Special education students often lack the math skills needed to succeed independently in the secondary classroom. These students face challenges in applying necessary basic math skills and maintaining basic math skills from one grade level to the next. Lack of understanding, in addition to causing difficulties in the classroom, can cause other personal and social dilemmas for special education students. Lack of motivation, anger, lack of self-worth, and other destructive behaviors can occur due to the difficulties special education students encounter in the classroom. To help these students overcome poor problem-solving skills, effective strategy-based instruction is needed. Teachers seek effective strategies to successfully educate these students (Maccini & Strickland, 2010). Finding meaningful problem-solving strategies that can motivate and extend the knowledge of special education students is often a challenge for secondary educators. Special educators seek ways to change instructional practices for students with specific learning disabilities in the area of ​​mathematics. Special educators advocate for changes in instructional practices for students with mathematics learning disabilities that reflect a more balanced approach to instruction (Bottge, Kwon, LaRoque, Rueda, & Serlin, 2007). Research has shown that strategies can improve student performance in the area of ​​mathematics (Maccini & Strickland, 2010). In 2000, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) proclaimed that schools should help students gain confidence in their ability to cope with difficulties MATHEMATICAL STRATEGIES FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS who are struggling, eager to understand things about their ...... middle of paper ......109.Cormier, P., Carlson, J. S., & Das, J. P. (2008). Planning ability and cognitive performance: The compensatory effects of a dynamic assessment approach. Learning and Individual Differences, 2, 437-449. Iseman, J. S. & Naglieri, J. A. (2011). A cognitive strategy instruction to improve mathematical calculation for children with ADHA and LD: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Learning Disabilities. 44(2), 184-195.Maccini, P., & Strickland, T.K. (2010). Strategies for teaching algebra to students with learning disabilities: Doing research to practice connections. Intervention at Schooland Clinic. 46(1) 38-45. Zirkle, M. L. (2005). The effects of the SMART board interactive whiteboard on high school students with special needs in a functional mathematics lesson. Retrieved from http://downloads01.smarttech.com/media/research.pdf