The effects of the use of graphing calculator on learning disabled students' achievement and attitudes in a university finite mathematics course

The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of the use of the Texas Instrument Graphing Calculator (TI-82) on the achievement and attitude of learning disabled students in a university finite mathematics class. The exploratory study investigates the following issues: (1) Do learning disabled students in the study have preferences for various representations, in a graphing calculator-based instructional environment in a finite mathematics course? (2) To what extent are preferences contextually related as measured by a researcher-designed representations of functions test? (3) Did the use of the graphing calculator result in more positive attitudes of the subjects about mathematics as measured by the Aiken's Revised Mathematics Attitude Scale? (4) Were the learning disabled students who used the graphing calculator in finite mathematics more likely to enroll in more advanced mathematics courses?; A significant result of this exploratory investigation indicates that one of the learning disabled students in the study did have preferences regarding representations of functions. More research needs to be done to determine whether learning disabled students' preferences of representations of functions in contextual and noncontextual settings are similar for students in a graphing calculator-based environment as for traditional students. Moreover, to what extent the presence and use of the calculator affects these preferences needs additional study. Recommendations for further research are outlined.