Teacher Views of Math E-learning Tools for Students with Specific Learning Disabilities
Zikai Alex Wen, Erica Silverstein, Yuhang Zhao, Anjelika Lynne S. Amog, Katherine Garnett, Shiri Azenkot
Abstract
Many students with specific learning disabilities (SLDs) have difficulty learning math. To succeed in math, they need to receive personalized support from teachers. Recently, math e-learning tools that provide personalized math skills training have gained popularity. However, we know little about how well these tools help teachers personalize instruction for students with SLDs. To answer this question, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 teachers who taught students with SLDs in grades five to eight. We found that participants used math e-learning tools that were not designed specifically for students with SLDs. Participants had difficulty using these tools because of text-intensive user interfaces, insufficient feedback about student performance, inability to adjust difficulty levels, and problems with setup and maintenance. Participants also needed assistive technology for their students, but they had challenges in getting and using it. From our findings, we distilled design implications to help shape the design of more inclusive and effective e-learning tools.