Evidence-based practices: using the touch points strategy to teach single-digit addition to students with ASD

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is increasingly focusing on inclusive education for students with ASD, necessitating evidence-based teaching strategies in mathematics. Students with ASD often struggle with the abstract nature of elementary math, particularly single-digit addition. This is exacerbated by potential deficits in visual-spatial abilities. The study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the touch-point strategy, a visual-based approach, in teaching single-digit addition to students with ASD and explore teacher experiences implementing this strategy in a Saudi Arabian context. The research is framed within the context of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, which emphasizes improving educational outcomes for all students, including those with special needs. Legislation in Saudi Arabia, similar to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in the United States and the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), mandates equal access to education for students with ASD and the achievement of comparable academic standards to their neurotypical peers. The increasing number of ASD diagnoses underscores the urgent need for effective, evidence-based instructional practices in mathematics for this population. The touch-point strategy, supported by prior research, provides a potential solution. However, existing research lacks sufficient exploration of its implementation in Saudi Arabian classrooms and the challenges associated with its usage.

The literature review examines existing research on teaching mathematics to elementary students with ASD and other disabilities. Several strategies were discussed, including the use of number lines and the touch-point strategy. Studies by Cihak and Foust (2008) and Yikmis (2016) found the touch-point strategy to be more effective than number lines for teaching single-digit addition to students with ASD. This strategy aligns with the Concrete-Representational-Abstract (CRA) instructional sequence, which moves from concrete objects to pictorial representations and finally to abstract notation. The review also discussed the use of self-monitoring techniques and the TOUCHMATH program, which uses tactile and visual elements to support mathematical learning. A meta-analysis by Kot et al. (2018) provided further support for the effectiveness of the touch-point strategy (TOUCHMATH) in teaching addition skills to children with special needs. While much of the literature demonstrates the effectiveness of the touch-point strategy, this research focuses on its application within Saudi Arabian classrooms for students with ASD and assesses the challenges faced by teachers in its implementation.

This study employed a multiple baseline design across participants (A-B-A-B) to evaluate the effectiveness of the touch-point strategy in teaching single-digit addition to three second-grade students with ASD in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Participants were selected based on their ability to write, focus, identify problems, recall numbers, and engage in activities for 5–15 minutes. A special education teacher with experience using the touch-point strategy served as an observer, ensuring intervention reliability. Baseline data were collected over three consecutive sessions, assessing participants' ability to solve ten single-digit addition problems. The intervention phase involved teaching sessions three times per week, with assessment data collected after each session. The intervention involved a structured format combining direct instruction, guided practice, and independent problem-solving. Participants were taught to count dots on numbers (touch points) using the 'count all' strategy. After the initial intervention period, the strategy was withdrawn to return to baseline, then reintroduced. Data collection involved worksheets with five single-digit addition problems, administered after each session. A semi-structured interview with the participating math teacher explored the challenges and perceptions of implementing the touch-point strategy in the classroom. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the interview data. The independent variable was the touch-point strategy, and the dependent variable was the number of correct responses on addition problem worksheets.

The results showed significant improvements in the number of correct responses for all three participants during the intervention phases compared to the baseline phases. Participant one's correct responses increased from an average of 2 out of 10 to 9 out of 10. Participant two improved from 1 out of 10 to 8 out of 10, and participant three from 1 out of 10 to 4 out of 10. Graphs illustrated the significant increase in correct responses during intervention periods and some maintenance of skills during the return-to-baseline phase. The teacher interview revealed two main themes: the significant time investment required to teach the touch-point strategy effectively and the challenge of implementing it with a diverse classroom of students with varying needs and levels of ASD. The lack of teacher assistant support and the high cost of materials also emerged as major obstacles. The teacher, despite acknowledging the strategy's effectiveness, highlighted the difficulty of using it with more than one student simultaneously due to time constraints and the need to manage a classroom of students with diverse needs. He emphasized the financial burden of procuring materials.

The findings support the effectiveness of the touch-point strategy in teaching single-digit addition to students with ASD. The visual and tactile components of the strategy appear to facilitate learning, particularly for students who struggle with abstract concepts. The study highlights the importance of evidence-based practices in addressing the specific learning needs of students with ASD. However, the challenges identified in the teacher interview underscore the importance of providing adequate resources, including teacher support and materials, for effective implementation of such strategies in classroom settings. The study's findings suggest a need for further research focusing on scalable implementation strategies for the touch-point method in diverse classroom settings. The teacher's concerns regarding time constraints and the need for additional support highlight the importance of providing teachers with sufficient training, resources, and support staff to effectively implement evidence-based interventions.

This study demonstrates the effectiveness of the touch-point strategy in improving single-digit addition skills among students with ASD. The significant improvements observed across participants support the use of this evidence-based practice. However, the study also highlights the critical need for additional resources, including teacher training, support staff, and funding for materials, to enable successful classroom implementation. Future research should focus on developing and evaluating scalable implementation models for the touch-point strategy in diverse classroom settings and exploring its effectiveness across a broader range of mathematical skills.

The small sample size (three participants) limits the generalizability of the findings. The study focused solely on single-digit addition, limiting the extent to which conclusions can be drawn about the strategy's effectiveness for other mathematical concepts. The short duration of the study (five weeks) may not fully capture long-term skill retention. The study was conducted in a specific school setting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, which may not represent all contexts.