| CODE | IAL2020 | ||||||||
| TITLE | Addressing Disability and Planning Inclusive Strategies | ||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Inclusion and Access to Learning | ||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | Children with disabilities are not a homogeneous group. Rather, they are individuals with unique needs and abilities. This unit aims to give students an overview of high-incidence disabilities. It will also help students to focus on developing a better understanding of a child鈥檚 unique profile and subsequently identify and break down barriers which could impinge on a child鈥檚 opportunities to learn and develop holistically. The unit aims to challenge deficit models of disability which see children with a disability as a problem that needs to be fixed and focuses on impairments or limitations. This unit will emphasize the role of social and environmental barriers in creating disability, and take a social model which frames disability as not just a result of individual impairments or limitations, but as the result of inaccessible or discriminatory social and physical environments. This unit will also introduce students to the importance of providing children with a disability with opportunities for self-determination. For people with disabilities, self-determination is especially crucial since they frequently encounter structural barriers and preconceptions that can restrict their chances and influence over their own life. Children with impairments can increase their autonomy, self-confidence, and life happiness by encouraging self-determination from an early age. As they get older, it may also help them live lives of higher quality and achieve their goals while pursuing their interests. Diversity is a strength, and by using inclusive and universal teaching strategies, we may develop a pedagogy that is more useful, interesting, and welcoming for all students. Thus, this unit will focus on developing learning environments and methods that are open to the widest possible range of children, regardless of their capacity or background. This could involve making adjustments to the environment and teaching strategies, using assistive technology, or providing more resources. It aims to inspire future teachers to design child-centered learning settings that are underpinned by positive psychology principles and a strengths-based approach. Study-unit Aims: 鈥� Critique medical and deficit-based models of disability. 鈥� Emphasize the role of social and environmental barriers in creating disabling social and physical contexts. 鈥� Describe various high-incidence disabilities. 鈥� Help students understand the importance of removing barriers and creating more inclusive and accessible environments. 鈥� Underline the importance of self-determination for children with disabilities. 鈥� Support the self-advocacy of children with a disability. 鈥� Define the concept of neurodiversity and 鈥榥euro-affirmative鈥� support tools. 鈥� Develop a collaborative relationship with parents and with members of the class team, as well as with other professionals supporting the child at school and within the community. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: 鈥� Describe child-specific high-incidence conditions; 鈥� Address the root causes of disability and promote equality and social justice for all people, regardless of their abilities or impairments; 鈥� Recognize that disability is not just a result of individual impairments or limitations, but is also the result of inaccessible or discriminatory social and physical environments; 鈥� Discuss how inclusive design can be operationalized in their pedagogy; 鈥� Develop strength based supports for children with a disability on the principles of positive psychology. 2. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: 鈥� Apply a strengths-based framework to recognize and build on the strengths of each individual child; 鈥� Create inclusive and accessible environments that allow all individuals to fully participate in learning activities; 鈥� Apply principles of inclusive design to the teaching and learning process; 鈥� Identify apposite accommodations, and access arrangements, to ensure equitable access to the curriculum; 鈥� Employ basic concepts of positive niche construction in their everyday practice; 鈥� Support students with a disability to advocate for themselves. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Ainscow, M., Dyson, A., Goldrick, S., & West, M. (2013). Developing equitable education systems. Routledge. - Armstrong, T. (2012). Neurodiversity in the classroom: Strength-based strategies to help students with special needs succeed in school and life. ASCD. - Turnbull, A., Turnbull, A., Shank, M., Smith, S. J., & Leal, D. (1995). Exceptional lives. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Supplementary Reading: - Ainscow, M., Booth, T., & Dyson, A. (2006). Improving schools, developing inclusion. Routledge. - Ainscow, M., & Sandill, A. (2010). Developing inclusive education systems: The role of organisational cultures and leadership. International journal of inclusive education, 14(4), 401-416. - Bartolo, P. A., Janik, I., Janikova, V., Hofsass, T., Koinzer, P., Vilkiene, V., ... & Humphrey, N. (2007). Responding to student diversity: teacher's handbook. University of Malta. Faculty of Education. - Rief, S. R. (1996). How to reach & teach all students in the inclusive classroom. Centre for applied research in education. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Jonathan Borg Louis John Camilleri |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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