Examining the implementations related to teaching science to students with disabilities (original) (raw)
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Journal of Research in Science Teaching
A comprehensive review of the literature was conducted to identify current practice on teaching science to students with Intellectual Disability (ID) and/or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in relation to two review questions -students' science outcomes and students' and teachers' experiences of the interventions. Six databases related to education, psychology and science were systematically searched. A detailed protocol can be viewed on PROSPERO (registration number -42017057323). Thirty studies were identified that reported on science interventions and 20 on student/teacher experiences of the interventions.
International Journal of Higher Education
This article reviews 24 years of research focused on science education for students with learning and other disabilities. Our results are based on 53 articles from 2 relevant databases. We hereby present and discuss the results of the most popular topics investigated, which include: constructivism, exploratory learning, hands-on activities, cross-curricular projects, multiple means of representation, cognitive and social skills, group and peer learning, coursebooks, reading strategies, readability and students' assessment. Our results suggest that topics like teacher education, teacher/researcher cooperation , education policy, school administration and curriculum structure are scatteredly investigated. These experimental approaches and interventions may provide insight into teacher training in higher education and can explain controversial concepts regarding the question of "full inclusion, selective inclusion or excellency".
A comprehensive review of the literature was conducted for articles published between 1985 and May 2009 to (a) examine the degree to which science content was taught to students with severe developmental disabilities and (b) and evaluate instructional procedures in science as evidencebased practices. The review was organized by a conceptual model developed for science content. Seventeen experiments were analyzed for research quality where science content was taught to this population; 14 of these studies were viewed to be of high or adequate quality. In general, we found systematic instruction as an overarching instructional package to be an evidence-based practice for teaching science content. Furthermore, components of systematic instruction (i.e., task analytic instruction and time delay) were analyzed. We discuss the outcomes to reflect how to teach science, what science content to teach, why to teach science, and recommendations for future research and practice. Keywords: students with severe developmental disabilities | science evidenced-based practices | teaching science to students with severe developmental disabilities | comprehensive literature review of teaching science skills to students with severe developmental disabilities Article: Until the last decade, there have been few resources on teaching science to students with severe developmental disabilities.
Science Instruction for Students with Learning Disabilities: A Meta-Analysis
Although science has received much attention as a political and educational initiative, students with learning disabilities (LD) perform significantly lower than their nondisabled peers. This meta-analysis evaluates the effectiveness of instructional strategies in science for students with LD. Twelve studies were examined, summarized, and grouped according to the type of strategy implemented. Effect sizes (ES) were calculated for each study. Across all studies, a mean ES of .78 was obtained, indicating a moderate positive effect on students with LD science achievement. Findings also align with past reviews of inquiry-based instruction for students with special needs, indicating that students with LD need structure within an inquiry science approach in order to be successful. Additionally, results suggest that mnemonic instruction is highly effective at increasing learning disabled students’ acquisition and retention of science facts.
Teaching science to students with developmental disabilities using the Early Science curriculum
Support for Learning, 2020
There is a large science attainment gap between students with and without special educational needs, and many students with developmental disabilities (DD) struggle to access the mainstream science programmes of study. The purpose of the present project was to pilot the use of the Early Science (ES) curriculum over a six week period with nine students with moderate to severe DD in a special education setting in the UK. Staff members indicated positive experiences of using the curriculum, especially the use of the structured teaching methodology as a helpful tool. Evaluation data suggested that all nine pupils improved their science knowledge over the course of the intervention. Some suggestions are made to improve the delivery of the ES curriculum in UK special education settings, and the need for larger scale evaluation research.
Engaging Students with Disabilities in Universally Designed Science Education
Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities, 2021
Increased student diversity in classrooms and the need for equitable STEM opportunities for all, creates an impetus for educators to establish inclusive and equitable environments and use teaching practices that facilitate meaningful learning for all students in science education. This article offers a three-part framework for combining inclusive philosophy, the science and engineering practices, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL). The article is intended to help teachers and teacher educators universally design science education to level the science learning field through access and equity for all students, including students with disabilities. We advocate for the use of four practices: creating an inclusive community of science learners, planning for big ideas over time, engaging students in sense-making through model-based inquiry, and engaging students in cooperative learning and science talk. Science teachers can use these practices to universally design science education and enhance science learning and STEM interest for underrepresented students. In the article, we provide visuals and tools for teachers to support implementation of the universally designed science practices.
Preparing science teachers to deal with handicapped students
Science Education, 1983
Public Law 94-142, The Education for All Handicapped Children Act, has been responsible for enhancing educational opportunities for many children. It has also served as a catalyst for educational research, curriculum development, and promotion of active involvement and change in professional organizations concerned with science education. As a result of the efforts of a number of professional organizations, handicapped scientists are proudly identifying themselves and taking advocacy roles in the establishment of a new era in science teaching. Probably in no other academic discipline has such a rapid and successful reaction to PL 94-142 swept through the ranks of educators and other professionals as it has in science. The purpose of this article is to provide educators involved with preservice and inservice training programs a description of some resources available for sensitizing science teachers to the special needs of handicapped learners. Most of these resources have been developed not by those involved in special education but by science teachers themselves who have had direct experiences with these children. The instructional materials development and teacher training activities have been largely supported by the professional organizations and, because of this support, the state of the art of teaching science to handicapped students has rapidly advanced over the past six or seven years. In 1973 the Board of Directors of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) established the Office of Opportunities in Science. The Project on the * Paper presented at the Northeast Region Spring meeting of the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science, Rochester, NY, May 29, 1981. The author is President of the Science for the Handicapped Association.
Science Education and Students with Learning Disabilities
Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 2011
Students with learning disabilities (LD) are increasingly expected to master content in the general education curriculum, making the need for effective instructional supports more important than ever before. Science is a part of the curriculum that can be particularly challenging to students with LD because of the diverse demands it places on cognitive performance. In this summary we review a number of strategies that have been validated for learners with LD. The strategies include supports for (a) verbal learning of declarative information, (b) processing information in texts, (c) activities-based instruction/experiential learning, (d) scientific thinking and reasoning, and (e) differentiated instruction. We also summarize the research regarding the impact of teacher behavior on achievement for students with LD in science education. The strategies reviewed yield tangible and positive effect sizes that suggest that their application to the target domain will substantially improve outcomes for students with LD in science education.
Using Systematic Instruction to Teach Science to Students with Severe Disabilities
2016
Science content is still a commonly overlooked academic content area for students with severe disabilities despite recent research. The purpose of this study was to show that students with severe disabilities can learn science content in a whole group setting when taught using applied behavior analytic principles, such as prompting and fading techniques. Four elementary-aged students with severe disabilities between 1 st and 5 th grade were taught science content using group lessons and effects were measured by a multiple baseline design across units. Participants were taught content from three different units: Energy, weather, and plants; the science content selected aligned with Virginia's Alternative Standards of Learning (ASOL) and helped complete two of the participants' Virginia Alternate Assessment Program (VAAP) portfolios. Each unit consisted of five vocabulary words and their definitions and three concept questions (i.e., key ideas of the unit). Science content was taught to all four participants in group lessons using systematic instruction utilizing errorless prompting methods such as constant time delay and activities that related to the unit content. Probe trials were used to determine baseline and intervention effects.
Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 2012
The Lesson Study for Accessible Science (LSAS) project created middle school teams comprised of both science and special education teachers who engaged in collaborative work to improve instruction in inclusive classrooms. The intervention is based on Lesson Study, a professional development approach that originated in Japan, which supports the systematic examination of practice and student understanding. Using an experimental design, teams of teachers were randomly assigned to the LSAS intervention or to a wait-list comparison group. The results of this study suggest that science and special educators in the LSAS intervention were able to generate more accommodations for students with learning disabilities, and they increased their ability to set an instructional context and adapt an instructional plan to meet science learning goals for all students in an inclusive classroom. They did not, however, show significant increases in their knowledge of science content or learning disabilities.