Science education for students with intellectual disability: A case study

Abstract

Scientific literacy is a principle objective of education almost in every country. It is mostly underlined in science education. Science education helps students become more productive individuals with the knowledge they acquire by promoting their thinking and learning skills and these skills help individuals to improve their scientific literacy. This research aims to determine the needs and problems in teaching science & technology course in a special education middle school, attended by students with mild intellectual disability. This is a case study based on collecting and analyzing qualitative data. Semi-structured interviews, conducted with two teachers, 11 students, and their parents, researcher’s diary, in class artifacts, field notes, and video recordings were used to depict the situation in the science & technology course mentioned above. The data were analyzed through content analysis via Nvivo 10. Research findings display that the school in which this research study took place must be enriched with high technological tools; special education teachers’ attitudes towards the necessity of the science & technology course for students with special needs must be improved; and teachers must be provided with knowledge and skills of differentiation and adaptation techniques to provide science & technology activities in order for the science & technology course to be taught in a more inclusive manner