Using the concrete-representational-abstract approach to support students with intellectual disability to solve change-making problems

Background/aims/methods: The Concrete-Representational-Abstract (CRA) instructional approach supports students with disabilities in mathematics. Yet, no research explores the use of the CRA approach to teach functional-based mathematics for this population and limited research explores the CRA approach for students who have a disability different from a learning disability, such as an intellectual disability. This study investigated the effects of using the CRA approach to teach middle school students in a self-contained mathematics class focused on functional-based mathematics to solve making change problems. Researchers used a multiple probe across participants design to determine if a functional relation existed between the CRA strategy and students' ability to solve making change problems. Procedures/outcomes: The study of consisted of five-to-eight baseline sessions, 9-11 intervention sessions, and two maintenance sessions for each student. Data were collected on percentage of making change problems students solved correctly. Results/conclusions: The CRA instructional strategy was effective in teaching all four participants to correctly solve the problems; a functional relation between the CRA approach and solving making change with coins problems across all participants was found. Implications: The CRA instructional approach can be used to support students with mild intellectual disability or severe learning disabilities in learning functional-based mathematics, such as purchasing skills (i.e., making change). (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.