Using a Virtual-Representational-Abstract Integrated Framework to Teach Multiplicative Problem Solving to Middle School Students with Developmental Disabilities.

Effective instructional strategies to improve mathematical problem solving skills are critically important to student success in both school-based and real-world mathematics tasks. This study reports effects of a Virtual-Representational-Abstract Integrated framework on the mathematical problem solving skills of three middle school students with developmental disabilities (autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability). All participants improved in their problem solving accuracy when solving multiplicative comparison word problems using realistic double and triple multipliers. Additionally, all participants maintained their mathematical problem solving accuracy after visual supports (graphic organizer) were removed. Detailed findings and implications for future research and practitioners are discussed.

Mathematical interventions for students with autism spectrum disorder: Recommendations for practitioners.

Students with extensive support needs (ESN; i.e., autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, or both), have the ability to learn a variety of mathematical skills when taught using scientifically validated strategies (e.g., Bouck, Satsangi, Taber-Doughty, & Courtney, 2014; Creech-Galloway, Collins, Knight, & Bausch, 2013; Root, Browder, Saunders, & Lo, 2017). The urgency of teaching grade-aligned, mathematical standards to this population has significantly increased in the past two decades. Yet, in order to teach grade-aligned mathematics to individuals with disabilities, teachers need access to scientifically validated strategies that can be effective with this heterogeneous population. This article extends work by Fleury and colleagues (2014) by expanding their findings of interventions to teach academic content to students with ASD. We hope practitioners can use this article as a starting point when selecting scientifically validated interventions to teach mathematics to students with ESN. We highlight mathematics interventions from a variety of recent literature reviews of mathematics interventions for students with ASD, ID, or both to provide guidance for practitioners of what we know works for which students under what conditions. This article also seeks to bridge research to practice by offering recommendations for math educators serving students with disabilities in heterogeneous classrooms.