We examined the effects of the Concrete–Representational–Abstract Integration strategy on the ability of secondary students with learning disabilities to multiply linear algebraic expressions embedded within contextualized area problems. A multiple-probe design across three participants was used. Results indicated that the integration of the concrete manipulatives, sketches of manipulatives, and abstract notation with the support of a graphic organizer (i.e., expansion box) was an effective strategy to improve students’ conceptual understanding and procedural fluency of multiplying two linear expressions. Furthermore, participants generalized the algebraic material to novel problem tasks and maintained performance up to 6 weeks following intervention.

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To improve student success in mathematics, the use of research-based interventions is necessary to help secondary students with learning disabilities (LD) access the algebra curriculum. The authors provide an overview of the following research-based approaches: explicit instruction, graduated instructional sequence, technology, and graphic organizers. For each approach, a summary of the research is provided along with suggestions for how the approach can be used by classroom teachers to support algebra instruction.

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