Traditionally, mathematics has been taught using a very direct approach which the teacher explains the procedure to solve a problem and the students use pencil and paper to solve the problem. However, a variety of alternative approaches to mathematics have surfaced from a number of different directions. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of three teaching methods on student achievement in undergraduate finite mathematics classes at Alabama State University, a historical African-American university. The three teaching methods stressed traditional teaching methods, the incorporation of graphing calculators, and online learning, respectively. Three hundred sixty-one students formed the control group and were taught by the traditional lecture method, 202 students formed one of the experimental groups which used calculator enhanced instruction, and twenty students formed the online distance learning group. The research project examined each teacher's style and compared achievement outcomes. To investigate the performance of the students, a pretest and posttest was given to each student. The results presented a significant improvement (p less than 0.001) between the pre-tests and post-tests within each group. The students in the calculator-enhanced group scored significantly higher (p less than 0.001) on the post-test than the students in the traditional group. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)