Strategy Transformation in Learning Disabled and Nondisabled Students

In the present study we assessed whether learning disabled and non-disabled children differ in their ability to make strategy transformations. Seven types of strategy transformations were presented on simple arithmetic computation tasks. Nondisabled children were found to be superior in performance on all transformations. Significant ability-group differences emerged on (a) reduction to answer, (b) saving partial results, (c) unit building, and (d) alternative method transformations. Results of strategy-awareness measures suggested that the locus of experimental effects was related to accessing and applying strategy transformations. Three implications of the findings are discussed.