Using an Online Multi-Component Intervention to Teach Mathematics to Autistic Secondary School Students

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an online, multi-component intervention (video modeling, online mathematical games, self-monitoring checklists, and least to most prompting) in teaching mathematics skills to autistic secondary school students using a multiple probe design across skills. This study is unique from previous studies as most of the evidence on the effects of video modeling instruction comes from in-person instructional settings. Two secondary school autistic students participated in an intervention twice a week synchronously via Zoom video conferencing platform. Each student worked on three types of mathematics problems based on their individual learning needs throughout the study (simplifying ratios, adding mixed fractions, dividing fractions, and measurement). Student accuracy in solving mathematics problems was the dependent variable which was analyzed through a visual analysis method. Visual analysis of data showed the presence of a functional relation between the virtual intervention and students’ improvement of mathematics skills. Students also showed evidence of skill maintenance. These findings add to scant evidence on virtual instructional supports in teaching mathematics to autistic secondary school students.