Does the use of the Khan Academy, an Open Educational Resource, Result in an Increase in Basic Skill Development in a Middle School Special Day Math Class?

Students in Special Education math classes in middle school, grades six through eight, need to be able to solve basic skills problems involving addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. These students are enrolled in these classes because they have demonstrated an inability to access the grade level curriculum in general education classes due to special needs, such as a learning disability or language impairment. Some Special Education classes are using grade level curriculum, but find that students who do not have automaticity with basic skills are hampered in their ability to practice new concepts that require their application. Given the multiple issues presented in a classroom containing multiple grade levels of students with a host of learning challenges, it is incumbent upon the teacher to develop efficient means of addressing their deficits. Open Educational Resources may provide one way for teachers to allow students to increase their basic skill development through one-on-one video instruction and practice on the computer. Khan Academy is just one of these resources that may result in important gains for these students