A Policy Analysis of Personalization, Individualization, and Differentiation for Students With Disabilities (Poster 44)

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Wednesday 4:20 p.m.
  In Poster Session: Division L - Section 3 Poster Session: Research on Curricular and Instructional Policy

Abstract

Researchers have grown increasingly interested in personalization as an approach to enhancing access to technology-enhanced learning experiences for all learners, including students with disabilities (SWDs). Yet, there remains confusion as to implementing personalization for SWDs partially due to conceptual conflations among the terms personalization, individualization, and differentiation. In this study, we employed a document analysis method to understand how the three concepts were referenced in the U.S. federal K-12 education law and the special education law given their influences on shaping educational initiatives. This analysis revealed that the three concepts shared the foundational idea of meeting the needs of individual learners; however, there exists a vast difference in procedural requirements for implementing personalization versus individualization from the legislative perspective.

Authors

• Ling Zhang, University of Wyoming

• Richard Carter, Indiana University

• Matthew L. Bernacki, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

• Jeff A. Greene, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill