Effects of Using Virtual Manipulatives for Students With Disabilities: Three-Level Multilevel Modeling for Single-Case Data

Abstract

We synthesized studies published since 2000 that assessed the effects of using virtual manipulatives to increase the mathematical accuracy of students with disabilities. We extracted a total of 1,796 raw data points from 114 cases across 35 single-case studies. By applying three-level multilevel modeling, we analyzed both immediate effects and trends during the intervention phase as well as moderation effects related to student characteristics (case level) and intervention features (study level). Both the average immediate effect and trend during the intervention were statistically significant. The average immediate effect varied significantly by student grade, disability type, developer, device, type of virtual manipulative, and visual model embedded in virtual manipulatives. Neither student characteristics nor intervention feature–related moderators significantly influenced the average trend during the use of virtual manipulatives.

Examining the Impact of Task Difficulty on Student Engagement and Learning Rates

“…If the given task requires skills beyond the student's independent or instructional skill level, a teacher should consider interventions that build preliminary academic skills that provide or scaffold support to the student before or during the assigned task. One example is to use instructional aids such a number line, manipulatives, graduated guidance, or multiple exemplars during the task to aid the student in responding (Shin et al, 2021). Another example is using student-directed interventions like Cover, Copy, and Compare or Performance Feedback to build perquisite skills to promote learning and increase performance (Joseph et al, 2012;Stocker et al, 2019).…”

Mathematics Instruction for Students With Learning Disabilities: Applied Examples Using Virtual Manipulatives

“…Mathematics instruction using virtual manipulatives can be implemented in three ways: (a) teacher-led instruction, (b) teacher-guided instruction, and (c) technology-assisted instruction (Bouck et al, 2021; Park, Bryant, & Shin, 2021; Shin et al, 2021). These instructional methods are effective for teaching mathematics to a wide range of grade levels.…”

“…Virtual manipulatives can be included in various technology environments, such as single representation (i.e., interactive image only), multiple representation (i.e., interactive visual models accompanied with numerical or text information), tutorials, gaming , and simulation (Moyer-Packenham & Bolyard, 2016), encouraging students to engage in learning. Studies have revealed that students with disabilities who received mathematics interventions using virtual manipulatives showed both immediate effects and growth over time in various concepts and subjects within mathematics (Bouck et al, 2021; Park, Bryant, & Shin, 2021; Shin et al, 2021).…”

Teachers’ Experiences with and Perceptions of Virtual Manipulatives Following the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…VM have been defined as “an interactive, Web-based visual representation of a dynamic object that presents opportunities for constructing mathematical knowledge” (Moyer et al, 2002 , p. 373). VM were initially developed as Flash or Java programs, but now are predominantly HTML5 or app based (Shin et al, 2021 ).…”