Assistive Technology-Using Calculators to Help Students with Disabilities in Math

In today’s mainstream math classrooms, students with disabilities are using calculators to solve simple and complex problems. Calculators can enhance the learning of math or become a deterrent to a student's ability to process the foundation of mathematical basics. Teachers must always look at a student's IEP (Individual Education Plan) to determine his/her math level ability. If a student is having difficulty in learning basic math computations, a teacher can find instructional ways to make make learning fun. Read on to find tips to make math basics accessible and fun for students struggling to find their niche in the math world.

Here are some real tips for making math fun for students with disabilities:

• Use basic paper and pencil to write out how to solve a math problem. A student must be able to show his/her work so the teacher can help the student check the steps from the 1st step to the final answer.
• When a student is able to understand mathematical process, the calculator can be introduced to check whether the answer is right or needs further processing.
• Students must be taught how to use calculators starting with the “Clear” key and the various function keys used in mathematical computation before they can check to see if they did the problem correctly or not.
• For students with disabilities who have difficulty in solving the mechanics of addition and subtraction, the calculator can reverse the frustration of mechanics and show the relationship between numbers, operations and computation.
• When the teacher is able to present real-life application of problems that can be solved using calculators and create visual problem-solving manipulatives, students having difficulties with the basics of addition and subtraction can create visual association in understanding basic mathematical concepts. For example, if a student is trying to figure out if 10% of a purchase costing $20.00 is a better deal than paying $16.99 for that item, the student can use a calculator to show that $20.00 - $2.00=$18.00 vs. $16.99. Face it, saving $1.01 on a purchase is a big deal in today's economy.
• Use the calculator and start with single numbers to add and subtract and add two digit numbers and then three digit numbers until a student feels comfortable inputting the numbers and the functions associated with the problems.
• The calculator should be used as an assistive tool to check on a student's learning process. Students must be taught how to use pencil and paper to solve math problems before using the calculator to check their work.

Math can be fun and exciting for students with disabilities searching to find their mathematical niche in a world of numbers and lots of problem solving opportunities.