Evaluation of a digital UDL-based learning environment in inclusive chemistry education

Abstract

To comply with the United Nations' (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities teaching units have to be universally accessible to all students. The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) offers one possible way of creating an inclusive teaching unit that should be accessible to as many students as possible. New technologies and media are very suitable for providing flexible materials and are therefore of particular importance to the UDL. To investigate the effect of a digital multimedia learning environment on students with and without special educational needs (SEN) we developed a learning software according to the UDL for two 90 min courses for the lower secondary chemistry course. We examined the learning environment in inclusive German classrooms with n = 89 students at the age of 13-15, including n = 16 SEN-students. For this, we used a chemistry performance test in form of a multiple-choice test in a pre-post-follow-up-design as well as a test for the attitude of the students towards the learning software. Additionally, we recorded the activities on the screens of selected learners. The chemistry performance concerning chemical reactions significantly increased through the intervention. Moreover, the students gave a positive feedback on the learning software. The results of the study suggest that the digital learning unit is suitable for learning about chemical reactions. The analysis of the videos shows that students with and without SEN use the functions of the software mostly adequate. In this paper first results are presented, further analysis will follow.