Sunteți pe pagina 1din 7

Running Head: EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION 1

Effective Instruction in Inclusive or Specialized Classrooms

Using Multimedia and Individualized Learning Styles

Shay Herr

California State University, Monterey Bay

April 6, 2019

IST624 Research Design & Methods

Dr. Sarah Tourtellotte


EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION 2

Effective Instruction in Inclusive or Specialized Classrooms

Using Multimedia and Individualized Learning Styles

Teaching effectively in a classroom of diverse learning ability can be a difficult challenge for

any educator. Adding to this responsibility classrooms often incorporate students that have a

wide range of cognitive and special learning abilities. Educators are tasked with creating

instruction that meets the needs of all their students which may include various levels of reading

and learning ability and/or mental, physical, and emotional disorders. This literature review will

look at effective learning of subject matter incorporating teaching strategies, multimedia, and

individualized instruction for those with varying cognitive ability and learning styles.

Literature Review

In 1975 the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or IDEA was passed. IDEA

allows students with special disabilities to be granted access to public education and has evolved

from a time when many special education students were separated by different buildings and

classrooms, to incorporating all learners in inclusive classrooms (Bryant, Bryant, & Smith, 2019,

p. 6-7). Authors, Bryant, Bryant, and Smith (2019), make note that there are many variations that

can accompany this type of integration, from pullout programs, where students’ special

education needs are offered in a room full of the resources needed for learning, to co-teaching

methods that employ an assistant teacher to come in and work with the student in a general

education classroom (p. 8-9). Whichever method administrators and teachers choose adopt, there

is still the underlying drive to create instruction that all students can adapt and evolve from.

One such method of instruction is the Universal Design for Learning or UDL. UDL’s

framework operates by taking out the barriers that prevent learning and offers a curriculum that
EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION 3

has a widespread range. Because of this broad framework, it is thought at all students, including

those with disabilities, will receive better instruction and education (Al Hazmi & Ahmad, 2018).

UDL also provides room for the use of technology in instruction, this however can create

problems if educators are not technologically proficient or the technology is unaffordable. For

those living in the United States, UDL would also have to embrace the core standards of

instruction. As required by the Higher Education Act, all students, including those with

intellectual disabilities, must be provided with educational supports for advancement in higher

levels of education ("Higher education act (HEA) in a nutshell," n.d.). Authors Root, Knight, and

Mims speak this issue in their article A Guide to Addressing Multiple Priorities

in Core Content Instruction for Students With Severe Disabilities (2017). They researched

learning methods educating students with moderate to severe disabilities, concluding that

standard core instruction can be incorporated into learning by modifying methods to meet learner

needs (Root, Knight, & Mims, 2017).

Adapting instruction seems to be an underlying theme in other popular instructional

methods when customizing the curriculum to meet each individual learner and using assistive

technology (Bryant, Bryant, & Smith, 2019, p. 7). Whether students are in generalized or special

classrooms, adjusting the instruction to the individual is often the preferred method for effective

and supportive education. Some traditional methods include small group strategies, classroom

centers, or themed instruction to name a few (The Room 241 Team, 2018). Adapting these

strategies to fit in an increasingly technological environment is one topic of conversation.

Eve Herndon (2018) suggests the use of the multiple intelligences theory as one such way

of accomplishing this task of adapting learning style to the instruction. Multimedia intelligences

(MI) theory supports the idea of eight intelligences that all humans foster, though some, like
EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION 4

Herndon, recognize nine intelligences. Howard Gardner’s theory of MI recognizes that all

humans have distinct intelligences used in everyday life and learning. However, often there is a

dominate intelligence in each individual that corresponds with a particular learning style.

Herndon (2018) advocates that multimedia is making it easier to fit MI in the classroom.

“Multimedia inherently speaks to the different types of learning preferences that one person has

and has the potential to impart knowledge to a diverse class or group” (Herndon, 2018). Herndon

isn’t alone in her assessment. At Walden University, Linda Kennedy-Murray (2016) wrote her

dissertation on teacher knowledge of MI and its’ relationship to the classroom. The results of the

study revealed that while most teachers had some knowledge of MI, there was little relationship

between teacher familiarity of MI and their teaching style (Kennedy-Murray, 2016). What was

interesting in the study was the teachers preferred learning styles’ relationship to spatial

intelligences. Kennedy-Murray suggests that the increased use of technology may be the cause

behind the preferred method in visual imaging to explain concepts.

Her study could be compared with that of Sener, Kocman, and Cokcaliskan (2018) in

Turkey. They too, researched the use of MI and learning styles. The results of their study

revealed a preference for kinesthetic, naturalistic, and visual learning. The authors did note that

the sample students came from a small village, which could be a factor in the preference for the

naturalistic intelligence. Though they suggest that students who are aware of their favored

learning styles and preferred intelligence are more likely to develop their strengths and improve

their weaknesses.

In the Journal on Technology and Persons with Disabilities a study was published on the

effect of simulations based in the same subject matter and its’ ability to effectively teach students

with disabilities (Batterman, Kaini, Moore, Tomlinson, & Walker, 2018). Three simulations
EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION 5

were built to teach students about static electricity through the use of interactivity, on-screen text,

and auditory cues. The authors were vague in their assessment of subject comprehension, only

reporting an overall positive grasp of the subject matter by students. The study does show an

interest in separating instruction and general positive results, but it leaves room for more

examination on the effects of individualizing instruction through the use of multimedia.

However, all of these studies show support to adapt instruction to meet the needs of the learner

through the student’s preferred learning style.

The use of technology brings with it added cost, necessary teacher adoption, and student

adaptability functions. Aleksandra Dikusar (2018) stresses the importance of establishing user

friendly software that is easy for educators to adapt instruction to and is cost effective. As a

marketing director for a software company, Dikusar’s (2018) opinion could be viewed as biased,

but her practical views show support for media that can allow subject matter individualization

thus creating an environment that requires less direct teacher intervention. Jennifer Roland

(2018) a freelance writer in the field of technology and education, adds that the use of

technology provides students a platform to “showcase” their abilities giving them opportunity to

perform alongside their classmates.

Applying multimedia in instruction has strong support from both educators and students,

but whether in inclusive or specialized classroom, it’s important to use technology that versatile

in functionality, meaning that it adapts to students physical needs, as well providing content that

meets learner style. Likewise multimedia software should be user friendly and allow for easy

adaptation to instructional methods and strategies. With the use of multimedia, effective

instruction can be created for all learner types’ regardless ability.


EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION 6

References

Al Hazmi, A. N., & Ahmad, A. C. (2018). Universal design for learning to support access to the

general education curriculum for students with intellectual disabilities. World Journal of

Education, 8(2), 66. doi:10.5430/wje.v8n2p66

Batterman, J., Kaini, P., Moore, E., Tomlinson, B., & Walker, B. (2018). Supporting simulation

use for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Journal on Technology

and Persons with Disabilities, 1-17. Retrieved from

http://scholarworks.csun.edu/bitstream/handle/10211.3/202996/JTPD-2018-ID25-p202-

218.pdf?sequence=1

Bryant, D. P., Bryant, B. R., & Smith, D. D. (2019). Teaching students with special needs in

inclusive classrooms (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

Dikusar, A. (2018, August 10). The use of technology in special education. Retrieved from

https://elearningindustry.com/use-of-technology-in-special-education

Herndon, E. (2018, February 5). What are multiple intelligences and how do they affect

learning? [Web log post]. Retrieved from https://www.cornerstone.edu/blogs/lifelong-

learning-matters/post/what-are-multiple-intelligences-and-how-do-they-affect-learning

Higher education act (HEA) in a nutshell. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://washingtondc.fiu.edu/solutions/advocacy/HEA-Primer.pdf
EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION 7

Kennedy-Murray, L. (2016). Teachers' perceptions and practices of multiple intelligences theory

in middle schools (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from

https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=3

174&context=dissertations

Roland, J. (2018, December 28). How special education technology improves learning

[International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)]. Retrieved from

https://www.iste.org/explore/Innovator-solutions/How-special-education-technology-

improves-learning

The Room 241 Team. (2018, December 28). Concordia room 241: Resources and tips for

educators & students [Web log post]. Retrieved from https://education.cu-

portland.edu/blog/

Root, J. R., Knight, V. F., & Mims, P. J. (2017). A guide to addressing multiple priorities in core

content instruction for students with severe disabilities. Career Development and

Transition for Exceptional Individuals, 40(1), 56-61. doi:10.1177/2165143416680997

Şener, S., & Çokçalışkan, A. (2018). An investigation between multiple intelligences and

learning styles. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 6(2), 1-8.

doi:10.11114/jets.v6i2.2643

S-ar putea să vă placă și