THE EFFECTS OF FIVE MINUTE PRACTICE, UNLIMITED PRACTICE, WITH SAFMED CARDS ON CORRECT AND ERROR RATE IN MATH FACTS FOR TWO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES

This study evaluated the effectiveness of three Precision Teaching techniques daily timing, modeling at the top of the timed tests, and SAFMEDS (say all facts one minute each day shuffled) on the fluency of see to write math facts with two elementary school students identified as learning disabled. A modified ABCA single case design was employed. The various interventions packages did improve the students' correct rate and for see to write multiplication math facts for the participants. The applicability of various intervention procedures for elementary school special education students is discussed. The teaching of multiplication facts is a basic part of the math curriculum in today's schools. Research has shown that students with mild disabilities often use counting strategies (e. g. finger counting) to solve basic mathematical problems (Lerner, 1999; Skinner, Beatty, Turce, & Rasavage, 1989). Unfortunately, strategies typically result in a general lack of speed in solving math problems. The use of these strategies can dramatically diminish the student's performance of mathematical functions commensurate with peers and the requirements of many math related tasks (Skinner et al., 1989; Skinner & Schock, 1995). Calculation skills have been seen as one of the predictors in assessing a student's success in general academic performance (Lloyd, 1978; Haring, Lovitt, Eaton, & Hansen, 1978). Lloyd (1978) found that poor academic performance, found as early as the third grade, was a predictor of later school failure and increased risk for dropping out of school. Thus, building fluency (i. e. improving speed), as well as increasing accuracy in math should improve the likelihood of a student's future academic and social success.