Promoting Mathematical Inclusion in Secondary Education: Detection of Dyscalculia Using the Lizarazu Integral Diagnostic (DIL)

Abstract

Low performance in mathematics in secondary education in Mexico is usually attributed to different factors. Dyscalculia is a scarcely studied factor due to the limited availability of tools for its detection. The objective of this study was to identify the prevalence and typology of dyscalculia at the secondary education level through the Lizarazu Integral Diagnostic (DIL), implemented through the website www.discalculiaclub.com. A design-based methodology with a mixed-methods approach was used to evaluate 4,690 students from six public secondary schools in Mexico, where 439 cases (9.36%) of dyscalculia were identified, with ideognostic dyscalculia representing 46.9% of the detected cases. These findings highlight the relevance of advancing toward models of mathematical inclusion grounded in empirical evidence, capable of guiding pedagogical approaches and the design of differentiated intervention strategies within the classroom.