THE CONCEPT OF FRACTIONAL NUMBER AMONG DEAF AND HARD-OF-HEARING STUDENTS

This study investigated deaf and hard-of-hearing students' understandi ng of the fractional number concept as measured by their ability to de termine the order and/or equivalence of two fractional numbers present ed in a pair. Analyses focused on the performance and strategies of 10 -to-12 and 13-to-16 year old deaf and hard-of-hearing students (N=21) and comparison groups of hearing students (N=26). All students complet ed 18 fraction items requiring them to indicate which of two fractions presented in a pair was the larger value. On four items, students ind icated their strategy. Results showed deaf and hard-of-hearing student s performed similarly to younger hearing students in overall performan ce by fraction type and problem solving strategies. These students had a tendency to order fractions by the values of the counting numbers c omposing them.