Student voice, not student echoes: increasing inclusive learning for students experiencing mild to moderate intellectual disabilities

Abstract

ABSTRACTEngaging high school students experiencing a mild to moderate Intellectual Disability (ID) in conversations about their math learning experiences can provide valuable insights for enhancing inclusive classroom teaching and learning. This paper reports on the pilot study of a broader research project that focuses on the voice of high school students experiencing ID in relation to their mathematics education. The study aims to analyse students’ experiences and perspectives on how they are taught mathematics based upon direct input from the students themselves.This research is significant because students experiencing ID have not been provided with the same opportunities to contribute to their learning as most other education stakeholders (parents, school leaders, teachers, and other student groups). This discrepancy is exemplified by the exclusion of students with ID from the descriptions of academic success in the NSW Curriculum Review (Citation2020).The current research study addresses an important gap by acknowledging that students with ID have been underrepresented in the collection of student voices recognised in education. The study confirms that students with ID can actively participate in discussions about their learning experiences, offering unique and insightful recommendations for improving how mathematics is taught to them.KEYWORDS: Intellectual disabilitymathematicsinclusive educationstudent voiceteaching and learninglife skills Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Additional informationNotes on contributorsFrances BarrFrances Barr is a Secondary Mathematics teacher with a background in Special Education. She is a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Education at Southern Cross University. Her thesis aims to identify the perspectives and recommendations of high school students experiencing mild to moderate intellectual disability (ID) concerning their mathematics education. She lived and worked for fifteen years in Malawi, Africa and is the Co-founder of Kindle Orphan Outreach. Currently, she teaches at a New South Wales public school catering to students with diverse abilities.Tony YeighAssociate Professor Tony Yeigh is an experienced academic with a demonstrated history of successful teaching and research. He is a strong education professional with a PhD focused in Educational Psychology. His research interests include Inclusive Education, Technology Enhanced Learning, School Improvement, School Leadership, Initial Teacher Education, Educational Mindfulness and “wicked” problem solving.Christos MarkopoulosDr. Christos Markopoulos has extensive experience in undergraduate and postgraduate mathematics education in Europe and Australia. He is currently a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Education of Southern Cross University, where he has developed and taught mathematics content knowledge and mathematics paedagogy units for pre-service teachers. Christos has received the SCU Vice Chancellor's Citation Award for his exceptional contribution to student learning. In his research, he investigates innovative methods, strategies, and practices for improving teaching and learning mathematics and numeracy. His work focuses on curriculum development and effective pedagogical strategies for improving mathematics education.