Improving the Mathematics Performance of Second-Grade Students with Mathematics Difficulties through an Early Numeracy Intervention.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of an early numeracy Tier 2 intervention on the mathematics performance of second-grade students with persistent mathematics difficulties. Whole number content and instructional design features were used to boost performance in second-grade early numeracy concepts and skills. Researchers employed a pretest-posttest control group design with randomized assignment of 83 students to the treatment condition and 38 students to the comparison condition. The research team's mathematics interventionists delivered instruction four days per week for 20 weeks to small groups of second-grade students who were identified with persistent mathematics difficulties. Proximal and distal measures were used to determine the effects of the intervention. Findings showed that students in the treatment group outperformed students in the comparison group on the proximal measure of mathematics performance. There were no differences between groups on the problem-solving measures.

Republication of The Technology-Related Assistance to Individuals with Disabilities Act: Relevance to Individuals with Learning Disabilities and Their Advocates.

Assistive technology (AT) was recognized by Congress as a viable need for people with disabilities when it passed the Tech Act in 1988. The legislation, which was reauthorized in 1994, has resulted in numerous programs and services that have helped people with disabilities access and use AT devices. The Tech Act's implications for people with learning disabilities is discussed in this article.

Teaching reading to students with learning disabilities: Effects of combined iPad-assisted and peer-assisted instruction on oral reading fluency performance.

Students with reading learning disabilities (RLDs) often face struggles in acquiring basic reading abilities, including oral reading fluency. The current study builds on previous work that compared peer-assisted instruction (PAI) to iPad-assisted instruction (IAI) on oral reading fluency, which led to the conclusion that a combined approach may be more effective than either approach alone. A multiple baseline design was used to examine the effectiveness of a combined PAI and IAI approach on oral reading fluency of four 5th grade students with RLD. Overall, there were moderate and positive experimental effects on oral reading fluency. Student gains were similar to expectations for typically achieving students from winter to spring.

Introduction to the special series: Technology and disabilities in education.

In the nearly 30 years since the passage of the Technology-Related Assistance to Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1988, technology-mediated instruction has been implemented successfully with both students without disabilities and students with a range of disabilities to help them meet the demands of instruction. In this special issue of Assistive Technology, a number of noted scholars contribute research findings designed to add to the growing body of knowledge validating the use of assistive and instructional technology in the classroom.

The Effects of a Tier 3 Intervention on the Mathematics Performance of Second Grade Students With Severe Mathematics Difficulties.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a systematic, explicit, intensive Tier 3 (tertiary) intervention on the mathematics performance of students in second grade with severe mathematics difficulties. A multiple-baseline design across groups of participants showed improved mathematics performance on number and operations concepts and procedures, which are the foundation for later mathematics success. In the previous year, 12 participants had experienced two doses (first and second semesters) of a Tier 2 intervention. In second grade, the participants continued to demonstrate low performance, falling below the 10th percentile on a researcher-designed universal screener and below the 16th percentile on a distal measure, thus qualifying for the intensive intervention. A project interventionist, who met with the students 5 days a week for 10 weeks (9 weeks for one group), conducted the intensive intervention. The intervention employed more intensive instructional design features than the previous Tier 2 secondary instruction, and also included weekly games to reinforce concepts and skills from the lessons. Spring results showed significantly improved mathematics performance (scoring at or above the 25th percentile) for most of the students, thus making them eligible to exit the Tier 3 intervention.

A comparison of the effects of reading interventions on engagement and performance for fourth-grade students with learning disabilities.

Inexpensive software applications designed to teach reading, writing, mathematics, and other academic areas have become increasingly popular. Although previous research has demonstrated the potential efficacy of such applications, there is a paucity of research that compares applications instruction (AI) with traditional teacher-directed instruction (TDI), and the relative effectiveness and efficiency of these instructional approaches remains largely unknown. This study used an alternating treatment design to compare academic engagement and outcomes (i.e., word identification and reading fluency) during an AI condition and a TDI condition for four students with learning disabilities (LD) attending a charter school. Instructional conditions (i.e., TDI, AI) were randomly alternated 7 times each, for a total of 14 instructional sessions. Results indicated that both approaches fostered high levels of engagement although students were more engaged during AI. With regard to academic performance, visual and quantitative analysis suggest that TDI was more effective than AI in terms of passage fluency and word identification. Students completed social validity rating scales to examine instructional preference. Results indicated that both approaches, TDI and AI, were popular with the students.

Effects of the Good Behavior Game on classwide off-task behavior in a high school basic algebra resource classroom.

This study investigated the effects of the Good Behavior Game (GBG) on classwide off-task behavior in two ninth-grade basic algebra resource classes. Ten students with a variety of disabilities, in two classrooms, and their special education resource teacher participated in this study. A reversal design was employed, in which the special education teacher implemented GBG compared to typical practice-algebra readiness instruction. Results showed that classwide off-task behavior decreased in the GBG conditions compared to the baseline and reversal conditions. Fidelity measures indicated that the teacher implemented GBG with fidelity. Students and the teacher rated GBG favorably. Overall findings support the use of GBG for reducing classwide off-task behavior. Implications for practice and future research directions are presented.