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In the current study we examined the effect of a self-regulated strategy development intervention on the fraction calculations of students with or at risk for disabilities using a multiple-baseline-across-sites, single-case design. Specifically, the intervention package addressed the following skills: adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators, simplifying fractions, and converting improper fractions to mixed numbers. The intervention was implemented with high levels of treatment fidelity and social validity across three separate intervention agents. Results of the study showed the intervention to be effective, with 15 of the 16 participants making marked gains on fraction probes. We discuss the results of the study with respect to the research questions, provide limitations to the study, and propose areas for future research.

Proficiency with fractions is one of the most significant predictors of later mathematics achievement. However, there are currently no meta-analyses that assess the literature base on fractions for students with or at risk for disabilities using quality indicators. We applied the 2014 Council for Exceptional Children Standards for Evidence-Based Practices in Special Education (CEC EBP) to 21 studies, both single-case and group designs, with instructionally based fraction interventions, published from 1986 to 2017. Ten of the included studies met all of the CEC EBP quality indicators, and effect sizes ranged from g = 0.42 to 11.51 across interventions. Publication bias was mixed but limited across the research base. Included studies examined the effects of anchored instruction, explicit instruction, graduated instruction, strategy instruction, and video modeling; explicit instruction was determined to be an evidence-based practice when applying the CEC EBP standards. We offer limitations and directions for future research in this area.

Interventions based on the results of functional behavioral assessment (FBA) have been the topic of extensive research and, in certain cases, mandated for students with disabilities under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act. There exist a wide variety of methods for conducting such assessments, with little consensus in the field. The purpose of this study was to conduct a review and meta-analysis of single-case design studies focusing on interventions based on the assessment of contextual variables (i.e., circumstances that form the setting for the behaviors). Results indicated that although most studies demonstrated positive effects that were corroborated by a variety of effect size measures, few met the majority of evidence-based quality indicators. Implications for future research are provided.