eng Science and Education Publishing American Journal of Educational Research 2327-6150 2018-11-14 6 11 1473 1480 10.12691/education-6-11-5 EDUCATION20186115 article Sri Ayu Bintang Lestari sriayubintanglestari@gmail.com 1 Sahat Saragih 1 Hasratuddin 1 Post Graduate Program in Mathematics Education, State University of Medan, Medan, Indonesia This study aims to: 1) analyzing the effectiveness of learning materials that developed through realistic mathematics education with Malay culture context (RME-MCC); 2) analyzing the improvement of students mathematical communication ability by using learning materials that developed through RME-MCC; 3) analyzing the attainment of self-efficacy students by using learning materials that developed through RME-MCC. This research is a development research conducted in two stages, namely the first stage of developing learning materials through RME-MCC using a development model 4-D, and the second stage testing the learning materials through RME-MCC developed in classes VII-1 and VII-2 SMPN 2 Talawi. Learning materials generated from this study are: lesson plans, teacher books, student books, worksheet, and mathematical communication ability tests. From the results of trial I and trial II, it was obtained: 1) the learning materials through RME-MCC met the valid and effective criteria; 2) there is an increase in students mathematical communication ability by using learning materials through RME-MCC, in the trial I obtained an average score of pretest 53,13% and a score of posttest 68,75%, and in the trial II with an average score pretest 65,63% and score posttest 87,50%; 3) the attainment of self-efficacy of students taught using learning materials through RME-MCC in the trial I obtained an average of 81,34% and in the trial II 86,59%. Based on the results of the study it was suggested that mathematics teachers seek mathematics learning using learning approaches and learning materials that integrate local culture in mathematics learning. http://pubs.sciepub.com/education/6/11/5/education-6-11-5.pdf developing learning materials 4-D models RME-MCC mathematical communication ability self-efficacy