A Research Synthesis of Fraction Interventions for Middle-School Students With a Disability or Mathematics Difficulty

Source abstract

Students with disabilities or mathematics difficulties often experience challenges with fractions. As fraction competence predicts algebra readiness and later success, targeted support is critical. The present systematic review examined 39 fraction intervention studies designed to support middle-school (i.e., Grades 6–8) students with a disability or mathematics difficulty (MD/D). Results indicated that explicit instruction and multiple representations were the most consistently embedded practices, often paired with verbalization to strengthen understanding. Promising instructional components included digital platforms, including virtual manipulatives, and gesturing as forms of representation. Most interventions targeted foundational fraction skills (e.g., magnitude, comparison, equivalence), and fewer addressed grade-level content (i.e., division) or word problems, underscoring the need for research in these areas with middle-school students with MD/D.