SCIENCE EDUCATION AND STUDENTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY: TEACHING APPROACHES AND IMPLICATIONS

This literature review aims at discussing current educational perspectives in the specific field of science teaching to students with mild to moderate intellectual disability. The present critical approach focuses on the availability and appropriateness of teaching methods and learning strategies that might effectively support science education of students with intellectual disability, given the cognitive characteristics, the learning difficulties and competencies of these students, the particular academic and learning skills associated with the acquisition of science concepts, and finally the perspective of promoting the access of students with intellectual disability in the general educational programs. Discussion of the evidences reveals a complex picture, which suggests further empirical verification of the research findings specifically in regard to the inquiry learning method and its implementation on science teaching to students with intellectual disability. Given the implementation of the appropriate instruction methods and learning strategies, science education and even more inclusive science education with an emphasis on hands-on activities and real life experiences could yield benefits, at least for students with mild to moderate intellectual disability, related to their everyday functioning in the context of functional academic skills acquisition.