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Success for Special Education Students

Inside Algebra helps accomplish the fundamental goals of special education, from the development of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) to modifications of the instructional plan based on student needs.
Reaching Students Identified for Special Education

Inside Algebra meets the instructional needs of students identified for special education.

  
Explicit Instruction
Instruction In a study involving secondary students with learning disabilities, students made greater improvement in the acquisition, application, maintenance, and generalization of information through explicit instruction than through traditional instruction.

 
 
 
 		 Inside Algebra employs explicit instruction as a vital element of its design. Concepts and skills are clearly defined and students are provided with examples of all concepts so that relationships between the concepts and the skills are clear and explicit.
Hands-on and Manipulative-based Activities Activity 1

Activity 2

Hands-on activities can make math relevant and interesting to students. Giving students the opportunity to work through abstract algebraic concepts with manipulatives and hands-on activities helps them see how concepts can be translated into real life. Many students, especially those with learning disabilities, need hands-on manipulatives and visual representations to help them understand abstract algebraic concepts.

 
 
 
 
 		 Inside Algebra employs a variety of hands-on activities and manipulatives as tools for developing an understanding of abstract concepts. Every objective is supported by hands-on activities that quickly engage students and help them view concepts from a concrete perspective.

Cooperative Learning
Cooperative Cooperative learning is supported by the NCTM and has been shown to benefit mathematics achievement in students with and without learning disabilities. Cooperative learning has also been shown to promote peer acceptance.

 
 
 		 Inside Algebra offers many activities that involve dividing the class into small groups in which students interact in instructionally relevant ways and focus on explicit goals. Students collaboratively translate, explain, discuss, and solve problems and concepts in their own terms, thus deepening their understanding of the content.
Problem Solving  

Problem-solving activities can foster deep and lasting learning in algebra. Problem solving also provides students with opportunities for self-evaluation through reflection on their strategies.

 
 
 
 		 Inside Algebra provides Problem-Solving Activities to help students understand each objective. These activities require students to synthesize a variety of skills, solidify their understanding of concepts, and engage them in problem-solving strategies and reflective thinking.

Ongoing Assessment  

Frequent assessment of student learning, with reference to student performance on specific tasks, is essential to effective instruction. Teachers can use these data to:
develop an accurate assessment of each student's progress.
design appropriate instructional interventions for students who are falling behind.

Thus, the collection of data on student progress improves both instruction and student learning.

 
 
 		 Inside Algebra's approach is based on setting objectives, diagnosing student comprehension, using this diagnosis to select appropriate instructional plans, evaluating students’ understanding during and after learning, and recording data on student progress.
 
Students are pre-tested to determine their learning needs.

 		 Teachers then use student performance on activities to monitor their progress.

 		 At the end of each objective, students are post-tested to assess levels of mastery.

 		 To ensure that all students are successful, opportunities for further instruction are provided for students who have not achieved mastery.

Teacher Ease Teacher Ease

 		 State-of-the art resources meet the specific needs of special education teachers.

 		 Two distinct instructional plans provide explicit guidance in the selection of appropriate activities for differentiation.

 		 Consistent lesson format provides explicit direction for teachers to present instruction to support student mastery.

I like the program, and the activities it includes. I was able to pull out different activities and augment those activities as needed. The students seem to like the program as well.
Ashley C. Martin,
NEHS Special Education Foundations II and Algebra I Teacher