaching environment. It was stressed that the problems encountered during the use of technology in instruction activities may lead to new behavioral problems, and teachers have to take measures against these situations. The integration of technology into the Science and Technology course curriculum improved the students' academic performance. It also contributed to the teachers. The findings were discussed in the light of other studies in the literature, and recommendations were put forward for practice and further studies.

Intellectual disabilities and programming: Improving computational thinking-based problem solving

Article

Full-text available

Jan 2025
Educ Inform Tech

In the digital age, computational thinking (CT)-based problem-solving skills have emerged as essential competencies. Particularly, students with intellectual disabilities need equal educational opportunities and high-quality informatics education to cultivate CT-based problem-solving skills. However, research on the enhancement of CT-based problem-solving skills, specifically among students with intellectual disabilities, is scant. Therefore, this study analyzed the improvement of CT-based problem-solving skills through programming education tailored to students with mild intellectual disabilities in an inclusive educational environment, using evaluation tools that reflect the multidimensional aspects of CT. The study involved 4 students with intellectual disabilities and 9 students without intellectual disabilities.. A customized programming education course, comprising 6 sessions, was designed based on a Universal Design for Learning. Additionally, a pre-posttest consisting of 14 items was developed to evaluate multidimensional CT-based problem-solving skills. The results of the study indicated that the improvement in CT-based problem-solving skills during the stages of problem understanding and algorithm representation was limited. However, significant improvements were observed during the programming and debugging stages among most participants. The findings underscore the necessity of customized programming education for students with intellectual disabilities, and highlight the need for individualized education to address specific challenges faced in programming education. This study is significant in providing foundational data to understand the educational needs and characteristics of these students, aiming to enhance practical applicability in educational settings.

Improving Student On-Task Behavior, Teacher Engagement, and Math Achievement through Blended Learning: A Single-Case Design Study

Article

Dec 2024

Students with high incidence disabilities in the public school system often perform multiple grade levels below their typically developing peers in mathematics achievement. These students exhibit lower levels of on-task behavior that limits their access to effective instruction, thus requiring instructional interventions that personalize learning, differentiate materials, and ultimately promote academic engagement. In recent years, the use of technology-mediated and computer-assisted instruction has shown to have positive results with students with disabilities. Blended learning, an intervention that combines face-to-face instruction with computer-based instruction, has been shown to improve the on-task behavior and achievement of students with disabilities. In this study, blended learning was implemented with three middle school students with emotional behavior disorders in a therapeutic setting in a large city in the southeastern United States. Using a multiple baseline across participants single case design, this study examined the relationship between blended learning eighth grade mathematics instruction and student on-task behavior, teacher engagement, and mathematics achievement. After exposure to the intervention through 21 sessions over 5 weeks, both student and teacher engagement increased with the use of station-rotation blended learning. Math achievement, measured through the AIMSweb curriculum-based math probes, improved for two of three student participants. Social validity questionnaires revealed that students and teacher enjoyed the blended learning intervention; however, continued use depended on properly functioning technology. Future research in the area of blended learning math instruction should strive to accurately measure on- and off-task behavior under the computer-based condition.

Vers une meilleure compréhension du trouble du développement intellectuel léger idiopathique : des symptômes aux modalités d’accompagnement

Article

May 2024
Psychol Fr

Introduction Cette revue de littérature cherche à recenser le plus exhaustivement possible l’ensemble des travaux réalisés auprès du trouble du développement intellectuel léger (1) sur le plan de l’évaluation et du diagnostic, (2) au niveau du tableau clinique et (3) du point de vue interventionnel. L’objectif est de fournir des clés de compréhension sur cette pathologie aux différents professionnels de santé dans les domaines médical et paramédical. Littérature Bien que la recherche scientifique dans le champ de la déficience intellectuelle se soit développée depuis le début du XXème siècle, elle reste encore peu investie sur le trouble du développement intellectuel léger (TDIL) idiopathique. Le TDIL représente 1 à 2 % de la population en France, et près de 80% de ceux qui en sont atteints sont dits idiopathiques (i.e., leur cause n’est pas connue (INSERM, 2016). Discussion Il existe plusieurs études interventionnelles auprès du TDIL idiopathique qui abordent autant des programmes spécifiques que des recommandations sur leurs adaptations pour accompagner ce public. Ces travaux existants relevant de différents courants peinent à synthétiser leurs conclusions du fait des variantes non équivalentes de ces programmes, du manque de précisions sur le tableau clinique du TDIL et des difficultés méthodologiques pour constituer les échantillons et évaluer la déficience ainsi que les effets des programmes. Conclusion L’objectif maintenant est de synthétiser les conditions méthodologiques d’efficacité de ces études en proposant des adaptations tenant compte du profil cognitif et comportemental des individus.

The power of digital story in early mathematics education: Innovative approaches for children with intellectual disabilities

Article

Full-text available

Apr 2024
PLOS ONE

Özlem Altındağ Kumaş

This study explored the effectiveness of digital story interventions in improving early math skills in kindergarten children with mild intellectual disabilities. Digital stories are multimedia narratives that combine text, images, and audio to enhance learning experience. This experimental study used a pretest-posttest control group design. The intervention group consisted of 15 children who participated in an 8-week digital story intervention targeting early math skills. A matched control group was used to control for sex differences. Data were collected through the TEMA-3 test scores and teacher and child feedback. Post-intervention, the experimental group showed significant improvements in TEMA-3 test scores compared to the control group. Teachers and children reported a positive perception of the intervention’s social validity, highlighting enhanced engagement and understanding of math concepts. This study demonstrated that digital story-based education is a promising approach for improving early math skills in children with mild intellectual disabilities. These findings suggest potential implications for integrating digital storytelling into special education curricula and highlight avenues for future research in this field.

Rethinking the Approach to Multi-step Word Problems Resolution

Conference Paper

Full-text available

Feb 2024

Mathematical multi-step word problems (MSTWP) have received a lot of research attention from academics and researchers in the past, and a variety of solutions have been offered. The main reason why students commonly fail with MSTWP is because of how the many components of an MSTWP interact to one another. According to the literature, the stage of the problem-solving process that involves creating the solution plane is the most challenging. Students require assistance in recognizing the semantic relationships between the problem's components and information organization to facilitate problem translation and solution in order to solve this issue. In order to help students learn how to resolve conflicts, we suggest in this work to rethink the MSTWP resolution technique by using a goal-driven approach during the making plan stage of the resolution process to assist student in learning how to effectively solve MSTWP.

Effects of a Graphic Organizer Intervention Package on the Mathematics Word Problem Solving Abilities of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Article

Jun 2018

An analysis of the utility of digital materials for high school students with intellectual disability and their effects on academic success

Article

Full-text available

Sep 2021
Univers Access Inform Soc

This study thoroughly examines the usability of digital materials, to establish a classroom environment in which technology is integrated into teaching practices using tablet computers and interactive smart boards. The study was conducted at a special education vocational school, where students with intellectual disability receive training. The integration of technology was made to the Natural Disasters unit (erosion, landslide, flood, earthquake, and digital story developed on the subject of flood) in the Social Science syllabus. This study also aims to develop multimedia applications and apply these to teaching activities, and additionally to increase the learning competencies of students in the subject of Social Sciences. This study involved eight students who have mild intellectual disability at a vocational high school. A thorough multiple probe design was used among single-subject research models. Comparison of the results revealed that students’ post-test scores increased significantly when compared to the pre-test scores, and that the teaching materials had a significantly positive impact on their learning process. Moreover, the effect of the prepared digitalized materials on learning was determined to be high in terms of its application in special education schools. Students indicated that they liked these activities which they engaged on computers, as well as the interactive multiple choices questions, and wished to have such creative applications made available for other subjects such as Turkish, Mathematics, Music, and Art.

A Goal Oriented Approach for Solving Mathematical Multi-step Word Problems

Conference Paper

Jun 2020

ABSTRACT Problem solving has been the focus of a large number of research studies over the past thirty years. Especially, math multi-step word problems (MSWP) have benefit of a substantial amount of research attention from researchers and academics. MSWP can be solved by diverse strategies depending on the mental representation made by students from the situation described in the text of the problem, but frequently students struggle with MSWP for various reasons including procedural or calculation challenges. Usually, students encounter difficulties in the making plane stage of the solving process. As a result, these students require support in identifying the semantic relations in the problem and organizing information in the problem to facilitate problem translation and solution. In this paper, we make the first attempt of applying a goal-oriented strategy to help students learn how to solve MSWP. The motivation is that goal concept is considered as a dominant motivational concept. The goal-tree representation may serve to reduce a learner’s cognitive processing load and provide mental effort to engage in problem solving. The problem solving process is based on Polya’s problem-solving model. The emphasis of using the specific model was on dividing the problem-solving procedure into stages and the concentration on the making plan task.

A student with mild intellectual disability and two‐step equations

Article

Oct 2020

The authors of this study conducted an exploratory study of the teaching and learning processes of a tutor and a student with a mild intellectual disability (MID) while working on two‐step equations. The researchers focused on situations in which the participant was likely to struggle with memory and processing as well as the challenges of the mathematics tasks with which he was presented. The student benefitted from his own use of strategically organised work on pencil and paper as well as the teacher's use of gestures and strategically asked questions designed to promote his progress, yet not interfere with his critical thinking. While the student did experience some challenges, this study demonstrated a case in which a student with a MID solved and discussed two‐step equations successfully.

Students with mild intellectual disability engaging in proportions word problems

Article

Jul 2020

The researchers conducted a qualitative case study to describe the experiences of two seventh grade students with mild intellectual disability as they engaged in mathematics word problems involving proportions. The researchers analyzed student performance in large group settings and with individualized instruction to gain perspective on the students’ tendencies with challenging mathematics content. During the teaching sessions in this study, one of the participants initially struggled with the proportions word problems, but demonstrated success after teachers connected new information in the tasks to students’ long-term memory and utilized gestures and diagrams to facilitate the students’ processing of information. Another participant succeeded more easily with proportions word problems which, along with the success of the other participant, provides support that students with a mild intellectual disability can succeed with challenging topics, such as proportions word problems.

Beyond the Game: Exploring Winning Strategies with Gifted Students

Conference Paper

Apr 2020

This paper describes an experiment with gifted secondary school students from fifth to eighth grade. The students were presented with a strategy game and challenged to solve different tasks together. This was done by having the students try out the game in different ways, model, and print their own version of the game in 3D and develop a life-size game environment, where the students became pieces in the game. These tasks have required interdisciplinary and out-of-the-box thinking and experimentation with the game. The focus of this paper is to evaluate the use of games as a catalyzer for independent development of gifted students' abilities. During the experiment the students were observed and video recorded. The recordings were analyzed afterwards to examine how the students approached the task of finding winning strategies and which competences were trained during the experiment. The results show that the students' understanding of winning strategies evolved from an idea of finding a simple trick that always works to a concept of recognizing situations where a specific approach is advantageous. Their approach was simultaneously refined, going from a randomized testing, to a systemized search for specific winning situations. The use of previous knowledge was clear, as they simply tried to implement their former strategies, obtained by playing simpler versions of the game to the more advanced games and modified these strategies as they were proven ineffective. They used their math skills to analyze the winning possibilities by describing the winning characteristics as binary outcomes and calculated the winning possibilities. During this work, the students trained not only their logical reasoning, problem-solving, and argumentation skills, but also had to deal with social skills such as teamwork, engagement, decision-making, communication, and organization as well. Creativity played a very important role and was shown by the students through their many different approaches. The analysis show that working with games can motivate the students to develop their abilities independently by defining challenging questions and tasks themselves and solve them cooperatively or individually.

Interdisciplinary Problem-Based Learning With Gifted Students

Conference Paper

Jul 2018

The typical assignments in classrooms are simplified problems and one particular solution is expected from students. There is little opportunity for creativity. In addition, students only need to show their knowledge and understanding of the material learned in earlier lessons. However, the problems in school are often detached from students’ daily experiences and offer quite limited room to showcase creative solutions or for interdisciplinary thinking. It is despite the fact that many curricula and research highlight that creativity is a much desired 21st century skill. And allowing students to solve problems creatively often increases their motivation and understanding of concepts. Creativity, freedom and challenging assignments are especially important for talented students, who need more contesting tasks than their peers to develop their full potential. Otherwise they often remain under-challenged in schools. Keeping these ideas in mind a talent club for gifted students of secondary schools, aged between 10 and 15 years, was designed at the Johannes Kepler University in Linz, Austria,. Students participating in the talent club challenge with real-world problems in STEM fields and demand a variety of approaches. According to the JKU project “kids4wearables” on wearable technology students are asked to design their own product. In this club, students work in teams, work on creative ideas, improve their STEM skills and their ability to connect different fields to complete their project successfully. This paper describes the development and implementation of the COOL Talents Club, the didactical framework as well as tasks and some qualitative feedback of students before they attended the club.

المخططات البيانية لعلاج صعوبات حل المشكلات اللفظية لدى تلاميذ اضطراب التعلم المحدد

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Jan 2025

ماهيتاب الطيب

Effects of Graphic Organizers on Outcomes for Students with Disabilities: Three-Level Meta-Analysis of Single-Case Studies

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Full-text available

Aug 2024
Exceptionality

Creating Expert Learners in Remote Classrooms: Strategies to Support Executive Functioning Skills

Chapter

Jan 2023

Remote classrooms have become increasingly prevalent and may continue to be utilized widely in the future. It is imperative to explore how to best meet the needs of students with disabilities, particularly those with executive functioning (EF) needs. EF is a guideline in the universal design for learning (UDL) principle of action and expression and can be addressed in the other two principles: representation and engagement. Traditionally, individualized education programs (IEPs) are written with the assumption that students will be attending school in person, and accommodations may not easily translate to remote environments. There is the added challenge of supporting students with EF needs through cognitive flexibility, working memory, and inhibitory control while learning remotely. These needs cannot always be addressed using traditional face-to-face strategies because of the nature of the remote setting. However, there are tools and supports that can address students' needs.

Middle and high school math teaching for students with mild intellectual disability

Article

Nov 2022

Casey Hord

The author briefly reviews studies on the math teaching of secondary school students with mild intellectual disabilities. Then, the author demonstrates ways to teach secondary‐level mathematics to students with mild intellectual disabilities. In this article, readers will learn about how to use manipulatives, diagrams, and gestures to support students' thinking. Readers will also learn how to make connections between new and challenging math content to students' experiences inside and outside of school to support them as they think through mathematics.

واقع استخدام الحاسب الآلي کوسيلة تعليمية مع التلاميذ ذوي الإعاقة العقلية من وجهة نظر معلميهم

Article

Apr 2021

فارس حسين القحطاني

Maintenance in Mathematics for Individuals with Intellectual Disability: A Systematic Review of Literature

Article

Oct 2020
RES DEV DISABIL

Despite the growing attention being paid to teaching mathematics for students with disabilities, the existing research tends to focus on mathematical skill acquisition, but not on skill maintenance. The researchers in this study reviewed all studies from 1975 to 2018 that involved teaching mathematics to individuals with intellectual disability. A total of 135 studies met inclusion criteria, but only 53 studies involved a maintenance phase (39.2%). Among the 53 studies, only 22 were included for the final analysis, after evaluating their methodological rigor. In those 22 studies, there was no consensus among researchers on the standards for conducting a maintenance phase (i.e., latency between intervention and maintenance phases, length of maintenance phase, number of maintenance sessions). Further, in the studies which included a maintenance phase, the most widely taught mathematical content was numbers and operations. All studies employed intervention packages which included more than one instructional method and/or materials and the most widely used instructional method was prompting while the most widely used instructional materials were visual supports and manipulatives. The results suggest that prompting is an evidence-based practice for individuals with intellectual disability in supporting maintenance, while explicit instruction, time delay, feedback, and instructional sequence (e.g., the virtual-representational-abstract instructional sequence) are potentially evidence-based practice for individuals with intellectual disability.

Computer Assisted Instruction to Teach Academic Content to Students With Intellectual Disability: A Review of the Literature

Article

Jul 2019

Special educators are relying more heavily on computer assisted instruction (CAI) programs to teach academic content to students with intellectual disability (ID) than ever before. Research in this area is growing; however, no formal review of the literature has been conducted to examine the efficacy of using CAI to teach academic content to students with ID. This review explores the nature of academic content taught to students with ID using CAI, the CAI programs used to provide instruction, research methodology, and student learning outcomes associated with CAI. We also address gaps in the research while making suggestions for focusing future efforts to keep pace with changes in technology and the increasing implementation of CAI in special education classrooms.

A disability studies in mathematics education review of intellectual disabilities: Directions for future inquiry and practice

Article

Nov 2018
J Math Behav

We employ a Disability Studies in Mathematics Education perspective to explore current research involving students with intellectual disabilities. Such perspective affords a critical and social-cultural angle into the construction of disability in mathematics education. Results of our exploration suggest that current research on students with intellectual disabilities largely focused on finding deficits and neglected students’ capacity for abstract thought. Moreover, while socio-cultural or socio-political (e.g., equity-based) foci are prevalent in contemporary mathematics education, such foci were largely absent in research involving students with intellectual disabilities. Yet, we identify features of several articles that can inform future socio-political mathematics education research related to individuals with intellectual disabilities. These features are critical for the continual advancement of new knowledge, equitable practices, and global, inclusive education agenda.

The Impact of Cognitive Organizers and Technology-Based Practices on Student Success in Secondary Social Studies Classrooms

Article

Full-text available

Jan 2006

This study investigated the impact of cognitive organizers, with the integration of technology, Inspiration 6 software, compared to a traditional textbook instruction format on content-area learning in high school inclusive social studies classes. Twenty-nine tenth-grade students in general education and 20 students with mild disabilities were randomly assigned to receive instruction using a cognitive organizer or traditional textbook instruction format. A pretest/posttest treatment control group design was used to examine the effectiveness of cognitive organizers. Dependent measures included a 35-item open-ended production pre/posttest of declarative social studies knowledge to assess the effectiveness of the intervention. Students in the cognitive organizer condition significantly outperformed students in the traditional textbook instruction condition. Limitations of the study, implications for practice for both general and special education teachers, and future research are discussed.

The Effects of Computer Graphic Organizers on the Persuasive Writing of Hispanic Middle School Students with Specific Learning Disabilities

Article

Full-text available

Sep 2012

A multiple baseline design investigated the effects of computer graphic organizers on the persuasive composition writing skills of four Hispanic students with specific learning disabilities. Participants reviewed the elements of persuasive writing and then developed compositions using a word processing program. Baseline planning was done with a paper and pencil, while intervention planning was done using a computer graphic organizer program. With variation, the use of computer graphic organizers during planning resulted in an increase in the total number of words written, time spent planning, number of supporting details planned, percentage of planned supporting details transferred to the composition, and syntactical maturity as measured by the number of T-units. Also observed was an improvement in the overall organization of the compositions as measured by an analytical scoring guide or rubric.

Graphic Organizers and Students with Learning Disabilities: A Meta-Analysis

Article

Full-text available

Dec 2011

This meta-analysis reviews experimental and quasiexperimental studies in which upper-elementary, intermediate, and secondary students with learning disabilities learned from graphic organizers. Following an exhaustive search for studies meeting specified design criteria, 55 standardized mean effect sizes were extracted from 16 articles involving 808 participants. Students at levels ranging from grade 4 to grade 12 used graphic organizers to learn in core-content classes (English/reading, science, social studies, mathematics). Posttests measured near and far transfer. Across several conditions, settings, and features, the use of graphic organizers was associated with increases in vocabulary knowledge, comprehension, and inferential knowledge. Mean effect sizes varied from moderate to large based on type of measure, type of graphic organizer, and subject area. Conclusions, implications for future research, and practical recommendations are presented.

Computer-Based Graphic Organizers for Students with LD: A Systematic Review of Literature

Article

Full-text available

Nov 2013

This article presents a systematic review of the literature for studies that utilized computer based graphic organizers for students with learning disabilities. A comprehensive search yielded 12 studies that were coded and analyzed. The authors investigated the effectiveness of the treatments on academic outcomes, and selected integral instructional and methodological features for evaluation in order to delineate practical implications and prioritize future research. Findings revealed high effect sizes on social studies measures and encouraging results for written expression, while comprehension results were less promising. This review found no evidence suggesting that these treatments were efficacious without the use of explicit instruction and guided practice.

Mathematics Instruction for Students With Learning Disabilities: A Meta-Analysis of Instructional Components

Article

Full-text available

Sep 2009

The purpose of this meta-analysis was to synthesize findings from 42 interventions (randomized control trials and quasi-experimental studies) on instructional approaches that enhance the mathematics proficiency of students with learning disabilities. We examined the impact of four categories of instructional components: (a) approaches to instruction and/or curriculum design, (b) formative assessment data and feedback to teachers on students' mathematics performance, (c) formative data and feedback to students with LD on their performance, and (d) peer-assisted mathematics instruction. All instructional components except for student feedback with goal-setting and peer-assisted learning within a class resulted in significant mean effects ranging from 0.21 to 1.56. We also examined the effectiveness of these components conditionally, using hierarchical multiple regressions. Two instructional components provided practically and statistically important increases in effect size–teaching students to use heuristics and explicit instruction. Limitations of the study, suggestions for future research, and applications for improvement of current practice are discussed.

Impact of Personalization of Mathematical Word Problems on Student Performance

Article

Full-text available

Dec 2004

This research investigated the impact of personalizing mathematical word problems using individual student interests on student problem-solving performance. Ten word problems were selected randomly from a mathematics textbook to create a series of two assessments. Both assessments contained problems exactly as they appeared in the textbook and problems that were personalized using student interests based on student-completed interest inventories. Fourth-grade students’ scores on the non-personalized and personalized problems were compared to investigate potential achievement differences. The scores were then disaggregated to examine the impact of reading ability and problem type on the treatment outcomes. The results showed no significant increase in student achievement when the personalization treatment was used regardless of student reading ability or word problem type (t = –.10, p = .46).

The Effects of Instruction in Solving Mathematical Word Problems for Students with Learning Problems: A Meta-Analysis

Article

Full-text available

Dec 1999

This article provides a synthesis of word-problem-solving intervention research with samples of students with learning problems (i.e., mild disabilities and at risk for mathematics failure). The effectiveness of word-problem-solving instruction in 25 outcome studies was examined across student characteristics (e.g., grade, IQ); instructional features (e.g., intervention approach, treatment length); methodological features; skill maintenance; and generalization components. Separate analyses were performed for group-design studies and single-subject studies using standardized mean change and percentage of nonoverlapping data (PND), respectively. The overall mean weighted effect size (d) and PND for word-problem-solving instruction were positive across the group-design studies (ES = +.89) and single-subject studies (PND = 89%). In addition, positive effects for skill maintenance and generalization were found for group design (ES = +.78 and +.84, respectively) and single-subject studies (PND = 100%). Computer-assisted instruction was found to be most effective for group-design studies. Effects for representation techniques and strategy training were found to be significantly higher than the "other" approach for both group-design and single-subject studies. Long-term (> 1 month) intervention effects were significantly higher than short- or intermediate-term interventions for group-design studies, whereas both long-term and intermediate treatments were seen to be more effective than short-term treatments for single-subject studies. Other significant effects found for group-design studies only in terms of student characteristics, instructional features, and methodological features are reported. Finally, implications of the current analysis for future research in the area of word-problem solving are discussed.

A Synthesis of Empirical Research on Teaching Mathematics to Low-Achieving Students

Article

Full-text available

Sep 2002

The purpose of this study was to synthesize research on the effects of interventions to improve the mathematics achievement of students considered low achieving or at risk for failure. Meta-analytic techniques were used to calculate mean effect sizes,for 15 studies that met inclusion criteria. Studies were coded according to 5 categories of mathematics interventions, and effect sizes were examined on a study-by-study basis within each of these categories. Results indicated that different types of interventions led to improvements in the mathematics achievement of students experiencing mathematics difficulty, including the following:.(a) providing teachers and students with data on student performance; (b) using peers as tutors or instructional guides; (c) providing clears specific feedback to parents on their children's mathematics success; and (d) using principles of explicit instruction in teaching math concepts and procedures.

A Follow-Up Meta-analysis for Word-Problem-Solving Interventions for Students with Mathematics Difficulties

Article

Full-text available

Aug 2012

Following a meta-analysis study conducted by Y. P. Xin and A. Jitendra (1999), the authors carried out a follow-up meta-analysis of word problem-solving interventions published from 1996 to 2009 for students with learning problems in mathematics. The authors examined the influence of education reforms as moderator variables on intervention effects, including inclusive movement, response to intervention model, standard movement, and mathematics education reform. The researchers analyzed 29 group-design studies and 10 single-subject-design studies that met the criteria for inclusion. Separate analyses were performed for group-design studies and single-subject studies using standardized mean change and percentage of nonoverlapping data (PND), respectively. The overall mean-weighted effect size (d) and PND for word problem-solving instruction were positive across the group-design studies (d = 1.848) and single-subject studies (PND = 95%). Implications for policymakers and researchers were discussed within the contexts of inclusive education, standard based movement, the response to intervention model, and mathematics education reform.

Effects of Computer-Based Cognitive Mapping on Reading Comprehension for Students with Emotional Behavior Disorders

Article

Full-text available

Mar 2005

Three students with behavior disorders who exhibited difficulty with reading in content area courses learned to use a computer program to create cognitive maps of the reading material required for class. Using a modified multiple-probe design across behaviors or stimulus sets, replicated across students, allowed for the evaluation of student performance on written and oral quizzes covering content area information. All students improved reading comprehension of content material with this intervention, and were able to read their textbooks independent of teacher assistance or tutelage. These findings are significant because students who previously struggled with learning class material from text-based presentation can successfully accomplish these tasks given cognitive mapping reading strategy and access to a computer to create the cognitive maps. (Contains 2 tables and 3 figures.)

Improving Student Content Knowledge in Inclusive Social Studies Classrooms Using Technology-Based Cognitive Organizers: A Systematic Replication

Article

Full-text available

Jan 2006
Learn Disabil

The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic replication of a previous study (Boon, Burke, Fore, & Spencer, 2006) on the effects of computer-generated cognitive organizers using Inspiration 6 software versus a traditional textbook instruction format on students' ability to comprehend social studies content information in high school inclusive social studies classes. A major goal was to strengthen the results of the previous study by using its control group as the treatment group and its treatment group as the control group in the current study. After ensuring that no carry-over effects from the previous study existed, the groups were "flipped," and using a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest group design, 26 tenth-grade students in general education and 18 students with mild disabilities received instruction using a computerized cognitive organizer or traditional textbook instruction format. Dependent measures included a 45- item open-ended production pre-/posttest of declarative social studies knowledge to assess the effectiveness of the intervention. Results showed that students in the computerized cognitive organizer condition significantly outperformed students in the traditional textbook instruction condition. (Contains 4 tables.)

Mathematical Word-Problem-Solving Instruction for Students with Mild Disabilities and Students At Risk for Math Failure: A Research Synthesis

Article

Full-text available

Jan 1997

This article reviews published research on mathematical word-problem-solving instruction involving students with mild disabilities and students at risk for math failure. The purpose of the review was to summarize 14 word-problem-solving intervention studies with regards to participants, procedures, and findings and provide implications for future research and classroom practice in teaching word-problem solving. Interventions gleaned from the review entailed representational techniques (e.g., diagramming), strategy-training procedures (e.g., cognitive and metacognitive), task variations (sequencing and word-problem context), and computer-assisted instruction. With the exception of one study, all studies reported positive effects of interventions on students' mathematical word-problem solving.

Can Offline Metacognition Enhance Mathematical Problem Solving?

Article

Full-text available

Mar 2003

The effectiveness of a short metacognitive intervention combined with algorithmic cognitive instruction was assessed in an elementary school setting. Two hundred thirty-seven 3rd-grade children were randomly assigned to a 5-session metacognitive strategy instruction, an algorithmic direct cognitive instruction, a motivational program, a quantitative-relational condition, or a spelling condition. Children in the metacognitive program achieved significant gains in trained metacognitive skills compared with the 4 other conditions. Moreover, the children in the metacognitive program performed better on trained cognitive skills than children in the algorithmic condition, with a follow-up effect on domain-specific mathematics problem-solving knowledge. Despite the consistency of findings, no generalization effects were found on transfer of cognitive learning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

Cognitive Addition: A Short Longitudinal Study of Strategy Choice and Speed-of-Processing Differences in Normal and Mathematically Disabled Children

Article

Full-text available

Sep 1991

Provides a longitudinal assessment of skill development in addition for 26 normal and 12 mathematically disabled 1st- or 2nd-grade children. At the first time of measurement, the children solved 40 simple addition problems. 10 mo later, all Ss were readministered the addition task and a measure of working memory resources. Across times of measurement, the normal group showed increased reliance on memory retrieval and decreased reliance on counting to solve the addition problems, as well as an increase in speed of counting and retrieving addition facts from long-term memory. The math-disabled group showed no reliable change in the mix of problem-solving strategies or in the rate of executing the counting or memory retrieval strategies. Finally, reliable differences, favoring the normal group, were found for the index of working memory resources. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

A Synthesis and Meta-Analysis of Reading Interventions Using Social Studies Content for Students With Learning Disabilities

Article

Full-text available

Jul 2012
J LEARN DISABIL-US

A synthesis and meta-analysis of the extant research on the effects of reading interventions delivered using social studies content for students with learning disabilities in kindergarten through Grade 12 is provided. A total of 27 studies met criteria for the synthesis, with 16 studies providing sufficient data for inclusion in the meta-analysis. Reading interventions implemented within the context of social studies have employed the use of graphic organizers, mnemonics, reading and answering questions, guided notes, and multicomponent comprehension instruction. The overall mean effect size for interventions included in the meta-analysis was 1.02, indicating that reading interventions delivered using social studies content have a substantial positive effect on outcomes among students with learning disabilities.

Children’s Mathematical Development

Article

Full-text available

Jan 1994

David C Geary

Mathematics Interventions for Children with Special Educational Needs: A Meta-Analysis

Article

Full-text available

Apr 2003

This article presents the results of a meta-analysis of 58 studies of mathematics interventions for elementary students with special needs. Interventions in three different domains were selected: preparatory mathematics, basic skills, and problem-solving strategies. The majority of the included studies described interventions in the domain of basic skills. In general, these interventions were also the most effective. Furthermore, a few specific characteristics were found to influence the outcomes of the studies. In addition to the duration of the intervention, the particular method of intervention proved important: Direct instruction and self-instruction were found to be more effective than mediated instruction. Interventions involving the use of computer-assisted instruction and peer tutoring showed smaller effects than interventions not including these supports.

Effects of Preventative Tutoring on the Mathematical Problem Solving of Third-Grade Students With Math and Reading Difficulties

Article

Full-text available

Dec 2008

This study assessed the effects of preventative tutoring on the math problem solving of third-grade students with math and reading difficulties. Students (n = 35) were assigned randomly to continue in their general education math program or to receive secondary preventative tutoring 3 times per week, 30 min per session, for 12 weeks. Schema-broadening tutoring taught students to (a) focus on the mathematical structure of 3 problem types; (b) recognize problems as belonging to those 3 problem-type schemas; (c) solve the 3 word-problem types; and (d) transfer solution methods to problems that include irrelevant information, 2-digit operands, missing information in the first or second positions in the algebraic equation, or relevant information in charts, graphs, and pictures. Also, students were taught to perform the calculation and algebraic skills foundational for problem solving. Analyses of variance revealed statistically significant effects on a wide range of word problems, with large effect sizes. Findings support the efficacy of the tutoring protocol for preventing word-problem deficits among third-grade students with math and reading deficits.

The effects of teaching precurrent behaviors on childrens solution of multiplication and division word problems

Article

Full-text available

Jun 2009
J APPL BEHAV ANAL

We examined the effects of teaching overt precurrent behaviors on the current operant of solving multiplication and division word problems. Two students were taught four precurrent behaviors (identification of label, operation, larger numbers, and smaller numbers) in a different order, in the context of a multiple baseline design. After meeting criterion on three of the four precurrent skills, the students demonstrated the current operant of correct problem solutions. These skills generalized to novel problems. Correct current operant responses (solutions that matched answers revealed by coloring over the space with a special marker) maintained the precurrent behaviors in the absence of any other programmed reinforcement.

Best Practices for the Inclusive Classroom: Scientifically Based Strategies for Success

Book

Sep 2021

Technology-Based Practices in Social Studies Instruction for Students with High-Incidence Disabilities: A Review of the Literature

Article

Dec 2007

This article presents a comprehensive review of the published social studies and technology-based intervention research for students with high-incidence disabilities in elementary through secondary grade levels. Eighteen research-based studies published from 1980 to 2006 were obtained, reviewed, and synthesized. Four major areas emerged representing the use of technologies in social studies instruction: (a) computerized study guides, (b) project-based learning activities, (c) computerized map tutorials, and (d) the use of computerized concept mapping software. A synthesis of the results of these social studies intervention studies integrated with technological advances, indicate that technology as a component of the instructional process has been beneficial; improving and enhancing academic achievement, engagement, motivation, and study skills for both students with and without disabilities. Findings of these studies in relation to instructional practice, implications for both general and special education teachers, recommendations, and future research questions are discussed.

Review of Academic Mathematics Instruction for Students with Mild Intellectual Disability

Article

Sep 2012

Mathematics education-like all education-faced changes in recent years including increasing expectations, and these expectations have impacted all students, including students with mild intellectual disability. To explore the impact of the changes on mathematics education on students with mild intellectual disability, the authors reviewed the literature from 1999-2010 on academic mathematics interventions for students with mild intellectual disability. Of the seven articles found, the majority focused on interventions designed to improve knowledge of mathematical facts and computational procedures. One study included an intervention involving metacognition and diagramming of mathematical relationships to help students solve word problems. Results suggest a dissonance between the mathematics focus of mathematics professional organizations and federal and state policies regarding higher order mathematics and perhaps current practice for students with mild intellectual disability, as reflected in the research literature.

Use of Kidspiration® software to enhance the reading comprehension of story grammar components for elementary-age students with specific learning disabilities

Article

Jan 2010

Using a Computer-Adapted, Conceptually Based History Text to Increase Comprehension and Problem-Solving Skills of Students with Disabilities

Article

Mar 2006

The purpose of this study was to improve the comprehension and problem-solving skills of students with disabilities in social studies using a conceptually framed, computer-adapted history text. Participants were 11th and 12th grade students identified with learning disabilities in reading and writing from two intact, self-contained social studies classes. During the three weeks of the study, students in the experimental group received content regarding the Industrial Revolution via a conceptually framed, computer-adapted text, while students in the control group were taught the same content using the district adopted textbook. Two curriculum-based measures were used to measure comprehension, and an extended-response essay was used to measure problem-solving performance. Analyses showed no statistical difference between the groups for comprehension. However, students in the experimental group statistically outperformed students in the control group on the extended-response essay. Results are discussed in terms of effect size and group sampling size. Implications from these findings indicate that computer-adaptive technology is an effective learning supplement for students with disabilities in content classrooms.

The effects of cognitive organizers to facilitate content-area learning for students with mild disabilities: A pilot study

Article

Jan 2005

The effect of personalized word problems

Article

Apr 1996

Janis M. Hart

Many students have difficulty converting a word problem into the necessary mathematical form needed to solve the problem. They seem unable to create a mental representation that links the text of the word problem to appropriate mathematical expressions.

A Meta-Analysis on Teaching Mathematics to Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities

Article

Jun 2008

This article reports on a comprehensive literature review and meta-analysis of 68 experiments on teaching mathematics to individuals with significant cognitive disabilities. Most of the studies in the review addressed numbers and computation or measurement. Within the computation studies identified, most focused on counting, calculation, or number matching. For the measurement studies, nearly all focused on money skills. Of the 54 single subject design studies, 19 were classified as having all quality indicators for research design (13 representing the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Measurement standard and 6 representing the Numbers and Operations standard). These studies offer strong evidence for using systematic instruction to teach mathematics skills and for using in vivo settings.

Cognition and metacognition: Evidence of higher thinking in problem-solving of adolescents with mental retardation

Article

Mar 2001

This study investigates the repertoire of cognitive schemes used by adolescents with mental retardation in the process of solving additive word problems. Fifteen male and female students, with mild to moderate mental retardation, were individually interviewed. Observations were made of their problem understanding, and of manifestation of metacognitive knowledge. The findings provide evidence of at least a partial part-part-whole scheme for about half of the students. This relatively high cognitive level was exhibited by some students without any help, and by others following a period of short instruction. The observations also disclose more use of metacognitive knowledge than is usually expected of students at this ability range. The results suggest that given moderate and relevant help and a chance to exhibit their ability, some of these youngsters will learn to handle more complex situations.

Research-Based Techniques for Teaching Early Reading Skills to Students with Intellectual Disabilities

Article

Sep 2009
EDUC TRAIN DEV DISAB

Teaching students with intellectual disabilities (ID) to read is extremely challenging. Fortunately, the outlook for students with ZD is improving because we now know much more about how to teach reading to students who struggle, including those with ID. The central theme of this article is that reading instruction for students with ID must be a carefully orchestrated integration of key skills and strategies that are explicitly linked to meaning. Organized according to the major components of reading instruction, including (a) oral language and vocabulary, (b) phonological awareness, (c) phonics and word recognition, (d) fluency, and (e) comprehension, this article describes key techniques used in research examining effective methods for teaching students with ID to read. We provide specific examples from our research study describing how these skills are being taught to students with ID.

Experimental Intervention Studies on Word Problem Solving and Math Disabilities A Selective Analysis of the Literature

Article

May 2013

This article provides a quantitative synthesis of the published literature on word problem solving intervention studies for children with math disabilities (MD). Seven group and eight single-subject design studies met inclusion criteria. Mean effect sizes (ESs) for solution accuracy for group design studies were 0.95 (SE = .19) for children with MD-only and −0.45 (SE = .14) for children with MD and reading disabilities (MD + RD) when compared with their counterparts in the control condition. The mean ES for single-subject design studies was 0.90 (range = 0.09–2.99), with a mean ES of 1.45 for MD-only students and a mean ES of 0.58 for MD + RD students. Effective group and single-subject interventions shared a number of common instructional components (e.g., advance organizer, skill modeling). In general, the results suggest that specific sample characteristics (reading ability) and specific instruction components (sequencing, explicit practice, task reduction, advanced organizers, questioning, task difficulty control, elaboration, skill modeling, strategy cues) play a major role in treatment outcomes for children with MD.

Do Special Education Interventions Improve Learning of Secondary Content? A Meta-Analysis

Article

Nov 2009

The authors describe findings from a research synthesis on content area instruction for students with disabilities. Seventy studies were identified from a comprehensive literature search, examined, and coded for a number of variables, including weighted standardized mean-difference effect sizes. More than 2,400 students were participants in these investigations. Studies included interventions involving content areas, such as science, social studies, and English, and employed a number of different interventions, including study aids, classroom learning strategies, spatial and graphic organizers, mnemonic strategies, hands-on activities, classroom peers, and computer-assisted instruction. The overall effect size was 1.00, indicating an overall large effect across studies. Implications for future research and practice are described.

Can Computers Teach Problem-Solving Strategies to Students with Mild Mental Retardation?: A Case Study

Article

May 1997

In this investigation, students with mild mental retardation were provided with an animated tutorial computer program to learn mathematical problem solving. after training, results indicated that all students obtained significant gains from pretests to posttests; further, all students reported positive attitudes toward computers after training. transfer of computer-assisted problem solving to paper-and-pencil problem solving was less consistent. anecdotal observations indicated that students appeared to rely on asking the adult trainer for assistance during initial tutorial sessions, but demonstrated more independence at the concluding sessions. implications for future research and practice are discussed on the basis of these preliminary findings.

Multiple-probe technique: A variation of the multiple baseline

Article

Feb 1978
J APPL BEHAV ANAL

Multiple-baseline and probe procedures are combined into a “multiple-probe” technique. The technique is designed to provide a thorough analysis of the relationship between an independent variable and the acquisition of a successive-approximation or chain sequence. It provides answers to the following questions: (1) What is the initial level of performance on each step in the training sequence? (2) What happens if sequential opportunities to perform each next step in the sequence are provided before training on that step? (3) What happens when training is applied? (4) What happens to the performance of remaining steps in the sequence as criterion is reached in the course of training each prior step? The technique features: (1) one initial probe of each step in the training sequence, (2) an additional probe of every step after criterion is reached on any training step, and (3) a series of “true” baseline sessions conducted just before the introduction of the independent variable to each training step. Intermittent probes also provide an alternative to continuous baseline measurement, when such measurement during extended multiple baselines (1) may prove reactive, (2) is impractical, and/or (3) a strong a priori assumption of stability can be made.

Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition

Article

Jan 1991

D. Wechsler

Procedural Reliability: A Rationale and Example 1

Article

Jun 1980
Behav Assess

In 1968, Baer, Wolf, and Risley outlined the dimensions of an applied behavior analytic approach. In general, behavior analysts seem to have conducted their business in a manner consistent with those dimensions, although it has been noted that the emphasis received by the various components of the discipline may shift from time to time (Dietz, 1978; Hayes, Rincover, & Solnick, in press). In contrast to fluctuations in researcher interests across time, however, there appears to be at least one area which, in practice, had been largely ignored. This area, related to both the behavioral and technological components of behavior analysis, is the assessment of procedural reliability. Baer, Wolf, and Risley (1968) cautioned that we must insure that observed changes in behavioral measures between experimental phases reflect alteration of the subject's behavior and not the behavior of the observers or the experimenter. As an illustration of a situation in which a change in experimenter behavior could result in misleading conclusions, Baer et al. (1968) cite an instance in which a subject is inadvertently given more time to respond in the experimental condition than in the baseline condition. The result could be the fallacious conclusion that the experimental treatment was effective in increasing the probability of the desired behavior when, in fact, the effect obtained was merely a function of the increased time period. When an error of that nature occurs, the behavioral dimension of the investigation is open to question and the

Literacy Assessment of Students with Mental Retardation: An Exploratory Investigation

Article

Jan 2001

David S. Katims

Literacy performance of a group of elementary, middle, and high school students (N = 132) with mild to moderate mental retardation (mean IQ = 54.69; range = 29-76) from a school district in south central Texas is ascertained. Twenty-two percent of the students achieved the full criteria of "minimum literacy," which included the ability to: (1) Recognize words within a narrative passage from an analytical reading inventory at least on the primer level; (2) Comprehend a narrative passage from an analytical reading inventory at least on the primer level; (3) Write at least two letters or letter combinations representing sounds in words on a phonemic awareness dictation task, and; (4) Write at least two words containing two or more letters each correctly spelled on a free-writing task. Practical implications for assessing student literacy and improving literacy programs for students with mental retardation are discussed.

Mathematics instruction for individuals with mental retardation: A perspective and research synthesis

Article

Jun 1991

Reviews 25 mathematics intervention studies (published during 1973–1988) that used a total of 519 mentally retarded Ss (aged 6.33–53 yrs). The studies focus on 3 areas: basic skills and concepts, rule learning and problem-solving, and applications such as use of time, money, and measurement skills. All studies report positive findings after implementation of their respective interventions. Other topics that are relevant to these studies are discussed: sample issues, design issues, and task/intervention issues. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

Effects of cognitive‐based instruction on mathematical problem solving by learners with mild intellectual disabilities

Article

Jul 2009

Background This study examined the effects of different approaches to teaching learners with mild intellectual disabilities to solve mathematical word problems. Method Thirty Chinese students with mild intellectual disabilities from a special school in Hong Kong were taught using conventional instruction, worked example instruction, and cognitive strategy instruction. A cross‐subjects experimental design was used to compare the effects of the three instructional approaches on immediate and delayed tests. Results Students presented with worked example and cognitive strategy instruction solved more problems correctly and generally outperformed students presented with conventional instruction in both immediate and delayed tests. In addition, learners receiving worked example and cognitive strategy instruction were more able to maintain and generalise their previous knowledge and skills to solve novel problems than those receiving conventional instruction. Conclusions The findings indicate that learners can profit from worked example and cognitive strategy instruction which can promote problem‐solving skills and mathematical learning.

A Meta‐Analytic Review of Graphic Organizers and Science Instruction for Adolescents with Learning Disabilities: Implications for the Intermediate and Secondary Science Classroom

Article

Nov 2011
Learn Disabil Res Pract

This article presents a meta-analysis of experimental and quasi-experimental studies in which intermediate and secondary students with learning disabilities were taught science content through the use of graphic organizers (GOs). Following an exhaustive search for studies meeting specified selection criteria, 23 standardized mean effect sizes were extracted from six articles involving 271 participants in grades 6 through 12. Findings included that, across immediate posttest and maintenance conditions, the use of GOs was associated with increased vocabulary knowledge and factual comprehension measured by researcher-generated multiple-choice tests in science. Conclusions, implications for future research, and practical recommendations are presented.

Wide‐Range Achievement Test

Chapter

Jan 2010

Gary J. Robertson

The Wide-Range Achievement Test (WRAT) was developed in the 1930s by psychologist Joseph Jastak and first published for operational use in 1946. Two subsequent revisions of the WRAT were issued in 1984 (WRAT-R) and 1993 (WRAT 3; Wilkinson, 1993). The current edition—WRAT 4—retains the focus of the previous editions by providing norm-referenced measures of reading, spelling, and mathematics computation. Designed for use with individuals age 5–94 years, the WRAT 4 contains four subtests: word reading, sentence comprehension, spelling, and mathematics computation. The reading and sentence comprehension tests must be administered individually, whereas the spelling and mathematics computation tests may be administered either individually or in small groups. The administration time required is 15–45 minutes, depending on the age of the test taker. The various editions of the WRAT have enjoyed widespread use due to their ease of administration and scoring and the amount of information obtained in a relatively brief amount of testing time. Keywords: achievement tests; WRAT/WRAT 4; achievement assessment

Investigating the efficacy of concept mapping with pupils with autistic spectrum disorder

Article

Nov 2007

Pupils with autism often present significant challenges to teachers. They seem to have real strengths in visual processing but a cognitive style that encourages them to focus on detail rather than the overarching connections between concepts. Veronica Roberts, currently undertaking doctoral training at the Institute of Education, University of London, in order to become an educational psychologist, and Richard Joiner, senior lecturer in the Department of Psychology at the University of Bath, set out to explore these issues. In this article, they report the outcomes of a naturalistic experiment in which they investigated the utility of concept mapping as an educational strategy with pupils diagnosed with an autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). Theoretical arguments supporting the use of concept mapping with an autistic population are outlined in the paper. A tutor group of ten pupils with ASD, aged between 11 and 14 years, took part in the study. Concept mapping tasks were integrated within National Curriculum science lessons in collaboration with the school's science teacher. The study found that the increase in pupil performance in subject-specific questionnaires was nearly four times greater in the concept mapping condition than after a more conventional teaching intervention. Veronica Roberts and Richard Joiner tentatively draw out the implications of their work for staff who work with pupils with ASD and make recommendations for further research into the use of these learning strategies.

Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC-2)

Chapter

Jan 2010

Cecil R Reynolds

The Behavior Assessment System for Children, Second Edition (BASC–2; Reynolds & Kamphaus, 2004) is a multimethod, multidimensional system used to evaluate the behavior and self-perceptions of children, adolescents, and young adults aged 2 through 25 years. The BASC–2 is multimethod in that it has the following components, which may be used individually or in any combination: (1) two rating scales, one for teachers (Teacher Rating Scales, or TRS) and one for parents (Parent Rating Scales, or PRS), which gather descriptions of the child's observable behavior, each divided into age-appropriate forms; (2) a self-report scale (Self-Report of Personality, or SRP), on which the child or young adult can describe his or her emotions and self-perceptions; (3) a Structured Developmental History (SDH) form; (4) a form for recording and classifying directly observed classroom behavior (Student Observation System, or SOS), which is also available for PDA applications as an electronic version known as the BASC–2 POP or Portable Observation Program; and (5) a self-report for parents of children ages 2–18 years, designed to capture a parent's perspective on the parent-child relationship in such domains as communication, disciplinary styles, attachment, involvement, and others. Keywords: diagnosis; behavior; behavioral assessment; psychopathology

Effects of Hand‐Drawn and Computer‐Generated Concept Mapping on the Expository Writing of Middle School Students with Learning Disabilities

Article

May 2002
Learn Disabil Res Pract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of two forms of concept mapping, hand-drawn and computer-generated, on the descriptive essay writing of middle-level students with learning disabilities. Twelve eighth-grade students composed descriptive essays under three conditions: no-map support, hand-map support, and computer-map support. The essays were compared on four measures: number of words, syntactic maturity, number of T-units, and holistic writing scores. Writing attitude was also examined. Results showed that student descriptive essays produced in the hand- and computer-mapping conditions demonstrated significant increases above baseline writing samples on number of words, number of T-units, and holistic writing scores. Carry-over effects were observed in the no-mapping condition and provide an indication that students may have acquired writing skills that generalized into their essay writing when not using maps. Results showed that students’ attitudes toward writing were significantly more positive in the computer-mapping condition when compared to no-mapping and hand-mapping conditions.

Use of a self-regulated strategy intervention to improve word problem-solving skills of students with mild disabilities

Article

Jun 1996

We investigated the effects of self-regulated strategy instruction on the ability of four elementary-school students with mild handicaps (2 with learning disabilities [LD] and 2 with mild mental retardation [MMR]) to perform 4 types of addition and subtraction word problems. We used a multiple baseline design and a self-instructional strategy to address story problem solving. Results indicated that the strategy was effective in increasing the number of correctly solved word problems. Gains were maintained across a 6 and 8 week follow-up check. The study supports previous research indicating that cognitive strategies are effective for students with LD and suggests that cognitive strategies are appropriate for students with MMR.

Designing Research-Based Instruction for Story Problems

Article

Sep 2003

David H. Jonassen

Despite current research efforts in mathematics and science problem solving that emphasize situated and socially mediated approaches to solving authentic, complex problems, story problems remain the most common form of problem solving in K-12 schools and universities. Story problems typically present a quantitative solution problem embedded within a shallow story context. Most often, students use a procedural approach to their solution, directly translating story values into solvable algorithms. Research shows that this direct translation strategy results in a lack of conceptual understanding and the inability to transfer any problem-solving skills that are developed. Because traditional approaches to story problem-solving instruction do not support conceptual understanding of problem structures during their solution, more effective instructional approaches are needed for supporting story problems. This research review shows that solving story problems requires that learners construct a conceptual model of the problem that integrates the situational (story) content with an understanding of the semantic structure of the problem based on the principles of mathematics or science being practiced in the problem. The model also contains the processing operations required to solve the problem quantitatively. Constructing such a conceptual model enables learners to classify story problems before attempting any solution, a step essential to transfer. Based on research findings, I propose a model for designing a technology-enhanced story problem-solving environment. The model includes a set identifier, situational model, structural model builder, and equation builder.

The evaluation of two computerised instruction programs for arithmetic word-problem solving by educable mentally retarded children

Article

Dec 1994
LEARN INSTR

To investigate the impact of instruction aimed at improving text-analysis strategies for arithmetic word problems compared to instruction aimed at improving modelling the specific semantic structure of the word problem with concrete material, eighty-four educable mentally retarded children (aged 8.6–16.8) received computer-assisted instruction in a 2 (Text-Analysis) × 2 (External-Modelling) pretest-posttest control group design. The results showed that in test situations with modelling facilities the children who received External-Modelling instruction outperformed the other children, whereas on a test without those facilities the children who received Text-Analysis instruction performed better than the other children. It is argued that children who received Text-Analysis training learned to construct problem representations mentally, which they may also use in the paper-and-pencil situations, whereas children who received External-Modelling training were handicapped in these situations because they were still dependent on the presence of materials with which they could construct a representation of the problem externally.

Does Understanding Relational Terminology Mediate Effects of Intervention on Compare Word Problems?

Article

Apr 2012
J EXP CHILD PSYCHOL

The purpose of this study was to assess whether understanding relational terminology (i.e., more, less, and fewer) mediates the effects of intervention on compare word problems. Second-grade classrooms (N=31) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: researcher-designed word-problem intervention, researcher-designed calculation intervention, or business-as-usual (teacher-designed) control. Students in word-problem intervention classrooms received instruction on the compare problem type, which included a focus on understanding relational terminology within compare word problems. Analyses, which accounted for variance associated with classroom clustering, indicated that (a) compared with the calculation intervention and business-as-usual conditions, word-problem intervention significantly increased performance on all three subtypes of compare problems and on understanding relational terminology, and (b) the intervention effect was fully mediated by students' understanding of relational terminology for one subtype of compare problems and partially mediated by students' understanding of relational terminology for the other two subtypes.

Working memory components as predictors of children's mathematical word problem solving

Article

Jul 2011
J EXP CHILD PSYCHOL

This study determined the working memory (WM) components (executive, phonological loop, and visual-spatial sketchpad) that best predicted mathematical word problem-solving accuracy of elementary school children in Grades 2, 3, and 4 (N=310). A battery of tests was administered to assess problem-solving accuracy, problem-solving processes, WM, reading, and math calculation. Structural equation modeling analyses indicated that (a) all three WM components significantly predicted problem-solving accuracy, (b) reading skills and calculation proficiency mediated the predictive effects of the central executive system and the phonological loop on solution accuracy, and (c) academic mediators failed to moderate the relationship between the visual-spatial sketchpad and solution accuracy. The results support the notion that all components of WM play a major role in predicting problem-solving accuracy, but basic skills acquired in specific academic domains (reading and math) can compensate for some of the influence of WM on children's mathematical word problem solving.

Solving Word Problems Using Schemas: A Review of the Literature

Article

May 2011

Sarah R Powell

Solving word problems is a difficult task for students at-risk for or with learning disabilities (LD). One instructional approach that has emerged as a valid method for helping students at-risk for or with LD to become more proficient at word-problem solving is using schemas. A schema is a framework for solving a problem. With a schema, students are taught to recognize problems as falling within word-problem types and to apply a problem solution method that matches that problem type. This review highlights two schema approaches for 2(nd)- and 3(rd)-grade students at-risk for or with LD: schema-based instruction and schema-broadening instruction. A total of 12 schema studies were reviewed and synthesized. Both types of schema approaches enhanced the word-problem skill of students at-risk for or with LD. Based on the review, suggestions are provided for incorporating word-problem instruction using schemas.

Teaching Mathematics to Students With Mild-to-Moderate Mental Retardation: A Review of the Literature

Article

Mar 2001
Ment Retard

A systematic search of the literature from 1989 through 1998 was conducted to identify and analyze mathematics interventions for students with mild-to-moderate mental retardation. We found that the focus of instruction has shifted from basic skills instruction to computation and problem-solving instruction. Techniques such as constant-time delay, peer tutoring, time trials, and direct instruction proved beneficial in improving mathematics skills. Further, students with mental retardation learned to employ cognitive strategies successfully when these techniques were included. Although this information is promising, we recommend that further studies be conducted in secondary schools and in inclusive settings.

Effects of computer-based graphic organizers to solve one-step word problems for middle school students with mild intellectual disability: A preliminary study

Abstract

No full-text available

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