A sizable body of literature exists studying various technologies and pedagogical practices for teaching secondary mathematics curriculum to students with a learning disability in mathematics. However, with the growing footprint of computer-based technologies in today's classrooms, some areas of study, such as the use of virtual manipulatives, lack sufficient exploration. Although concrete manipulatives were studied for many decades for students with a learning disability and are considered a best practice, the research base for virtual manipulatives is notably less. With a specific focus on algebraic instruction, this study sought to compare the benefits of both forms of manipulatives to assist secondary students with a learning disability in mathematics to solve single-variable linear equations using a single-subject alternating treatment design. Over the course of 30 sessions of intervention, three students exhibited over 90% average accuracy solving problems using both virtual and concrete manipulatives, while the concrete manipulative earned higher scores for two of the three students.

Two groups of three students with moderate mental retardation were instructed using group procedures to compare static picture and video prompting simulation strategies. An alternating treatments design was used to compare individual student task acquisition and maintenance performances of purchasing and banking skills. The results indicated that these two strategies were equally effective and efficient. Individual differences suggest that simulation strategy materials benefit student learning by displaying relevant stimuli for a stationary period time during presentation.

Independence is the ultimate goal for students with disabilities, including secondary students with autism. One avenue targeted for increasing independence and decreasing prompt-dependency is through self-monitoring. In this study, investigators sought to determine whether a difference exists in levels of task independence when three students with autism complete food preparation tasks while self-monitoring using a low-tech treatment (paper/pencil) and high-tech treatment (iPad). Although both interventions decreased the need for prompting thereby increasing independence, students needed less assistance when using the iPad. Students also maintained their levels of independence in food preparation following summer vacation. Social validity interviews indicated students preferred self-monitoring with the iPad over the paper/pencil.

Speech recognition (SR) technologies were evaluated in different classroom environments to assist students to automatically convert oral lectures into text. Two distinct methods of SR-mediated lecture acquisition (SR-mLA), real-time captioning (RTC) and postlecture transcription (PLT), were evaluated in situ life and social sciences lecture courses employing typical classroom equipment. Both methods were compared according to technical feasibility and reliability of classroom implementation, instructors' experiences, word recognition accuracy, and student class performance. RTC provided near-instantaneous display of the instructor's speech for students during class. PLT employed a user-independent SR algorithm to optimally generate multimedia class notes with synchronized lecture transcripts, instructor audio, and class PowerPoint slides for students to access online after class. PLT resulted in greater word recognition accuracy than RTC. During a science course, students were more likely to take optional online quizzes and received higher quiz scores with PLT than when multimedia class notes were unavailable. Overall class grades were also higher when multimedia class notes were available. The potential benefits of SR-mLA for students who have difficulty taking notes accurately and independently were discussed, particularly for nonnative English speakers and students with disabilities. Field-tested best practices for optimizing SR accuracy for both SR-mLA methods were outlined.

Although consumers completed tasks with greater independence using telecare supports, caution should be used when interpreting results due to the small number of participants. The potential for this technology certainly exists in supporting consumers in their own homes thus, suggestions for future investigations are provided.