Observing Mathematics: Do Students with EBD have Access to Standards-Based Mathematics Instruction?(Emotional and Behavioral Disorders ‪)‬

Abstract This descriptive observation study examined the degree to which students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) have access to National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Standards-based curricula and instruction. Investigators completed 60 observations, using a partial interval time-sampling procedure, in 12 elementary general education, resource room, and self-contained EBD classrooms drawn from 4 schools across 3 school districts. Based on the results of this preliminary investigation, evidence suggests students receiving their mathematics instruction in special education settings are not likely to access standards-based content. Further, typical general education teachers represented in this study appeared to present standards-aligned curricula and organized instruction differently than their special education colleagues. Recommendations for teachers, teacher educators, and researchers are discussed within a broader policy context, thus acknowledging the intersecting influences of NCTM standards-based reforms, and the legislative regulations of No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004).