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Sustainable Education: The Educational Response to Students with Disabilities

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Education and Approaches".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2022) | Viewed by 41725

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Luis Ortiz Jiménez

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Guest Editor

Department of Education, University of Almeria, 04120 Almería, Spain
Interests: disability; diversity; inclusion; teacher training; curriculum development
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. José Juan Carrión Martinez

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Guest Editor

Department of Education, University of Almeria, 04120 Almería, Spain
Interests: disability; diversity; evaluation; teacher training; quality in education

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The educational response to people with disabilities presents itself as one of the challenges of education in the near future. Since 1990, the Incheon conference has established the idea of “Education for All,” which was subsequently confirmed in 1994 with the postulates of the Salamanca declaration. Inclusive horizons open up that focus on actions aimed at responding to different vulnerable groups. One of these groups identifies with the presence of psychophysical or sensory characteristics that, either permanently or temporarily, hinder equal access to participation in the ordinary life of the reference society.

Regarding this idea, reflections and actions have emerged that seek to guide educational responses to people with disabilities. On the one hand, since the rethinking of the term, we are talking about people with disabilities and also functional diversity, as an evolution or attempt to find a better definition of this group. We talk about answers ranging from the consideration of curricular adaptations, to the design of a universal curriculum (ULD). And finally, we talk about the debate that arises regarding the continuity of special education itself in education systems.

On the other hand, the teacher training variable arises, in the sense of having teachers trained for all cases that may be presented in a classroom, or the desirability of providing schools with professionals prepared for advisory tasks, as well as to directly develop actions in the classroom.

The aim of this Special Issue is to gather research on the ideas expressed pertaining to the educational response to students with disabilities, so as to provide a current, competent, and timely account of this area, thereby contributing to the advancement of a sustainable education in which no one is excluded.

Dr. Luis Ortiz Jiménez
Dr. José Juan Carrión Martinez
Guest Editors

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Keywords

disability
inclusion
diversity
educational responses
inclusive teachers

Published Papers (12 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 448 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigating Special Education Teachers’ Views on Mathematics Instruction Process: Sugesstions for Sustainable Special Education in Mathematics Instruction

by Sarem Özdemir and Yalın Kılıç

Sustainability 2023, 15(4), 3584; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su15043584 - 15 Feb 2023

Viewed by 2519

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the experiences of special education teachers’ mathematics instruction process and to present suggestions for sustainable special education in mathematics instruction. Seventeen special education teachers were interviewed in this study. Hence, a qualitative research design and content analysis were used. Three dimensions were considered in the interviews, including: teaching mathematics to students with disabilities in terms of teaching methods, manipulatives, and assessments; the mathematics curriculum; and challenges that special education teachers face throughout the process. According to the results, most teachers still use direct or explicit instruction based on the behaviorist approach. All participants stated that they use mathematics manipulatives to help learners perceive mathematical concepts. They also use Individualized Education Programs to assess their students. Participants stated that every disability group and every child need to be considered uniquely since their disabilities and levels vary. Participants also said that they are only able to teach numbers, addition, and some basic geometric shapes due to time insufficiency and crowded classrooms. Almost every participant stated that insufficient time and teacher shortage are the biggest problems of the system. The study has limitations or weaknesses. In this study, since the interviewing method was used, and the findings are the extent of what the participants have indicated, and the statements of the participants are limited to what she/he explained to the researcher. In the study, it is suggested that mathematics teachers and special education teachers should cooperate. In addition, suggestions are made, such as conducting experimental research studies to see the most efficient way to teach mathematics in homogenous groups. Finally, future researchers are advised to focus on the possible consequences of applying constructivist learning theory. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Education: The Educational Response to Students with Disabilities)

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19 pages, 3004 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparison of the Different Presentations of Concrete-Representational-Abstract (CRA) Sequence to Teach Functional Academic Skills for Students with Developmental Retardation

by Omaç Ruştioğlu and Hasan Avcıoğlu

Sustainability 2022, 14(17), 10752; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su141710752 - 29 Aug 2022

Viewed by 2542

Abstract

The research aims to compare the use of 3D materials and video prompting presentations in terms of their effectiveness and efficiency in implementing the CRA teaching strategy. Four students with developmental retardation, aged 8 to 10, participated in the study. The design of the alternating treatment, one of the single-subject research designs, was employed in the research. In addition, in the research, social validity data were collected with the interview form consisting of semi-structured interview questions, and content analysis was performed. The study’s dependent variables are the subjects’ ability to accurately tell the time and recognize money. There are two independent variables in the study. The first independent variable is the presentation of the CRA teaching strategy with 3D materials, and the second independent variable is the presentation of the CRA teaching strategy with video prompting. Functional academic skills teaching was applied to four selected students alternately using 3D materials and video prompting. A total of 135 sessions took place in the experimental process. As a result of the research, it was found that both presentation styles were effective, but video prompting presentation was more efficient. These results show that the CRA teaching strategy with video prompting can be used to teach functional academic skills to students with developmental retardation. Both teachers and families expressed positive opinions about the skills handled by both methods. The use of video prompting in schools and homes can be beneficial when teaching functional academic skills to individuals with special needs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Education: The Educational Response to Students with Disabilities)

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16 pages, 336 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Right to Inclusive Quality Education: Primary School Teachers’ Perceptions Based on the EPREPADI-1 Scale

by Yonatan Díaz Santa María and Jesús Molina Saorín

Sustainability 2022, 14(9), 5063; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14095063 - 22 Apr 2022

Viewed by 1426

Abstract

The following study aimed to describe the perception of primary education teachers regarding pupils who are discriminated against on the grounds of low functional performance. In this way, the EPREPADI-1 scale (primary education teachers’ perception of their training and professional practice in relation to pupils with disabilities) was applied with a purposive and non-probabilistic sampling aimed at teachers in the Region of Murcia, obtaining a sample with a confidence level of 95% and a sampling error of 5% (410 participants). Being quantitative descriptive research, an exploratory factor analysis was carried out to determine the existence of seven key factors, of which three were considered, due to their high significance for the objectives of this study, to determine their correlation by means of the Pearson test, as well as the Chi-square test and Cramer’s V test to determine the correlation between the factors and the ordinal variables of the scale. These tests allowed us to analyse the existing relationships between the specific training received (initial and continuous), and the effects that this training had on the performance of their professional practice. At the same time, we investigated the perception teachers have of their use of the language of negation, and to what extent the semantics used can lead to situations of exclusion. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Education: The Educational Response to Students with Disabilities)

14 pages, 780 KiB

Open AccessArticle

‘AReal-Vocab’: An Augmented Reality English Vocabulary Mobile Application to Cater to Mild Autism Children in Response towards Sustainable Education for Children with Disabilities

by Haida Umiera Hashim, Melor Md Yunus and Helmi Norman

Sustainability 2022, 14(8), 4831; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14084831 - 18 Apr 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3099

Abstract

The American Psychiatric Association defines autism spectrum disorder as a neurological illness, in which children with the disorder have trouble communicating socially or have a set of behaviours that are recurrent or restricted. Autism learners are mostly visual method learners who learn best through pictures and visuals. Most learners with autism struggle to learn new terminology due to their cognitive difficulties, and with the advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, technology is no longer a foreign concept in the educational sphere. The usage of augmented reality technology has proven to be beneficial in offering more relevant learning sessions for autism learners. As a result, underpinned by the learning theories of behaviourism, constructivism, connectives and cognitivism, altogether with the theory of mind and Frame model, an augmented reality smartphone application, called ‘AReal-Vocab’, was created to assist children with mild autism in acquiring English vocabulary. The design and development research approach was employed in this study, in which later, the developed mobile augmented reality application was then tested on six mildly autistic youngsters to see how well the designed and developed augmented reality mobile application aided them in acquiring the English language. The AReal-Vocab mobile application, which was planned and built, has had an impact on the English-vocabulary learning of children with moderate autism, according to the findings. Not only has AReal-Vocab helped mildly autistic children learn English vocabulary in a more engaging and meaningful way, sparking their interest in the language learning process, but it also serves as a platform for instilling leisure learning at home, as well as stimulating pronunciation skills and language articulation. The findings of this study are expected to benefit all parties involved, particularly children with autism, autism educators, and parents of children with autism. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Education: The Educational Response to Students with Disabilities)

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16 pages, 263 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Social and Psychological Effects of Inclusive Education of Persons with Hearing Disability in Society: A Field Study at the Disability Resource Centre (Sharjah University)

by Nagwa Babiker Abdalla Yousif, Enaam Mohammed Youssef and Rasha Mohamed Abdelrahman

Sustainability 2021, 13(22), 12823; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su132212823 - 19 Nov 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4436

Abstract

The objective of inclusive education is to increase the quality of social and psychological integration in society of students with disabilities in the learning process. This study aimed to identify the social and psychological effects of inclusive education of students with hearing disabilities at Sharjah University’s Disability Resource Centre. The study adopted a descriptive analytical approach with a purposive sample comprising 24 students with hearing impairment. An electronic questionnaire comprising 25 psychological and social statements and nine open-ended questions was administered to collect quantitative and qualitative data. The results revealed positive correlation coefficients between inclusive education and both psychological adjustment and social interaction and negative relationships between gender and age and both social interaction and psychological adaptation variables (for age ρ = 0.091 and ρ = 0.262 and for gender ρ = 0.47 and ρ = 0.076, respectively). A statistically significant difference of less than 0.05 was found in favour of those who agreed that inclusion affects psychological adaptation. A statistically significant difference of less than 0.05 was found in favour of students who agreed that inclusion affects social interaction. The research results can be used in the practice of inclusive education to determine ways to improve the social and psychological adaptation of students with hearing impairments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Education: The Educational Response to Students with Disabilities)

20 pages, 1031 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Inclusive University Education in Bolivia: The Actors and Their Discourses

by Jesús Muyor-Rodríguez, Virginia Fuentes-Gutiérrez, Yolanda María De la Fuente-Robles and Teresa Amezcua-Aguilar

Sustainability 2021, 13(19), 10818; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su131910818 - 29 Sep 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2777

Abstract

Education policies in Bolivia and other parts of Latin America have improved significantly in recent years. However, there continue to be barriers to higher education for students with specific educational support needs and difficulties are still found in the institutional management of inclusive education. This paper aims to better understand the elements that facilitate and hinder university inclusion of students with functional diversity in Bolivia. The methodology used is qualitative. The discourses of key informants within the university community were collected using the focus group technique. The software Atlas.ti-8 was used for data processing and inductive coding was performed using the constant comparison method. The study’s main findings indicate that both the categorization of functional diversity and the financing model in place have a great impact on inclusive education actions at the university level. The research also reveals a lack of correspondence between the rights of people with functional diversity and the resources allocated to them. The conclusions point to the need to establish intersectional institutional strategies based on the recognition of diversity as an essential value in the development of inclusive and sustainable education. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Education: The Educational Response to Students with Disabilities)

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17 pages, 7608 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Preventing School Exclusion of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) through Reducing Discrimination: Sustainable Integration through Contact-Based Education Sessions

by Gheorghița Nistor and Cristian-Laurențiu Dumitru

Sustainability 2021, 13(13), 7056; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13137056 - 23 Jun 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4671

Abstract

Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are discriminated against and stigmatized by the school community. The objective of this study is to analyze the school inclusion process of students with ASD by reducing discrimination and stigmatization through contact-based education sessions. This can be achieved through school projects. In the present study, discrimination and stigmatization toward children with ASD were analyzed in high school students (N = 141) through Haghighat’s standardized stigmatization questionnaire (SSQ1). In the active group, a student diagnosed with ASD also participated in the awareness activities of the problems faced by the students with ASD and the contact-based education (CBE) sessions carried out in the classroom. The results showed significant differences in reducing discrimination and stigmatization in high school students, both in the control group and especially in the active group. It was observed that the development of CBE (inclusion of the student with ASD in activities) led to the creation of a supportive school community, demonstrating that the activities carried out within the SucCESS Project achieved their purpose. The SSQ1 can be applied to high school students, and together with CBE activities, it can be used in school inclusion projects for children with ASD or mental disabilities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Education: The Educational Response to Students with Disabilities)

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13 pages, 280 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Compulsory Education Teachers’ Perceptions of Resources, Extracurricular Activities and Inclusive Pedagogical Training in Spain

by Juan José Leiva-Olivencia, Maria Carmen López-Berlanga, Antonio Miñán Espigares and Francisco Villegas Lirola

Sustainability 2021, 13(9), 5171; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13095171 - 06 May 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2241

Abstract

Inclusive education is an issue of great interest and social and pedagogical significance in the quality of the education system. Its impact on the context, reality and training of teachers is a decisive impulse to build an open mind in relation to diversity as a characteristic element of education and today’s society. The objective of this study was to explore the perceptions of compulsory education teachers (primary and secondary) about teacher training, resources, and after-school activities in the care of students with specific educational support needs associated with disability in 12 Autonomous Communities of Spain. A survey has been carried out, for which an ad hoc questionnaire was built, involving 2457 docents. A descriptive and inferential analysis has been carried out by means of an average comparison between each issue and the different intrapersonal factors. Specifically, two types of tests have been used, using the SPSS version 25 program for analysis: testing independent samples (Levene test and t-test for equal means) and one-way ANOVA according to the type of independent variable considered. Among the results is the need to increase teacher training in inclusive education, the existence of divergences on the material, and spatial resources available for diversity care. Similarly, the relevance of after-school activities was identified as initiatives and spaces for the visibility of diversity and culture of inclusion in schools. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Education: The Educational Response to Students with Disabilities)

12 pages, 299 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Teacher’s Perspective on Inclusion in Education: An Analysis of Curriculum Design

by Pedro Jurado-de-los-Santos, María Jesús Colmenero-Ruiz, Rosa Eva Valle-Flórez, Macarena Castellary-López and Victoria Figueredo-Canosa

Sustainability 2021, 13(9), 4766; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13094766 - 23 Apr 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2980

Abstract

The study we present is based on the responses given to students with specific educational support needs in compulsory education stages. Focused from the perspective of teachers within the framework of educational inclusion. To this end, the role of teachers and their influence on curriculum design, methodology, and assessment is taken into account. A descriptive and inferential methodological approach is used, with a sample of 2457 teachers from the Spanish context, applying an ad-hoc questionnaire. The results indicate the influence of teachers’ socio-demographic variables on the implementation of curriculum design, methodology, and assessment strategies in line with educational inclusion. The conclusions highlight the reactive versus proactive nature of teaching, although the sufficiency of educational practice is considered, characterised by differences according to age, gender, experience, or location of educative centre, among other variables analysed. It is established that improvements can be identified that can be strengthened. Specifically those related to the interests and motivations of students with SEN and their participation in assessment processes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Education: The Educational Response to Students with Disabilities)

11 pages, 303 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Improving Adolescents’ Attitudes towards Persons with Disabilities: An Intervention Study in Secondary Education

by Julián Álvarez-Delgado, Benito León-del-Barco, María-Isabel Polo-del-Río, Víctor-María López-Ramos and Santiago Mendo-Lázaro

Sustainability 2021, 13(8), 4545; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13084545 - 19 Apr 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2266

Abstract

The relationship of disabled persons with their environment is fundamental. Attitudes towards them, understood as the social constructs of those around them, play a key role in a person’s development and future, as they are one of the fundamental elements that can facilitate or hinder the inclusion process. Our work examines the need to implement educational and awareness-raising actions and programs that contemplate intervention strategies based on education and direct contact with disabled persons. The main objective of the study was to analyze the effect of a Program for Changing Attitudes towards Persons with Disabilities on a group of secondary school students (11 to 15 years of age), assigning 770 to the experimental group and 105 to the control group. The evaluation instrument used was the “Brief Questionnaire of Attitudes towards Persons with Disabilities for Adolescents, CBAD-12A”. The results have demonstrated the efficacy of the intervention for the experimental group, as it was possible to attribute the changes in attitude to the effect of the Program. Specifically, an improvement in attitudes was found in all three factors of the questionnaire (Acceptance-Rejection, Competence and Opportunity) after the intervention. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Education: The Educational Response to Students with Disabilities)

19 pages, 1028 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Case Study of a Robot-Assisted Speech Therapy for Children with Language Disorders

by David Estévez, María-José Terrón-López, Paloma J. Velasco-Quintana, Rosa-María Rodríguez-Jiménez and Valle Álvarez-Manzano

Sustainability 2021, 13(5), 2771; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13052771 - 04 Mar 2021

Cited by 27 | Viewed by 5338

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore the potential of using a social robot in speech therapy interventions in children. A descriptive and explorative case study design was implemented involving the intervention for language disorder in five children with different needs with an age ranging from 9 to 12 years. Children participated in sessions with a NAO-type robot in individual sessions. Qualitative methods were used to collect data on aspects of viability, usefulness, barriers and facilitators for the child as well as for the therapist in order to obtain an indication of the effects on learning and the achievement of goals. The main results pointed out the affordances and possibilities of the use of a NAO robot in achieving speech therapy and educational goals. A NAO can contribute towards eliciting motivation, readiness towards learning and improving attention span of the children. The results of the study showed the potential that NAO has in therapy and education for children with different disabilities. More research is needed to gain insight into how a NAO can be applied best in speech therapy to make a more inclusive education conclusions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Education: The Educational Response to Students with Disabilities)

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Review

Jump to: Research

20 pages, 2078 KiB

Open AccessReview

Impact of Assistive Technologies to Inclusive Education and Independent Life of Down Syndrome Persons: A Systematic Literature Review and Research Agenda

by Venera Krasniqi, Katerina Zdravkova and Fisnik Dalipi

Sustainability 2022, 14(8), 4630; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14084630 - 13 Apr 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 5504

Abstract

Since the beginning of the 21st century, the lifespan of people born with Down syndrome (DS) has increased. They now outlive their parents and rely on their relatives who usually sacrifice their own families to care for their disabled siblings. To reduce the pressure on families and the wider community, it is crucial to prepare DS people for independent life from early childhood. Emerging technologies can significantly support the process of acquiring the skills that are necessary for solving real-life problems at home and work. To assess their impact and estimate how much they are implemented in inclusive education, a review of 564 papers published after 2015 was done using the PRISMA review model. After gradual exclusion, 24 papers were used for the final review. Thematic analysis resulted in four themes with one common concept: variety. The results of examining the four research questions defined in the paper’s background confirm that the synergy of emerging assistive technologies and inclusive education has the potential of becoming a very effective strategy for creating an independent life for DS individuals. Many questions remain open, mainly related to a DS persons’ specific needs and capabilities. The acceptance of the proposed synergy will depend on them. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Education: The Educational Response to Students with Disabilities)

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