Students with a Math Disability May Need Support

A math disability is sometimes referred to as Dyscalculia, but dyscalculia is not a special education eligible diagnosis. A math disability is primarily described as a specific learning disability in math or mathematics and is diagnosed as a condition where people have significant problems with numbers, but have a normal or above normal IQ. People with a math disability also struggle with problems of being able to learn to tell time, left/right orientation, name recalling, rules in games and much more.

Math Disability or Dyscalculia?
A math disability called Dyscalculia is seldom diagnosed in special education because very few specific criteria are used to meet the diagnosis. In order for a child to receive services for a math disability, their learning disability needs to be severe enough to fit in state rules for receiving special education services in that area. A child can carry the diagnosis of a specific learning disability in math with an outside diagnosis of dyscalculia. In this case, special education placement is warranted.

Math Disability Resource Room Placement

A child with a math problem and has a diagnosis of a specific learning disability in math would almost always fit the description for dyscalculia. If the child's disability was severe enough that the modifications within the regular classroom aren't successful, then it is appropriate to provide them special education services through a resource room placement. This is a classroom where intense, specific instruction is given in the areas of the math disability. Individual modifications are made to the curriculum and instruction that meet the math learning needs of the child.

Math Disability with IEP Support in Regular Classroom

A child who qualifies for special education services with a math disability, who also may have diagnosis of dyscalculia from an outside agency, could receive services within the regular classroom if the math disability is not severe. In this case, a resource teacher, trained in special education, would visit the child within the regular education setting during math time and provide supports specific to their math disability. The special education teacher would provide specific one on one instruction to the child. The resource teacher also would give strategies and suggestions to the regular education teacher on how to modify the curriculum to meet the math disability needs of the student.

Math Disability and Regular Classroom: Alternative Strategies

If a child is in a regular classroom and suffers from a math disability or dyscalculia but does not qualify for special education services, the regular classroom teacher can use strategies to help him be successful. Some strategies include teaching the child to visualize the math problems or have him draw the problem in a picture. Giving him extra time to work on math problems and allowing for math problems to be read aloud helps many children perform better. Also, allowing children to do the math problems on graph paper to help keep the numbers in line and orderly and keeping information minimal on worksheets as to not overwhelm the child are effective strategies. A teacher could also give the child extra time to memorize math facts and use music or rhythm to encourage memorization.

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