Assignment 2: Case Study

Part 1: Supporting Literature

Zac is a year 10 student who suffers from Mild Intellectual Disability (MID). MID is a classification

system which is used to define people who have below average intellectual functioning and adaptive

social behaviour skills (Luckasson et al 2002). Saborine, Cullinan, Osborne and Brock (2005) state

that students with MID have similar development as peers, however tend to struggle with more

complex task such as problem solving and activities that require multiple processes. MID students

are also commonly found to have behaviour difficulties within the classroom which can be related to

these struggles with classroom activities along with their limited adaptive behaviour skills (Dekker,

Koot, Van der Ende & Verhulst, 2002). In order to provide an inclusive education for Zac, appropriate

lesson plans need to be designed which allow for Zac to receive and equal education as his peers and

achieve his full potential.

Zac strengths include that he is a very social students who enjoys talking about things that are

passionate to him such as computer games and sports, specifically rugby league. Zac can contribute

positively to class discussion and group work when he understands the information being taught and

is more likely to talk to explain answers as opposed to writing things down. Zac has proven to have

limited attention and is therefore most efficient when activities contain visuals and practical/hands

on components. Zac has an active imagination which when able to direct towards classwork can be

very useful in his learning; however it also has the potential to drag him off topic and away from the

major idea of the task. This shift towards off topic thinking along with frustration towards activities

which Zac is unable to comprehend commonly, lead to Zac displaying behaviour problems within the

classroom. These behavioural problems can include; distracting peers, distracting the whole class,

not attempting the work provided and in worse cases mild tantrums. Activities that generally

frustrate or bore Zac include; reading and writing task, activities that require multiple steps or

solutions, complex problem solving and lessons which are limited in interactive activities. Zac
misbehaviour and failure to complete tasks has led to his results in class activities, exams and

assessments task to be towards the lower end of the performance scale when compared to the

peers in his class. Therefore the importance of a lesson plan aimed at improving Zac’s learning and

engagement is of vital importance.

Universal design for learning (UDL) is one approach which can be used to assist in developing a

successful lesson plan for Zac. UDL focuses on providing a lesson plan which utilises students

strengths, interests and technology in order to improve student learning and engagements as

opposed to all students having to learn in one certain way (Rose & Meyer, 2002). UDL, although

specifically focused around improving the learning and inclusion of students with disabilities, has

also been found to provide learning benefits to regular students due to its breaking away from the

all students learn the same method, allowing for multiple learning types to be accommodated

(Vitelli, 2015).

UDL is based around the implication of three main concepts. These concepts include providing

students with multiple means of representations, multiple means of expression and multiple means

of engagement (Edyburn, 2005; Rose & Meyer, 2002; Vitelli, 2015). Multiple means of

representation looks to provide students with a variety of different approaches in which they can

acquire knowledge and information (Edyburn, 2005). This means that the same information can be

portrayed in a range of different forms, each aimed at addressing different learning styles. By

providing a selection of different forms of learning, each student can learn according to the

strengths as opposed to all having to learn in a style which limits some students learning due to

weaknesses in that learning style (Edyburn, 2005). As mentioned earlier, when students with MID

struggle with classroom activities, it is common for them to display behavioural difficulties in Zac

case distraction or classroom peers and classroom activities (Dekker, Koot, Van der Ende & Verhulst,

2002). Therefore by including multiple means of representation, this increases the likely hood of Zac

finding a style that suits his strengths, providing him with a greater chance of completing the
learning. Ainsworth (2006) supports this use multiple means of representation to improve Zac’s

learning, stating that a student’s performance in learning is enhanced when they are provided with a

suitable learning style that resonates with their own learning strengths. Not only can multiple means

of representation increase Zac’s learning, it also has the potential to decrease the behavioural

difficulties experienced when Zac is struggling to understand or complete certain activities (Johnson-

Harris & Mundschenk, 2014). As the classroom activities provided become more suited to Zac’s

strengths and learning style, the level of misunderstanding and frustration experienced should be

decreased, in turn reducing the occurrence of behavioural difficulties displayed by Zac.

In order to the include multiple means of representation, the provided lesson plan has been

modified so that it provides students with a number of options that can be utilise in the learning of

the required information (Edyburn, 2005). One modification that has been introduced in order to

address Zac’s strengths is the inclusion of a video explaining the different types of bones in the body

followed by the interaction with 3D printed versions of the different types of bones. By utilising

informative videos, Zac can move away from the activities and styles of learning that frustrate and

limit his learning as noticeable in reading tasks, instead addressing his learning strengths with visual

activities allowing him to work at his full potential (Taber-Doughty, Bouck, Tom, Jasper, Flanagan &

Bassette, 2011). This use of videos allows Zac to move away from the overfilled clutter of

information commonly found in textbooks. This is important in Zac’s learning as unnecessary clutter

and information has been found to severely limit students with learning difficulties understanding as

they struggle to process which information is important and which is not (Wehmeyer, 2006).

Wehmeyer (2006) support the use of videos for improving the learning of students with intellectual

disabilities stating that information which is presented with the use of visual aids, focusing only on

the important information, along with repeating of highlighting this information, has been found to

successfully increase the understanding and engagement of these students learning when compared

to reading and writing tasks. The use of interactive 3D printed bones also aim to address Zac’s

positive learning when classroom activities are more ‘hands on’. Taber-Doughty, Bouck, Tom, Jasper,
Flanagan and Bassette (2011) agree with the use of video learning prior to performing the task, in

this case interacting and identify 3D models, stating that students with MID have been found to

display greater success in learning after observing a video modelling the information required for the

upcoming activity.

Similarly to students being provided with multiple forms of information, it is equally important that

they be allowed various styles in which they can demonstrate their knowledge. As students with MID

commonly struggle to express their knowledge in writing tasks, as can be observed in Zac’s

circumstance, it is important to provide MID students with a style which allows them display their

true understanding of the content and not be limited by their weaknesses in a certain format

(Wehmeyer, 2006). Likewise to previously mentioned regarding multiple means of representation,

by providing MID students with a format that allows those to fully express their knowledge and ideas

in a style comfortable to their strengths, it is expected that less frustration would occur when

compared to when trying to express their ideas in writing. This decrease in frustration has the

potential to in turn decrease the behavioural problem associated with misunderstandings and not

attempting activities (Johnson-Harris & Mundschenk, 2014).

In order to incorporate multiple means of expression, the provided lesson plan has been modified so

that it provides students with various styles in which they can display or present their completed

work compared to the original one style (Edyburn, 2005). One example of a modification that has

been included within the provided lesson plan is to allow students more creative ways of recording

or displaying their information. As opposed to previously where students were required to simply

write down the information they gathers, the modifications allow students to draw, write, record,

play or even print the information that they have gathered. As Zac has an active imagination the

choice to draw or record a video of the information as opposed to writing the information down

allows for Zac to display the same information as other students, however just in a style that is

suitable to his own strength and weakness and easy for him to understand in future study.
Wehmeyer (2006) supports the use of videos and drawings, stating that students with MID respond

favourably to activities that allow them to express their knowledge in creative ways such as videos,

photographs, drawings and music.

By incorporating multiple means of representation and expression MID student’s engagement can

be enhanced simply due to the student’s ability to participate in a greater number of activities

(Wehmeyer, 2006). Edyburn (2005) states that MID students engagement attitudes are greatly

increased when they are challenged at a level which is suitable to their learning needs, and

motivated to succeed accordingly. Therefore the importance of the previous two concepts plays a

large role in the success of student’s engagement, however as with the previous two concepts it is

important to utilise multiple strategies in order to achieve the greatest results. Edyburn (2005)

states, that in order to achieve the greatest level of engagement lessons require a combination of

challenging and motivating activities, whilst also accommodating for the MID students interests and

passions.

In order to incorporate multiple means of engagement within the provided lesson plan,

modifications have been included in the representation and expression of information as mentioned

previously, whilst also focusing on including activities that are of interest to Zac (Edyburn, 2005).

One example of this includes the modification of the 3rd activity where the teacher originally

provided sporting actions for the students to break down, to the student now being able to select

their own sporting action. As Zac has a passion for rugby league, this strategy allows Zac to select a

rugby league action to break down in the hopes of transferring his passion for rugby league into

engagement towards the activity. Wehmeyer (2006) supports the use of flexible activities stating

that if all students can apply the information being learnt towards an area of interest then deeper

engagement and learning are likely. Interactive learning applications are also incorporated into the

lesson plan with the idea of increasing engagement, as Zac has shown an interest in computer games

and can transition this interest towards the learning of the bone names in activity 2. Edyburn (2005)
also acknowledges the importance of technology in the engagement of MID students, starting that

there is a range of evidence supporting the use of interactive technology in order to improve

intellectually disabled students engagement levels and overall learning experience.

Part 2: Modified Lesson Plan

Colour keys:

Means of representation

Means of expression

Means of engagement

PDHPE

Year 10

Time Activity Resources

0-5 Students enter classroom and sit down Roll

Mark roll

5-20 Students read the information in the textbook on the Textbooks

different types of bones in the body and complete a Laptops or smart devices

table with information found. Video clip explaining different

In groups or by themselves students have a choice of types of bones of the body

reading about the different types of bones in the Different 3D printed versions of

body or watching a video of the different types of the different types of bones in

bones of the body. Students then observing 3D the body

printed versions of the different types of bones in the

body.

Students can display information in a table, drawing,

voice recording or video and then discuss as a class.

20-40 Students learn the names of the major bones from Textbooks

the textbook and use this information to label the Laptops or smart devices

skeleton diagram provided. Worksheets

 In groups or by themselves students have a choice of Drawing materials

activities in order to learn the names of the major Printer

bones within the body. Choices include reading the White paint suits

textbook, researching online, through the interactive Permanent markers

3D anatomy app or through a video clip.

Students can display the information on the

worksheet diagram provided, by printing out the

information or diagram from the internet or app, by

drawing their own skeletal system or by drawing the

bones on a classmate wearing a white paint suit and

taking a photo.

40-60 Teacher provides students with two examples of Textbooks

sporting movements and students must identify the Laptops or smart devices

bones used within these movements by writing down Drawing materials

their answer. Different sporting balls

In groups students select their own sporting

movements and identify the bones used within these

muscles through either describing the action and

bones, watching a clip of the action or performing the

action.

Students can display their information as a written

task, video of the action and identifying the bones,

presenting the action and identified bones or drawing

the action and bones used.

References

Ainsworth, S. (2006). DeFT: A conceptual framework for considering learning with multiple

representations. Learning and instruction, 16(3), 183-198.

Dekker, M. C., Koot, H. M., Van der Ende, J., & Verhulst, F. C. (2002). Emotional and behavioral

problems in children and adolescents with and without intellectual disabilities. Journal of

Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines, 43, 1087−1098.

Edyburn, D. L. (2005). Universal design for learning. Special Education Technology Practice, 7(5), 16-

22.

Johnson-Harris, K. M. & Mundschenk, N. A. (2014). Working effectively with students with BD in a

general education classroom: The case for Universal Design for Learning. Issues and Ideas,

87(4), 168-174.

Luckasson, R., Borthwick-Duffy, S., Buntinx, W. H. E., Coulter, D. L., Craig, E. M., Reeve, A., Schalock,

R. L., Snell, M., Spitalnik, D. M., Spreat, S., & Tasse, M. J. (2002). Mental Retardation:

Definition, classification, and systems of support. Washington, DC: American Association on

Mental Retardation.

Rose, D., & Meyer, A. (2002). Teaching every student in the digital age. Alexandria, VA: ASCD

Sabornie, E. J., Cullinan, D., Osborne, S. S., & Brock, L. B. (2005). Intellectual, academic, and

behavioral functioning of students with high-incidence disabilities: A cross-categorical meta-

analysis. Exceptional Children, 72(1), 47-63.

Taber-Doughty, T., Bouck, E. C., Tom, K., Jasper, A. D., Flanagan, S. M., & Bassette, L. (2011). Video

modeling and prompting: A comparison of two strategies for teaching cooking skills to

students with mild intellectual disabilities. Education and Training in Autism and

Developmental Disabilities, 499-513.

Vitelli, E. M. (2015). Universal Design for Learning: Are we teaching it to preservice general

education teachers? Journal of Special Education Technology, 30(3), 166-178. doi:

10.1177/0162643415618931

Wehmeyer, M. L. (2006). Universal design for learning, access to the general education curriculum

and students with mild mental retardation. Exceptionality, 14(4), 225-235.