STEM Education: Designing inclusion programs for special Education. Strategies – supportive techniques – technology

As students with disabilities have unique skills and tend to be more interested than their peers in STEM fields, in recent years various interventions and teaching approaches have been developed and evaluated to improve outcomes in each of the STEM disciplines. Given the importance of establishing a process that links these individuals’ skills to future employment opportunities, and connects ability with success, special emphasis and attention is placed on enhancing the learning of students with disabilities. Researchers and educators have focused on understanding and designing STEM instruction around the needs of students with disabilities. Although there is a significant lack of research, scholars have begun to highlight how addressing the special needs of students with disabilities can be incorporated into the design of educational programs. Promising instructional strategies and/or interventions have been developed to improve their performance in each of the STEM subjects. The purpose of STEM curricula is to cultivate the distinctive learning differences of individuals with disabilities, with the goal of preparing students to meet and succeed in an evolving job market. These curricula combine social skills with 21st-century skills in a project-based STEM program. STEM education is a critical factor in addressing global challenges in the fields of energy, health, environmental protection, and national security (PCAST, 2010).