Comparing the effectiveness of two app-based number lines to teach price comparison to students with autism spectrum disorders

Pei-Lin Weng, Purdue University

Abstract

Price comparison is one of the functional mathematical skills required to enhance independence in community living. Yet, little literature exists on how to teach this skill and what adaptations to use in grocery stores, especially for students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). A number line consisting of Arabic numerals is a commonly used instructional tool for teaching price comparison. However, its lack of concrete visual cues as adaptations might not be sufficient for students with ASD who have not yet mastered the representation of Arabic numerals. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of additional visual cues by comparing two types of app-based number line conditions (i.e., number lines with and without non-symbolic numerical representation [i.e., an array of dots]). These number lines were presented on an iPad, which was carried by the students during price comparison tasks. A single-subject, alternating treatment design study was employed among five secondary students with ASD. Price comparison tasks took place in a simulated grocery store setting during the baseline, intervention, and best-treatment phases, and in a real grocery store during the generalization phase. Each of the students was required to select lower-priced items without any instruction or tools during the baseline phase. During the intervention phase, in which two conditions were alternated, each student used the number line app in conjunction with instructional strategies, holistic/decomposition models, and most-to-least prompts to select the lower-priced items. During the best-treatment (i.e., the superior condition) and generalization phases, students used the number line condition that yielded the better result during the intervention phase. Visual analysis along with additional quantitative metrics (i.e., effect-size indices, including percentage of non-overlapping data, standard mean differences, and standardized coefficients) was conducted to compare the effectiveness of the two types of app-based number lines. The findings suggest that both number line conditions were effective for four of the five students in assisting them to select cheaper items. However, the number line with dots was slightly more effective than the number line without dots in terms of accuracy during number comparison and the selection of cheaper items, as well as the independent completion of task analysis steps.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Bouck, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Educational evaluation|Special education|Educational technology

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