An Experimental Analysis of Mathematics Instructional Components: Examining the Effects of Student-Selected Versus Empirically-Selected Interventions

Within the context of an experimental analysis, the current study examined the effects of student- and empirically-selected interventions on the mathematics computational fluency of three elementary-aged students. For all of the participants, the empirically-selected intervention resulted in higher levels of computational fluency then the student-selected intervention. These results suggest that empirically-selected interventions may enhance the mathematics computational fluency of students experiencing mathematics problems. However, individual responsiveness to empirically-selected interventions suggests the importance of conducting brief experimental analyses to determine the most efficacious intervention. The implication of these results for intervention selection and incorporating choice-making opportunities into academic interventions are discussed.