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An increased focus on science instruction and science learning for students with special education needs has been growing over the past decade. Research studies, particularly meta-analyses focused on science for students with disabilities, show investigators are interested in what science strategies and approaches (e.g., graphic organizers, inquiry-based instruction,) work for students regardless of identified need (e.g., learning disabilities). However, researchers have noted that science instruction can often rely heavily on text and have burdensome reading demands that may cause students with disabilities to struggle. Research suggests that incorporating Universal Design for Learning (UDL), multimodal representation, the arts, and communicative technologies can reduce the language load for learning science content and phenomena for students with special education needs. The purpose of this paper is to provide resources and suggestions for reducing the language barriers in science for students with special education needs through the use of multimodal representation and communication technologies.

There has been increased attention paid to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics also known as STEM. The focus on STEM has been both educational and occupational. Unfortunately, students with disabilities perform below their peers without disabilities in math and science. The authors discuss issues related to STEM and students with disabilities. These issues include (1) traditional views of STEM education, (2) the importance of STEM education, and (3) students with disabilities performance in STEM. The authors posit a framework for STEM education for students with disabilities and promote the incorporation of the arts to increase students' STEM knowledge and achievement.

Poor science achievement has been an educational issue for a number of years. Students with disabilities have traditionally fared worse. Research suggests that students with disabilities may respond better to instruction using an inquiry-based approach vs. traditional textbook instruction when measuring science achievement on standardized measures. The researchers report achievement data on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills from a target school district for students' Individualized Education Programs (IEP) and non-IEP students, as well as students with IEPs at the state level. Using an argument-based inquiry approach to science instruction called the Science Writing Heuristic (SWH); the researchers report data supporting its impact on student achievement in science. Data suggest that the SWH may contribute to science achievement for students with IEPs.

This review examined classroom science instruction for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). A total of 11 group and single-subject studies were analyzed. Across all group studies, a conservatively calculated mean effect size of 0.471 was obtained indicating the interventions as a whole had at least a small to moderate impact on students' with EBD achievement. Findings were further analyzed by student characteristics, intervention type, dependent measures utilized, and study variables. A significant result of these subanalyses indicates that while additional research is needed, students with EBD may benefit from inquiry approaches provided the method implemented includes enough structure to ensure student engagement. Results also suggest that mnemonic instruction is highly effective at increasing students' with EBD knowledge and retention of science facts.

Teaching is one of the most stressful occupations in the United States. This is especially true for teachers who are responsible for meeting the complex needs of students with disabilities, particularly those with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). In fact, EBD teachers have a higher risk of experiencing burnout than their special education and general education colleagues. This burnout leads EBD teachers to leave the specialization of EBD, leave the field of special education, or leave the teaching profession as a whole. One way to mitigate this exodus of EBD teachers is to provide a broader pedagogical opportunity. Project-based learning (PBL) is a pedagogical methodology that is not often used by EBD teachers. The current study examines the use of PBL teaching to support students behaviorally and its impact on EBD teacher stress and job satisfaction. PBL was shown to improve student classroom and personal behaviors as well as increase job satisfaction for EBD teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article highlights research-based instructional strategies that may be used by science teachers of students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). Topics discussed include barriers to science achievement of students with EBD, the use of mnemonic devices for science instruction, and the use of peer-related strategies to measure their impact on science achievement and on-task behavior.

This review examined classroom science instruction for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). A total of 11 group and single-subject studies were analyzed. Across all group studies, a conservatively calculated mean effect size of .471 was obtained indicating the interventions as a whole had at least a small to moderate impact on students’ with EBD achievement. Findings were further analyzed by student characteristics, intervention type, dependent measures utilized, and study variables. A significant result of these subanalyses indicates that while additional research is needed, students with EBD may benefit from inquiry approaches provided the method implemented includes enough structure to ensure student engagement. Results also suggest that mnemonic instruction is highly effective at increasing students’ with EBD knowledge and retention of science facts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]