Experts' Opinions on National Math Standards for Students with Disabilities

Eleven experts in mathematics education, special education, and assessment completed an open-ended survey on current math instruction in relation to the "Curriculum and Evaluation Standards" of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the perceived appropriateness and feasibility of the standards for students with disabilities. In general, the experts agreed that adoption of the Standards has been minimal and that math education in practice continues to emphasize basic skills. Two opposing viewpoints were evident in the experts' responses. One viewpoint was that the Standards did not recognize the importance of individual differences and were not better than current practice in math education. The opposing viewpoint was that the Standards reflected a vision of what mathematics should be and that minimal, nonsubstantial modifications were needed for students with disabilities. Possibilities are presented for bridging the gap between: (1) recommendations for meeting the needs of students with mathematics learning problems and other handicaps, and (2) the current status of the Standards.