Here are some other great websites addressing multiple disabilities and strategies for math inclusion:

Paula's Special Education Resources- this site addresses many disabilities and some specific accommodations you may use for each. It also provides other resources, lists signs for math difficulties, and gives some sites for great math activities.

National Association of Special Education Teachers- this site provides great resources and accommodations not only for special educators but for any teacher who may happen to have a student with special needs in their class.

Math accomodations for students with MR

MR is a disability that has to do with how well, or how fast a person can think and learn. They vary in their reading skills and mathematical abilities. It is difficult for them to think in abstract terms and adapting what he/she hears to everyday situations. Since they are slower to grasp ideas, they have difficulty solving complex problems. Math is all about solving complex problems, so this is a struggle for them. As teachers and parents we have to learn how to adapt instruction for our students, and change what we typically think of as "math". I have listed some links and a video that can hopefully answer questions you might have about different ways of teaching math or incorporating math into the lessons or MR students.

Teaching Mathematics to Students With Mild-to-Moderate
Mental Retardation: A Review of the Literature


Here is a link that shows a journal article that talks about teaching math to students with mild to moderate MR.

Characteristics of Children with Mental Retardation

Here is a link that talks about some characteristics of children with MR. This is helpful for teaching Math because you will know what to expect as far as memory and have some sort of starting point.



Fun Kids Math Games

Here is a link that uses games to teach basic operations.









Group Dance by Mentally Challenged Kids

Here is a video that shows how one might use dance for teaching Math. (this could be a fun accommodation)

Visual Impairments

• Technologies

There are many different types of technologies that may assist your visually impaired student during math instruction. Some common devices include large display calculators and talking calculators. You may not, however, know about devices that assist visually impaired students with more complex mathematical concepts such as factions, borrowing and carrying, money, and measurement. Some of my personal favorite technologies include the "CalcuLine" (designed to teach math fact families), the "Carry and Borrow Line", and "Coin Abacus." The following website includes these devices along with other assistive technologies and their general prices: Math Assistive Technology.

• Accommodations

Students with visual impairments may require the following accommodations: extended time, private testing area, a quiet testing area, enlarged test questions, test readers, recording test on audio tape, specially lined or oriented paper, color coded math equations, and special calculators.

This YouTube video shows a real life situation you might experience with visual impairment in your classroom and some general accommodations you can make in the regular classroom.

• Resources

The following list of sites are only a few of the available resources out there that can be implemented to aid students with visual impairments with mathematics. We hope these resources are beneficial to you.

National Association of Special Education Teachers
Teaching Math to Visually Impaired Students
National Association of Parents with Children in Special Education
Barriers to Achievement in Mathematics for Students with Visual Impairments

Math accomodations for students with LD

While children with disorders in mathematics are specifically included under the definition of Learning Disabilities, seldom do math learning difficulties cause children to be referred for evaluation. In many school systems, special education services are provided almost exclusively on the basis of children's reading disabilities. Even after being identified as learning disabled (LD), few children are provided substantive assessment and remediation of their arithmetic difficulties.


Often referred to as dyscalculia, math-related learning disabilities are complex and require intervention by skillful teachers to help students achieve success. We’ve gathered informative resources here for both parents and educators regarding learning disabilities in the area of mathematics. HERE is a link to explain in more detail about accommodations.

Learn the SQRQCQ Strategy to Solve Math Problems

This strategy guides students to find important elements in problems and determine how they should be used to solve them. It includes built-in self-questioning to encourage students to find and correct their own mistakes. HERE is a link that provides more detail about the SQRQCQ Strategy

Teaching Math to Learning Disabled Students

Math activities proven successful with learning disabled students are presented, along with a description of factors that influence struggling special needs students. HERE is a link to the successful activities provided by Special Needs Education suite 101.

HERE is a link to a video I have provided of teaching math students with a learning disability.


LEARNING MATH THROUGH VIDEO INSTRUCTION