Accessing Science Ideas: Enhancing curriculum to support scientific reasoning of students with learning disabilities

Terc Inc, Cambridge MA

Investigators

Abstract

This three-year R&D project aims at increasing access of learning disability (LD) students to high-quality science learning and instruction by developing and implementing curriculum materials for students and teachers; and researching their effectiveness with 6th -8th grade students (N=380) with executive function limitations (EFL). This condition is associated with verbal learning disabilities, which can negatively influence higher order thinking and the productivity of students able to reason conceptually. These students attend inclusive classrooms with 76 teachers in 27 middle schools in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, and Connecticut. The material development component of the project consists of student unit enhancements, and teacher guides focused on higher order scientific reasoning for two units of the Full Option Science System (FOSS) program (i.e., Diversity of Life and Earth History). The research component of the project comprises a quasi-experimental design that allows comparison of EFL students? achievement in 76 intervention classrooms (with enhancements) and 76 classrooms (without enhancements) for each of the two selected FOSS units. Participating students will not be randomly assigned.