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Cited by 79Cognitive and developmental aspects of mathematical skillsMathematics Education and PedagogyMathematics Education and Teaching Techniques

Mathematics Education and Students with Learning Disabilities: Introduction to the Special Series

Rivera, Diane Pedrotty·1997·Journal of Learning Disabilities
DOI 10.1177/002221949703000101
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Abstract

The prevalence of students with mathematics learning disabilities has triggered an interest among special education researchers and practitioners in developing an understanding of the needs of this group of students, and in identifying effective instructional programming to foster their mathematical performance during the school years and into adulthood. Research into the characteristics of students with mathematics learning disabilities is being approached from different perspectives, including developmental, neurological and neuropsychological, and educational. This diversity helps us develop a broader understanding of students' learning needs and difficulties. Special education assessment practices encompass a variety of approaches, including norm-referenced, criterion-referenced, and nonstandardized procedures, depending on the specific assessment questions professionals seek to answer. Students' mathematical knowledge and conceptual understanding must be examined to determine their strengths and weaknesses, curriculum-based progress, and use of cognitive strategies to arrive at mathematical solutions. Research findings have identified empirically validated interventions for teaching mathematics curricula to students with mathematics learning disabilities. Research studies have been grounded in behavioral theory and cognitive psychology, with an emergent interest in the constructivist approach. Although research studies have focused primarily on computational performance, more work is being conducted in the areas of story-problem solving and technology. These areas as well as other math curricular skills require further study. Additionally, the needs of adults with math LD have spurred educators to examine the elementary and secondary math curricula and determine ways to infuse them with life skills instruction accordingly. As the field of mathematics special education continues to evolve, special educators must remain cognizant of the developments in and influences on the field of mathematics education. Reform efforts have shaped the field significantly since the 1950s, contributing to the curriculum offered in mathematics textbooks and the pedagogical practices taught in higher education courses. Mathematics educators continue to search for a better understanding of how children learn mathematics; this process is shaped by the prevailing theoretical orientations and research methodologies. This special series in mathematics special education provides readers with information about the characteristics of students with mathematics learning disabilities, assessment procedures, mathematics programming, teacher preparation, and future directions for the field. The series originated as a result of discussions with Dr. Lee Wiederholt and Dr. Judith K. Voress, who saw a need for the compilation of recent research and best practices in mathematics special education. I thank them for their support of and thoughtful insights about the development of this series. I also appreciate the support of Dr. George Hynd and his editorial assistant, Kathryn Black, in finalizing the details for publication. Finally, I am most appreciative of the authors' contributions to this series; their work continues to significantly influence the development of the field of mathematics special education and programming for students with mathematics learning disabilities.

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Crossref · 10.1177/002221949703000101

Cites

122 of 122 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • Students with math difficulties often show inadequate use of strategies for solving math tasks, caused by problems with the acquisition and application of both cognitive and metacognitive strategies.

    “Moreover, they often show inadequate use of strategies for solving math tasks, caused by problems with the acquisition and the application of both cognitive and metacognitive strategies.”

    From Mathematics Interventions for Children with Special Educational Needs: A Meta-Analysis (2003) · cites this paper as Rivera, 1997

  • Students with math difficulties show deficits in generalization and transfer of learned knowledge to new and unknown tasks.

    “Because of these problems, they also show deficits in generalization and transfer of learned knowledge to new and unknown tasks.”

    From Mathematics Interventions for Children with Special Educational Needs: A Meta-Analysis (2003) · cites this paper as Rivera, 1997

  • Students with math difficulties generally have memory deficits leading to difficulties in the acquisition and remembering of math knowledge.

    “In general, these students have memory deficits leading to difficulties in the acquisition and remembering of math knowledge.”

    From Mathematics Interventions for Children with Special Educational Needs: A Meta-Analysis (2003) · cites this paper as Rivera, 1997

  • About 5% to 10% of students in schools for elementary general education have difficulties with mathematics.

    “About 5% to 10% of the students in schools for elementary general education have difficulties with mathematics (Rivera, 1997).”

    From Mathematics Interventions for Children with Special Educational Needs: A Meta-Analysis (2003) · cites this paper as Rivera, 1997

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Authors
Rivera, D. P.
Affiliations
The University of Texas at Austin (US)
Corresponding author
Rivera, Diane Pedrotty
Venue
Journal of Learning Disabilities
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
1997-01
Volume
30
Issue
1
Pages
2-19
ISSN
  • 0022-2194 (ISSN-L)
  • 1538-4780
DOI
10.1177/002221949703000101
OpenAlex
W2120507886
Cited by
79
References
125
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 3
FWCI
2.42
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations
  • Journal of Learning Disabilities (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Statistics and Probability › Cognitive and developmental aspects of mathematical skills
  • Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Applied Mathematics › Mathematics Education and Pedagogy
  • Social Sciences › Education › Mathematics Education and Teaching Techniques
Keywords
mathematics learning disabilities, special education assessment, mathematics education, intervention program, constructivist teaching, educational technology, life skills education, adult mathematics education, teacher preparation, mathematics curriculum reform, cognitive strategies, computational performance, curriculum-based assessment, special education teacher training, mathematics textbooks, mathematics pedagogy
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Child, Education, Special, Humans, Learning Disabilities, Mathematics, Research, United States

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