The effect of augmented reality applications on students with intellectual disabilities' understanding of three-dimensional geometric concepts and their attitudes toward geometry: A mixed-methods study

Students with mild intellectual disabilities especially experience difficulties in conceptualization and information transfer processes in mathematics lessons. The insufficiency of current mathematics and geometry curricula in adequately addressing the special needs of these students, as well as the limited opportunities for practice and feedback, necessitate the development of new instructional materials. In this study, the effects of interactive digital materials supported by Augmented Reality (AR), developed for middle school students with mild intellectual disabilities, on their ability to understand three-dimensional geometric concepts and their attitudes toward geometry were examined. The study was conducted during the 2024-2025 academic year with seven middle school students diagnosed with mild intellectual disabilities studying in a special education classroom located in the Western Black Sea Region (Experimental group, N=4; Control group, N=3). A mixed-methods approach was adopted, with a quantitative dimension employing a pre-test–post-test control group quasi-experimental design, and a qualitative dimension using semi-structured interviews, researcher observation notes, and written documents. While AR-supported interactive digital materials were implemented twice a week for five weeks in the experimental group, concrete material-based instruction in accordance with the Individualized Education Program (IEP) was continued in the control group. Quantitative data collection tools included Concept Measurement Tools for Cube, Triangular Prism, Cylinder, and Sphere developed by the researcher, and the "Geometry Attitude Scale" developed by Özdişçi and Katrancı (2019). As a qualitative data collection tool, a semi-structured interview form consisting of three open-ended questions was used. Quantitative data were analyzed using non-parametric Mann–Whitney U and Wilcoxon Signed-Rank tests, while qualitative data were evaluated through thematic content analysis. The SPSS 24 statistical software package was utilized for quantitative data analysis. For qualitative data analysis, codes were derived via thematic content analysis and analyzed using the MAXQDA program. As a result of the study, the pre-test–post-test score differences of the experimental and control groups were not found to be statistically significant; however, the increase in conceptual knowledge and skill scores of the experimental group was higher compared to the control group. Qualitative findings showed that AR-supported materials increased students' interest in the lesson, facilitated visualization by concretizing concepts, and ensured active participation in the learning process. Students evaluated the applications as both enjoyable and explanatory. Based on these results, it is recommended that similar applications be tested with larger and different samples with disabilities through long-term follow-up studies in future research; additionally, studies should be conducted to integrate these applications into teacher training programs and to promote their widespread use.