VIRTUAL MANIPULATIVES AND INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES FOR TEACHING MATHEMATICAL CONCEPTS AND SKILLS TO STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

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Muratcan Akbıyık
Yusuf Ziya Tavil

Abstract

Students with special needs may face difficulties in demonstrating abstract concepts and the skills associated with these concepts. These challenges can vary based on individual differences, learning characteristics, types of disabilities, and many other factors. Manipulatives serve to concretize abstract concepts and skills, allowing students to learn through seeing, hearing, and doing. In the special education literature, there are two types of manipulatives: concrete and virtual manipulatives. With the advancement of technology, it is suggested that virtual manipulatives can be effective in teaching mathematical concepts and skills to students with special needs. Virtual manipulatives, as digital forms of concrete manipulatives, can be beneficial for both practitioners and students. This study examines manipulatives, virtual manipulatives, and the instructional processes involved in imparting mathematical concepts and skills to students with special needs, as well as the related research in this context. Additionally, virtual manipulative platforms that practitioners can use are introduced.

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Author Biography

Yusuf Ziya Tavil, Biruni University

Yusuf Ziya Tavil is an Associate Proffesor Doctor of Special Education at Biruni University in İstanbul, Turkey.