Equity Strategies for Designing Blended Learning Resources for Children with Disabilities: Making Science Accessible

• In Event: Poster Session 02
  In Poster Session: PS 02 Topic - Developmental Disabilities

Abstract

Approximately 7.1 million children in the U.S., have individual education plans (IEPs) and receive special education services (USDOE, 2020). There is an urgent need for researchers, designers and practitioners to design and use digital learning resources that are accessible for children with an array of disabilities. There is a growing body of literature on the design and use of digital resources that promote inclusion and accessibility through the removal of barriers, including the Universal Design for Learning and Computer Assisted Instruction frameworks (CAST, 2011; Cheng & Lai, 2019; Lee, Miller & Janusyk, 2015; Panagopoulou, et al., 2018, Weng, Maeda & Bouck, 2014). The current paper describes a case study of the implementation of learning resources designed to allow children with disabilities to access science content, and for educators to adapt activities to provide children better access. The science resources examined in the study, Hero Elementary (Hero), were developed by Twin Cities Public Television (TPT). Hero includes television episodes, digital and analog games, non-fiction eBooks, hands-on activities, a digital science notebook, and educator resources, all connected by an engaging narrative involving a diverse group of children (Figure 1). Early in the design of Hero, TPT developed an Equity Strategies design document that summarizes research-based best practices in resource design for diverse populations of children (Figure 2). The Equity Strategies were used as a blueprint and rubric for designing and reviewing new Hero resources. This case study employs a single-case design (Yin, 2003). Researchers are using constant comparative analysis (Goodrick, 2014) and qualitative data analysis (Maher, et al., 2018) to address the research questions: (a) What adaptations do teachers make to Hero to provide greater access to science content for their students? (b) Did adaptations include accommodations and modifications specifically for students’ abilities?, and (c) How do the design features of Hero support students’ access to science learning activities? The study is being conducted in an afterschool program at a school for students with disabilities, and participants include five children ages 7 to 14 years with moderate cognitive, sensory, attention, communication, and/or motor disabilities, and their teacher. To date, analysis has included data from two classroom observations, and six educator interviews. This paper describes preliminary findings from ongoing data collection and analysis. Preliminary findings suggest that the teacher’s adaptations to the resources, including accommodations and modifications, provided students greater access to learning content. For example, one educator said Hero is designed to get students into a ‘questioning mode’ with science inquiry, and indicated that by simplifying vocabulary, she was successful in implementing questioning with students. She said the design features of the curriculum also allowed her to make changes depending on students’ mood, preferences, and energy level. eBooks were particularly engaging and informative for all the students, allowing them to interact with the images and audio with little distraction. Even students with significant attentional difficulties were able to focus and benefit. Early findings suggest TPT’s Equity Strategies supported opportunities for students with varying abilities to deeply engage in the science content.

Authors

• Elizabeth McCarthy, WestEd
  Presenting Author

• Daniel Brenner, WestEd
  Non-Presenting Author

• Priscilla Motley, WestEd
  Non-Presenting Author

• Momoko Hayakawa, University of Minnesota
  Non-Presenting Author