Opportunities for students to learn mathematics through innovative, authentic experiences in an inquiry-based instructional approach have become much more common for students in regular and advanced math classes. Yet, the same cannot be said for students with learning disabilities. One of the primary reasons is that key tenets of the inquiry…

In this paper, we provide a research synthesis of single-case studies on the efficacy of graphic organizers to improve the writing composition outcomes of students with learning disabilities in grades K-12. A series of electronic searches, a hand search, and an ancestral search were conducted to locate relevant articles from 1975 to July 2017. Ten…

This narrative review provides an overview of the research literature on the effectiveness of mnemonics in mathematics instruction for students with learning disabilities in a K-12 classroom. Eleven studies were identified in refereed journal articles and doctoral dissertations from 1975 to December 2018 that met the inclusion criteria. Overall…

Task interspersal is an academic material modification procedure implemented by adding a sequence of brief tasks prior to more difficult academic tasks. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the interspersal procedure under both time-based (i.e., time allotted to complete task held constant) and task-based (i.e., number of…

This study compared how students with learning difficulties in math (MLD) who were randomly assigned to two instructional conditions answered items on problem solving tests aligned to the Common Core State Standards Initiative for Mathematics. Posttest scores showed improvement in the math performance of students receiving Enhanced Anchored…

Founded in 1967, The Lab School of Washington (LSW) has been educating students with learning disabilities using an arts-based curriculum for over 50 years. Sally Smith originally started the school out of frustration with the inability of traditional educational environments to reach her intelligent, but learning disabled, young son and others…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the direct instruction of story mapping in improving the reading comprehension for high school students with specific learning disabilities. The participants included four eleventh grade students with specific learning disabilities served for literature in a resource room in a public…

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the efficacy of repeated readings on the oral reading fluency rate and reading comprehension accuracy of high school students with specific learning disabilities. The participants included three tenth and eleventh grade students with specific learning disabilities in a study skills resource…

Results of a study conducted of 12 self-contained special education high school classes (n=74 students) indicated that cooperative learning was more effective than traditional noncooperative learning in improving academic achievement in these students with learning disabilities. Increased self-esteem in cooperative learning students was not found.…

A study of 125 elementary students with and without learning disabilities compared effects of concrete to semiconcrete to abstract (CSA) instruction in fraction concept and skills to instruction that was based on textbook curriculum. Students taught fraction concepts and skills in a CSA sequence performed significantly better. (Author/CR)

The nature of effective instruction for students with specific learning disability is explored. Process training has long been a prominent intervention but is shown to possess limited efficacy. Better outcomes are attained when effective general education instructional techniques are adapted for the purposes of special education. Related services…

Eleven students (ages 9-14) enrolled in self-contained special education classrooms received math instruction via the Interactive Unit. The Interactive Unit is an instructional system involving 16 combinations of teacher-pupil-material interactions, calling for various teacher inputs and student outputs. Significant differences were detected…

A review of 13 studies on social skills training (SST) and learning disabilities found none of the studies included ethnic minority participants exclusively, there were no significant differences in types of SST programs used in studies with and without ethnic minorities, and findings were not reported by ethnicity. (Contains references.) (CR)

A review of 21 research studies on computer-assisted instruction (CAI) in mathematics with students having learning disabilities found that drill and practice formats have predominated over game, tutorial, or simulation formats. Overall, CAI was found to be an effective medium for mathematics instruction. Suggestions for further research and for…

This article presents the strategies instruction model as an effective intervention for students with learning disabilities. It describes the model's components (curriculum, instruction, environment), its theoretical basis, the teacher's role, teacher-student interaction, and appropriate contexts. Studies of the model's effectiveness are…