Increasing the Number Sense Understanding of Preschool Students With ASD

Abstract

Teaching children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) academic skills supports their future opportunities. For example, early number sense skills are predictive of future mathematical success for all children including children with ASD. Yet, research on foundational early childhood mathematics skills of children with ASD is limited. This study used an adapted version of Number Talks to increase the number sense skills of preschool children with ASD. Number Talks is a constructivist approach that was combined with systematic instruction (i.e., system of least prompts and modeling) in this study. A multiple probe across participants design established a functional relation between using an adapted version of Number Talks and the early number sense skills of preschool children with ASD. Findings suggest using an adapted version of Number Talks can increase the early number sense skills of preschool children with ASD. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.