Studying Virtual Manipulatives Paired With Explicit Instruction to Teach Algebraic Equations to Students With Learning Disabilities

Abstract

Over the last two decades, the significance of academic achievement for students with disabilities in K–12 education has increased. To meet the needs of this population, educators turned to innovative strategies and technologies for instructional support in the classroom. For students with a learning disability, the need for such solutions is vital to address many of the academic struggles they face in the area of mathematics education. One evidence-based strategy shown to support instruction for students with a learning disability is the use of manipulatives. Although concrete manipulatives were extensively studied for this population, the virtual form of this technology lacks comparable research. Using a multiple probe design across three secondary students with a learning disability in mathematics, this study assessed the benefits of an instructional strategy using a virtual manipulative balance paired with explicit instruction to teach multistep linear equations. Results showed increased percent accuracy and independence scores for all three students across an intervention and maintenance phase. These findings and their broader implications for the field of mathematics education are discussed.