The need to consider the interaction of characteristics that affect students' learning is stressed. Levels of cognitive development as proposed by Piaget are presented first, with how they relate to teaching mathematics discussed. Then two cognitive styles, relating to the way an individual most efficiently processes information, are considered:…

Observational data were collected on the instructional tasks used by 122 elementary students (30 learning-disabled, 32 emotionally/behaviorally disturbed, 30 educable mentally retarded, and 30 nonhandicapped). No differences between handicapped and nonhandicapped students were revealed in an analysis of time using each of eight specific tasks…