RUME 28
2026
Alexandria, Virginia
Experiences of Students With Dyslexia in Undergraduate Mathematics: Cognitive Challenges and Navigational Strategies
Page: 737
How do undergraduate students with reading difficulties engage in mathematics – a symbolically dense, text-heavy subject? This study analyzes reflections from seven undergraduate STEM students with dyslexia on their approaches to mathematical learning and problem-solving. Our findings indicate that students experienced multiple dyslexia-related cognitive challenges, including processing, organizing, and manipulating conceptual information. To combat these challenges, students reported strategies to structure information visually and minimize the cognitive burden of the tasks. These results offer an initial account of how students with dyslexia approach and experience undergraduate mathematics.