The Effects of Computer Use on the Acquisition of Multiplication Facts by a Student with Learning Disabilities

Abstract

Two investigations of a single student having a specific mathematics disability were conducted in order to determine the effectiveness of software use alone, or in combination with teacher intervention, on the acquisition of multiplication facts. The types of software were drill-and-practice and tutorial based, with the drill program being used as the sole intervention in the first study and the tutorial program being used in conjunction with teacher intervention during the second study. The teacher intervention involved (1) determination of the student's present problem solution strategy, (2) the teaching of an alternative solution strategy called The Rule of Nines," and (3) the presentation and use of computer software with the student. Results indicated an initial increase in correct responding and a corresponding decrease in the amount of time to response for both drill-and-practice and tutorial software, but this effect proved to be transitory with both errors and times increasing when the student was returned to baseline conditions. However, when the software use was combined with directed teacher interventions, the student was able to unlearn the ineffective strategy, learn a new solution strategy, and use the software to practice and incorporate new knowledge and skills. The discussion focuses on implications for developing instructional environ -ments as well as implications for future research.