https://doi.org/10.1177/2165143418822800
Career Development and Transition for
Exceptional Individuals
1–6
© Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2019
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DOI: 10.1177/2165143418822800
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Transition in Practice
Mr. Kramer is a 10th-grade resource math teacher in a large
suburban high school. He currently has several sections of
the same remedial math class. Each of these classes has
about 20 to 25 students. Most of the students in Mr. Kramer’s
class are receiving special education services under the
learning disability category, but he also has students with
autism, intellectual disability, and behavior disorders. The
math ability of his classes varies greatly—some students
perform close to a 10th-grade level, whereas others are at a
third-grade level. Mr. Kramer teaches the same math proce-
dures repeatedly, preventing him from being able to work
closely with struggling students. Recently, he was provided a
classroom set of iPads, and he is looking for a way to sup-
plement his current instruction utilizing the iPads.
Increased integration of students with disabilities in
mainstream classrooms has created a need to develop,
refine, and implement new evidence-based teaching meth-
ods. The field of transition services is particularly in need of
effective strategies that teach transition-age students aca-
demic skills. Specifically, mathematic skill acquisition by
this population is necessary for success outside of school
(Kellems, Frandsen, et al., 2016).
In 2015, The National Assessment of Educational
Progress conducted by the U.S. Department of Education
reported that only 6% of high school seniors with disabili-
ties were at or above the proficient level in mathematics,
leaving 94% of these students below proficiency (U.S.
Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences,
National Center for Education Statistics, 2015). The fact
that 94% of students with disabilities are below proficient in
mathematics represents a compelling need for teaching
strategies focused on increasing the number of students
with disabilities proficient in math.
One teaching strategy that can be used to increase math
proficiency levels is augmented reality (AR). AR, which can
be used to deliver the already established evidence-based
practices of video modeling and video prompting (VP;
Bellini & Akullian, 2007), is a strategy that has shown prom-
ise for increasing math proficiency for students with dis-
abilities and their typically developing peers (Sommerauer
& Müller, 2014).
Augmented Reality
AR technology blends physical and digital worlds, provid-
ing information about the environment through pictures,
videos, and audios on mobile devices (Cihak et al., 2016;
Smith, Cihak, Kim, McMahon, & Wright, 2016; Sommerauer
& Müller, 2014). The system (a) combines real and virtual
worlds, (b) provides a real-time interaction, and (c) superim-
poses real objects or places and three-dimensional digital
information (Sommerauer & Müller, 2014). AR can function
as an assistive technology or instructional technology in
822800CDE XX X 10.1177/2165143418822800Career Development and Transition for Exceptional IndividualsKellems et al.
research-article 2019
1
Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
Corresponding Author:
Ryan O. Kellems, Brigham Young University, 340-B MCKB, Provo, UT
84602, USA.
Email: rkellems@byu.edu
Using an Augmented Reality–Based
Teaching Strategy to Teach Mathematics
to Secondary Students With Disabilities
Ryan O. Kellems, PhD
1
, Giulia Cacciatore, MS
1
,
and Kaitlyn Osborne, MS
1
Abstract
A basic understanding of math, numeracy, and related concepts are critical skills for functioning independently in society.
Individuals with disabilities often struggle with basic math, which impedes their ability for independent living. Augmented
reality (AR), which builds on the evidence-based principles of video modeling, is a promising teaching strategy of providing
math instruction to individuals with disabilities. This article provides a practical framework (with step-by-step instructions
and examples) for practitioners wishing to implement AR as a teaching strategy for secondary students with disabilities.
Keywords
augmented reality, math, video modeling, iPad, academic skills