etadd_47(3) - Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities

Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 2012, <strong>47</strong>(3), 345–358
© <strong>Division</strong> on Autism and Developmental Disabilities
Cognitive Strategy Instruction for Functional Mathematical
Skill: Effects for Young Adults with Intellectual Disability
Youjia Hua, Benjamin S. T. Morgan, Erica R. Kaldenberg, and Minkowan Goo
The University of Iowa
Abstract: This study assessed the effectiveness of a three-step cognitive strategy (TIP) for calculating tip and
total bill for young adults with intellectual disability. In the context of pre- and posttest nonequivalent-groups
design, 10 students from a postsecondary education program for individuals with disabilities participated in the
study. A teacher delivered six lessons to students in the experimental group using the working instructional
model for teaching learning strategies. Results indicate that the experimental group outperformed the comparison
group on items that assessed the ability to calculate tip and total bill. Students from the experimental
group also generalized the procedural knowledge to tasks that required using percent values in different contexts.
Four of the students from the experimental group maintained the use of the strategy 8 weeks after the
intervention.
Self-determination, the ability to control one’s
own life without relying on caregivers, is an
important educational outcome for individuals
with disabilities as they transition to adult
living (Field & Hoffman, 2002; Wehmeyer,
Agran, & Hughes, 1998). Self-determination is
often associated with the success achieved in
the areas of living, employment, and education
(Halpern, 1993). One set of skills that is
necessary to fulfill the expectation of independent
functioning in these areas is financial
autonomy including the ability to earn, budget,
and spend money (Browder & Grasso,
1999). Unfortunately, individuals with disabilities
often have difficulties with money management
skills (Yan, Grasso, Dipipi-Hoy, & Jitendra,
2005). These difficulties, in turn,
affect all aspects of adult life. For example, the
National Longitudinal Transition Study (Wagner
et al., 1991) examined the financial management
activities performed by young adults
with learning disabilities who had been out of
the schools for up to two years and found that
very few participants had checking accounts
(8.1%), a credit card of their own (8.1%), or
Correspondence concerning this article should
be addressed to Youjia Hua, Department of Teaching
and Learning, N256 Lindquist Center, The University
of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242. Email: youjiahua@uiowa.edu
other investments (0.4%). The results of the
study indicate that young adults with learning
disabilities are not engaged in some of the
essential money management activities that
most adults will need.
Researchers suggest that one important reason
why individuals with disabilities have limited
opportunities to reach financial autonomy
is that they lack essential functional
mathematical skills (Patton, Cronin, & Bassett,
1998). Mathematical deficiencies are as
common as difficulties in reading for individuals
with disabilities (Deshler, Ellis, & Lenz,
1996). Researchers found that students with
learning difficulties tend to acquire mathematical
skills at a slower rate and have difficulties
with skill retention and generalization
(Miller & Mercer, 1997). Limited mathematic
literacy for students with learning difficulties
appears in elementary school and persists
throughout their adulthood (e.g., Kirby &
Becker, 1988). As a result, social and economic
independence of adults with disabilities
is negatively affected (Lerner, 1993). In
order to prepare these individuals for the demand
and challenges of adult life, postsecondary
mathematical curriculum should focus on
the skills that will be used on the job, at home,
and in the community (Deshler et al., 1996;
Patton et al., 1998).
In addition to a functional skills oriented
Functional Mathematical Skill / 345