Effects of Academic Response Rates on Time-On-Task in the Classroom for Students at Academic and Behavioral Risk

This study examined the effects of task difficulty on on-task behavior for four students exhibiting low levels of math performance and on-task behavior. Curriculum-based assessments were conducted with each student to define the difficulty level of math tasks for each student based on the individual’s rate of accurate performance on computational math problems. Using a multi-element design, the effects of individually determined high (frustration), moderate (instructional), and easy (fluent) level tasks were evaluated on on-task behavior during independent seatwork in math class. For all students, results suggested that on-task behavior was a function of task difficulty, with on-task behavior being highest for easy (fluent) level tasks and lowest for high difficulty (frustration level) math tasks.