| CODE | IAL1031 | ||||||||
| TITLE | Engaging with Diverse Developmental Profile, Disabilities and Neuro-developmental Conditions | ||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 01 - Year 1 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Inclusion and Access to Learning | ||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit provides students with an overview of profiles and characteristics of diverse learning and developmental disabilities and relevant specific inclusive strategies. It will provide a better understanding of the processes and factors that can influence a learner’s profile whilst also introducing accommodations and other practices that can support students with diverse developmental profiles. The unit is grounded in a strengths-based framework and guides students on how to work with individuals, families, or communities by focusing on their strengths and assets, rather than their weaknesses or deficits. The unit will also critically analyse the potential influences of ‘supports’ from the perspective of a social model of disability, which views disability as resulting from attitudes present in society that prevent individuals from fully participating and accessing the same opportunities and resources as non-disabled individuals. Study-Unit Aims: - To familiarise students with diverse learning patterns and cognitive profiles; - To encourage students to engage with the notion of neurodiversity as well as the strength-based approach; - To explore further the social model of disability and build on the philosophy and implications of Inclusion; - To provide students with a more comprehensive understanding of the different developmental profiles whilst understanding their major characteristics and evaluation procedures; - To introduce students to strategies to address various learning needs associated with creating and implementing an IEP within an inclusive classroom and community; - To enable students to provide adequate support and accommodations for all students depending on their learning profiles. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - List the basic characteristics of the main difficulties related to human development, such as: Learning disabilities; Social, emotional or behavioral disorders; Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; Giftedness; Intellectual impairments; Severe and multiple disabilities; Autism Spectrum Disorders; Physical disabilities; Communication disorders; Hearing loss; Blindness and low vision; - Identify specific strategies to be used in the classroom in order to address specific learning needs; - Describe which elements should be included in an IEP. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Apply specific strategies to remove barriers to learning in practical classroom contexts; - Demonstrate interpersonal skill to work with other professionals to advocate for students who have diverse learning needs; - Adapt and evaluate strategies to address the learning barriers, needs, and preferences of students within an inclusive setting. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Readings: - Turnbull, A., Rutherford Turnbull, H., Wehmeyer M., L., (2010). Exceptional Lives: Special Education in Today's Schools (6th Edition). Prentice Hall. - Karten, T. J. (2015). Inclusion strategies that work!: Research-based methods for the classroom. Corwin Press. Supplementary Readings: - WHO: ICF International classification of functioning disability and health http://www.who.int/classifications/icf/en/ - Tomlinson, C. A. (2014) The differentiated classroom. Responding to the Needs of All Learners, 2nd Edition. - Lalvani, P. (2013). Privilege, compromise, or social justice: teachers’ conceptualizations of inclusive education. Disability & Society, 28(1), 14– 27. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2012.692028 - Bajada, G., Callus, A.-M., & Borg, K.. (2022). Unpretentious education: a Foucaultian study of inclusive education in Malta. Disability & Society, 37 (8), 1247–1271. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2021.1874877Den - Houting, J. (2019). Neurodiversity: An insider’s perspective. Autism, 23(2), 271–273. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361318820762 - Kapp, S. K., Steward, R., Crane, L., Elliott, D., Elphick, C., Pellicano, E., & Russell, G. (2019). ‘People should be allowed to do what they like’: Autistic adults’ views and experiences of stimming. Autism, 23(7), 1782– 1792. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361319829628 - Kenny, L., Hattersley, C., Molins, B., Buckley, C., Povey, C., & Pellicano, E.. (2016). Which terms should be used to describe autism? Perspectives from the UK autism community. Autism, 20(4), 442–462. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361315588200 |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||
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| LECTURER/S | Louis John Camilleri |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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