Date of Award

8-1981

Degree Name

Specialist in Education

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Dr. Galen J. Alessi

Second Advisor

Dr. Paul Mountjoy

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Open Access

Abstract

This study attempted to determine the feasibility of teaching trainable mentally impaired subjects Hutchings' low-stress addition algorithm. It was a non-experimental study of acquisition using diagnostic teaching techniques. Three trainable mentally impaired subjects participated in training. No subjects knew basic addition facts, so use of a number line was substituted. Training was divided into four steps: a) use of the DOOF for a single binary; b) notation; c) adding two binaries in one column; and d) adding binaries in two columns. Tests were scored immediately, error patterns diagnosed and program modifications implemented. All subjects acquired skill for the first three training steps with between 80 and 100 percent accuracy. Two subjects were trained to add columns. Time constraints prevented training completion, but correct calculation for all subjects showed an accelerating trend at the end of the study. Correct rates were very slow, averaging 2.1 binaries correct per minute.

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