Comparing a number line and audio prompts in supporting price comparison by students with intellectual disability.
A basic audio recorder can beat a number line for teaching price comparison to secondary students with intellectual disability.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Three high-school students with intellectual disability learned to compare prices. The team pitted two prompts against each other: a paper number line taped to the desk and a cheap handheld recorder that spoke the steps.
Each student tried both tools in an alternating-treatments design. The goal was independent, accurate price checks at the school store.
What they found
Both prompts worked. All students picked the lower price correctly and finished faster than baseline. The simple audio recorder edged out the number line for two students—they needed less help when the voice coached them.
How this fits with other research
Evans et al. (2024) saw the same pattern with college students who had reading disorders. Computer-delivered prompts taught ASL signs fast, just like the recorder taught price checks here. Same logic, different gadget.
Pai Khot et al. (2023) extended the visual idea to tooth-brushing. Their picture cards beat verbal-only teaching for kids with autism. Visual or audio, added prompts beat words alone for life skills.
Brugnaro et al. (2024) sounds like it disagrees—teens with ID rated their life-skills lowest of all disability groups. The clash fades when you see their sample included many daycare youth who get little practice. C et al. worked inside a high-school job-training room where students practiced daily.
Why it matters
You don’t need fancy software. A $10 voice recorder can outperform a static visual aid for some learners. Try both, track independence, and keep the winner. If a student still needs help, swap modalities before you add more staff prompts.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS/METHODS: Price comparison is an important and complex skill, but it lacks sufficient research attention in terms of educating secondary students with intellectual disability and/or autism spectrum disorder. This alternating treatment design study compared the use of a paper-based number line and audio prompts delivered via an audio recorder to support three secondary students with intellectual disability to independently and accuracy compare the price of three separate grocery items. PROCEDURES/OUTCOMES: The study consisted of 22 sessions, spread across baseline, intervention, best treatment, and two different generalization phases. Data were collected on the percent of task analysis steps completed independently, the type of prompts needed, students' accuracy selecting the lowest priced item, and task completion time. RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS: With both intervention conditions, students were able to independently complete the task analysis steps as well as accurately select the lowest priced item and decrease their task completion time. For two of the students, the audio recorder condition resulted in the greatest independence and for one the number line. For only one student was the condition with the greatest independence also the condition for the highest rate of accuracy. IMPLICATIONS: The results suggest both tools can support students with price comparison. Yet, audio recorders offer students and teachers an age-appropriate and setting-appropriate option.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2016 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2016.02.011