Virtual and concrete manipulatives: a comparison of approaches for solving mathematics problems for students with autism spectrum disorder.

Three elementary students with autism learned subtraction with two kinds of blocks. One kind was real plastic blocks they could hold. The other kind was the same blocks shown on a computer screen in 3-D.

The teacher switched between the two tools every day. She counted how fast and how accurately each child solved the problems.

Every child was faster and more accurate with the virtual blocks. The gains carried over when the teacher later gave real-world word problems.

Trimmer et al. (2017) extends this idea. They used real coins first, then pictures, then numbers. Their middle-schoolers with intellectual disability mastered money skills. The sequence matters: start concrete, then fade to symbols.

Lee et al. (2025) looked at 5 studies that added pictures to reading lessons for students with autism. Paper pictures beat computer ones. That seems to clash with our target study, but the tasks differ. The reading studies used flat 2-D clip-art. The math study used movable 3-D blocks on screen. Kids could drag, rotate, and snap them. The extra action may be why virtual won here.

Kellems et al. (2016) used short math videos with adults. Like the target study, they alternated treatments and saw tech win. Together these papers show that when the digital tool is interactive, learners with disabilities often do better than with static objects.

You can swap out plastic blocks for a free virtual set tomorrow. Pick apps that let kids move, stack, and break apart the pieces. Start with one-step subtraction, then mix in word problems. Watch speed and accuracy for a week. If you see the same jump, keep the virtual set and save shelf space.