The Effects of Concrete and Virtual Manipulatives on Solving Algebraic Equations in Students With Disabilities.

This article examines the effects of concrete and virtual manipulatives on the accuracy and duration of solving one- and two-step algebraic equations by three middle school students with cognitive disabilities, specifically Specific Learning Disability (SLD) and Intellectual Disability (ID). Using an alternating treatments design, the study found that both manipulative types significantly improved students' equation-solving accuracy compared to baseline, with two participants performing better with concrete manipulatives and one with virtual manipulatives. The virtual manipulatives, accessed via the BrainingCamp website on Chromebooks, appeared to promote greater student independence, while concrete manipulatives were sometimes preferred for tactile engagement and speed. The findings support the use of both concrete and virtual manipulatives as effective instructional tools to support students with disabilities in mathematics, highlighting the importance of considering student preference and instructional context when selecting manipulatives.