Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities - Division on ...

was first <strong>in</strong>troduced. Specifically, when compar<strong>in</strong>g
the last two sessions of at the end of the
basel<strong>in</strong>e phase <strong>and</strong> the first two sessions at the
beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g of the <strong>in</strong>tervention phase, there
was an <strong>in</strong>crease from 14.3% of the problems
be<strong>in</strong>g solved correctly to 50% of the problems
be<strong>in</strong>g solved correctly (an <strong>in</strong>crease of 35.7%)
<strong>in</strong>dicat<strong>in</strong>g an immediate change of level for
Joe.
Sam
Dur<strong>in</strong>g Sam’s basel<strong>in</strong>e, the mean percent of
problems solved correctly was 48.6%. The
mean dur<strong>in</strong>g the <strong>in</strong>tervention phase was
74.3%, <strong>in</strong>dicat<strong>in</strong>g an <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> the overall
problems solved correctly. The mean for
Sam’s ma<strong>in</strong>tenance phase was 70.0%, suggest<strong>in</strong>g
a slight decrease <strong>in</strong> the problems Sam
solved correctly once the <strong>in</strong>tervention ended.
Visual analysis <strong>in</strong>dicated that Sam demonstrated
a high variability of performance dur<strong>in</strong>g
the basel<strong>in</strong>e phase; however, less variability
was observed dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>tervention.
Additionally, the median for the basel<strong>in</strong>e
phase was 28.6% of the problems solved correctly
<strong>and</strong> the median for the <strong>in</strong>tervention
phase is 100% of the problems solved correctly
signify<strong>in</strong>g an <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> the level dur<strong>in</strong>g
the <strong>in</strong>tervention phase. There was also a rapid
<strong>in</strong>crease observed between the last session of
basel<strong>in</strong>e where the assessment score was
14.3% solved correctly <strong>and</strong> the first session of
the <strong>in</strong>tervention phase where the assessment
score was 50.0% (<strong>in</strong>crease of 35.7%), which
reveals an immediate change of level.
Discussion
The purpose of this study was to exam<strong>in</strong>e the
effectiveness of the FLY Pen when used as a
mathematical <strong>in</strong>structional tool for students
with mild <strong>in</strong>tellectual disabilities. The results
<strong>in</strong>dicate an <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> students’ assessment
scores on multiplication facts dur<strong>in</strong>g the <strong>in</strong>tervention
phase; however, the extent of these
results was variable among the students. The
results suggest that all three participants experienced
an immediate <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> the percentage
of problems solved correctly when they
<strong>in</strong>itially began us<strong>in</strong>g the FLY Pen. These
results support previous research that found
technology may be beneficial when used to
teach math skills to students with mild <strong>in</strong>tellectual
disabilities (Horton et al., 1992; Jaspers
& Van Lieshout, 1994; Masteropieri et al.,
1997).
Dihoff, Brosvic, Epste<strong>in</strong>, <strong>and</strong> Cook (2005)
exam<strong>in</strong>ed the improvement of mathematics
abilities of students with mild disabilities. They
found that students who received immediate
feedback from an educator or from an Immediate
Feedback Assessment Technique (IF
AT) on mathematical assessments demonstrated
reductions <strong>in</strong> errors <strong>and</strong> a greater retention
of the material. The FLY Pen similarly
provides students with immediate
feedback through its beeps (<strong>in</strong>dicat<strong>in</strong>g a correct
number or answer was written) or
prompts <strong>in</strong>dicat<strong>in</strong>g an <strong>in</strong>correct answer (i.e.,
the pen say<strong>in</strong>g “not there yet, there’s more to
do”). Dihoff et al. called for an <strong>in</strong>strument
that can be used by students with disabilities
that can not only assess correct answers but
also provide feedback <strong>and</strong> correct misunderst<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>gs
of material. The audible output provided
by the FLY Pen does this through the
feedback given when a student answers a question
<strong>in</strong>correctly. The prompts assist students
<strong>in</strong> identify<strong>in</strong>g where errors are made <strong>and</strong> allow
them to cont<strong>in</strong>ue work<strong>in</strong>g on solv<strong>in</strong>g
problems until a correct answer is obta<strong>in</strong>ed. A
teacher who is work<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dividually with a student
typically would provide this type of oneon-one
feedback. S<strong>in</strong>ce the pentop computer
can provide this feedback <strong>in</strong>stead, this may
help to decrease the amount of time teachers
spend work<strong>in</strong>g one-on-one with students.
While the FLY Pen does provide immediate
feedback, there was variability <strong>in</strong> the students’
assessment scores <strong>and</strong> responses to the
<strong>in</strong>tervention. Diane, who expressed a dislike
for us<strong>in</strong>g the technology <strong>in</strong> front of her classmates,
demonstrated the most significant
changes <strong>in</strong> her assessment scores dur<strong>in</strong>g the
<strong>in</strong>tervention <strong>and</strong> ma<strong>in</strong>tenance phases. When
Diane expressed discomfort <strong>in</strong> us<strong>in</strong>g the pentop
computer <strong>in</strong> front of her classmates, she
was accommodated by be<strong>in</strong>g allowed to use
the FLY Pen <strong>in</strong> a separate room across the
hall. Diane expressed an <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> motivation
for learn<strong>in</strong>g her multiplication facts after
us<strong>in</strong>g the FLY Pen. Although allowed to use
a multiplication table (<strong>in</strong> addition to the
FLY Pen) for her work, Diane tended to
only use the FLY Pen. Follow<strong>in</strong>g the <strong>in</strong>ter-
FLY Pen Math / 377