Does Computer-Aided Distance Education Affect the Science Development of Special Needs Students?

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, educators reported that the most affected group in distance education was special needs students. Educators also provided critical reports stating that special needs students miss or fail to understand activities in online education. The reason for this issue can be the lack of access to resources, the inability to benefit from resources, or the difficulty in following practices. This research was designed to investigate the effect of online implementation on students with special needs in science classrooms. For this purpose, a four-week online education was conducted by selecting a special needs 7th-grade student with mild intellectual disability. Before and after the implementation, an achievement test and an attitude scale were utilized to examine the academic success of the student and her attitudes towards science courses. As a result of the online intervention, it was observed that there was an enhancement in the student’s attitude and academic success. Providing remote one-on-one support can offer contributions to the development of special needs students.