Inquiry learning in a special education setting: managing the cognitive loads of intellectually disabled students

Abstract

This study investigates the use of inquiry learning (IL) approach for intellectually disabled (ID) students. It draws on findings from the trial lessons of 6 classes of ID students in a project developing an adapted General Studies Curriculum for ID students at primary level. Data analysis focuses on examining how IL was employed for ID students. Evidences were collected from lesson plans, video-taped teaching periods and post-lesson reflection of teachers to identify teaching strategies of applying IL for ID students. These strategies, which were classified into seven aspects of concern, were put under scrutiny from the perspective of Cognitive Load Theory to uncover the foundation and effect of these strategies on enabling IL opportunities for ID students. The study concludes that teachers should take an active role to ensure the appropriate IL process to cater the students’ learning needs so as to develop their fundamental skills for inquiry.

Keywords:

• inquiry learning
• cognitive load
• instructional design
• special education