Teaching Puzzle-Solving Skills to Students with Multiple Disabilities via a Tablet Computer

Abstract

The aim of this study was to teach the puzzle-solving skills to students with multiple disabilities by using a tablet computer and enable them to demonstrate this skill fluently afterwards. The research was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, the effectiveness of direct instruction in teaching puzzle-solving skills to students with multiple disabilities by using a tablet computer was investigated. Also, generalization effect of the acquired skills on various materials and their maintenance effect after 1, 3 and 4 weeks were evaluated. In this phase of the study, multiple probe design with probe trials across subjects, one of the single-subject research designs, was used. In the second phase, it was aimed to increase the fluency of those students in puzzle-solving on a tablet computer. Similar to the first phase, a single-subject design, the changing criterion model was used in the second phase. Three participants, two male and one female, were involved in the study. All sessions were held as one-to-one instruction arrangements. The study revealed that direct instruction was effective in teaching puzzle-solving skills, the participants demonstrated the target skills at the end of weeks 1, 3 and 4. In addition, it was observed that they could generalize those skills to different materials, settings and people, and they improved their fluency.