The NCTM/CEC Position Statement on Teaching Mathematics to Students with Disabilities: What’s in It and What’s Not

Authors

Sarah R. Powell, The University of Texas at AustinFollow
Marcia A. Barnes, Vanderbilt University
Jenny Root, Florida State University
Elizabeth M. Hughes, The Pennsylvania State University
Leanne Ketterlin-Geller, Southern Methodist University
Gena Nelson, University of Oregon
Megan Rojo, University of North Texas
David H. Allsopp, University of South Florida
Bradley S. Witzel, Western Carolina University
Jonté A. Myers, Georgia State University
Margaret M. Flores, Auburn University
Erica S. Lembke, University of Missouri
Matthew K. Burns, University of Florida
Jessica Namkung, University of Delaware
Brian Poncy, Oklahoma State University
Robin Parks Ennis, University of Alabama
Lisa L. Morin, Old Dominion University
Tessa L. Arsenault, University of Texas at El Paso
Christian T. Doabler, University of Texas at Austin
Vanessa Hinton, Auburn University
Rajiv Satsangi, George Mason University
Jennifer E. Kong, Chapman UniversityFollow
Bree Jimenez, Baylor University
Kaitlin Bundock, Utah State University
Robin S. Codding, Northeastern University
Sarah King, University of Hawai'i at Manoa
Scott A. Dueker, Ball State University
Genesis Arizmendi, University of Arizona
Deidre Gilley, Baylor University
Tasia Brafford, Texas State University
Elizabeth A. Stevens, University of Kansas
Ben Clarke, University of Oregon
Paul J. Riccomini, The Pennsylvania State University
Corey Peltier, University of Oklahoma

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-6-2025

Abstract

A joint position statement issued in December 2024 by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) on teaching mathematics to students with disabilities lacked substantive, actionable, research-validated recommendations to support the work of practitioners in the field. Herein, we provide a rationale for ways in which the eight recommendations for teachers included in the position statement fell short, provided misleading information, and ignored the large body of research on providing mathematics instruction for students with mathematics disability or difficulties. In response, we offer seven actionable, research-validated recommendations, including: (a) use systematic, explicit instruction; (b) use clear and concise mathematical language; (c) use multiple representations, including number lines; (d) develop fluency; (e) develop word-problem solving; (f ) provide response opportunities, feedback, and practice; and (g) collect data to adapt instruction.

Comments

This article was originally published in Research in Special Education, volume 2, in 2025. https://doi.org/10.25894/rise.2796

Recommended Citation

Powell, S. R., Barnes, M. A., Root, J., Hughes, E. M., Ketterlin-Geller, L., Nelson, G., Rojo, M., Allsopp, D. H., Witzel, B. S., Myers, J. A., Flores, M. M., Lembke, E. S., Burns, M. K., Namkung, J., Poncy, B., Ennis, R. P., Morin, L. L., Arsenault, T. L., Doabler, C. T., Hinton, V., Satsangi, R., Kong, J. E., Jimenez, B., Bundock, K., Codding, R. S., King, S., Dueker, S. A., Arizmendi, G., Gilley, D., Brafford, T., Stevens, E. A., Clarke, B., Riccomini, P. J., & Peltier, C. (2025). The NCTM/CEC position statement on teaching mathematics to students with disabilities: What’s in it and what’s not. Research in Special Education, 2, 1–37. https://doi.org/10.25894/rise.2796

Peer Reviewed

1

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.