Effectiveness of Mathematical Word Problem Solving Interventions for Students With Learning Disabilities and/or Mathematics Difficulties: A Meta-Analysis

This meta-analysis synthesized the available empirical evidence on the impact of interventions on the development and enhancement of mathematical word problem solving skills for K-12 students with learning disabilities (LD) and those with mathematics difficulties (MD). A total of 33 studies met inclusion criteria for this meta-analysis. After removing 2 influential data points, 31 true-experimental or quasi-experimental studies (34 independent effect sizes) contributed effect sizes for this meta-analysis. Results of a random effects model showed that word problem solving interventions yielded a moderate positive mean effect size (g = 0.56, 95% confidence interval [0.40, 0.72]). The relation between word problem solving interventions and student learning was moderated by grade level, year of publication, type of measure, intervention model type, and implementer. On average, intervention effects were larger for (a) elementary grades than secondary grades, (b) studies published between 2000 and 2009, (c) researcher-developed than norm-referenced measures, (d) researcher implementers than teacher implementers. Results also showed intervention effects for schema-based transfer instruction were larger than those for schema-based instruction, strategy instruction, and other. These results support mathematics word problem solving interventions for students with LD and/or MD. We conclude by discussing directions for future research and implications for practice. Educational Impact and Implications Statement The results of this meta-analysis indicated that mathematics word problem solving interventions for K-12 students with LD and those with MD were moderately effective. Interventions were more effective when they focused on the underlying problem structure and directly targeted teaching for transfer. Given the mathematics achievement gaps between students with LD and/or MD and their higher-scoring peers, it is important to not only identify interventions that improve mathematics performance of struggling students, but also those that accelerate growth in closing achievement gaps.