Gee, where I am from, the situation you describe with your student would have been rectified by placing him/her in a lower level, or even a remedial level math class. He'd master the basics without becoming completely reliant on technology, which is a major plus considering that doing basic math without needing a calculator required in daily life and also higher education should he choose to continue his studies. When a student has trouble with a subject, or lacks interest in it, part of the problem is how it is being taught. If the teacher lacks enthusiasm, the students will get bored. If the teacher can't present it in an interesting fashion, the students will find it dull. I had a wonderful ancient Greek teacher who loved the subject and choose good material to work with. I also had one who saw ancient Greek as some sort of intellectual exercise one does to prove their mental superiority. It isn't hard to guess in which class the students really excelled.