The effectiveness of direct instruction, computer-aided teaching methods and mastery learning on reducing the problems of students with mathematics disorder

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of three methods of direct instruction, computer assisted instruction and mastery learning on reducing the problems of students with dyscalculia in primary third and fourth grades. The population of this study included male and female students in third and fourth grades in Sabzevar city who have math learning disability and learning disorders and referred to rehabilitation centers and enrolled in the academic year 2015-2016. Twenty students were selected on a voluntary basis through clinical interviews, Wechsler Intelligence Scale cognitive tests, standardized tests of math and spatial disorder and finally received teacher evaluation scale, and then the students were randomly divided into four five-people groups. Three experimental groups received the treatment for 12 sessions, three 45-minute sessions each and the control group received traditional training normal in learning disorders treatment center. All four groups sat for the pre-test and post-test and the data were analyzed using analysis of variance. The results of this study showed that direct instruction, computer-aided teaching and mastery learning were effective in reducing student's math problems. Accordingly, it can be concluded that the mastery learning approach is more effective in reducing the problems of students with mathematics disorder than conventional traditional methods.