Enhancing Participation of Students with Autism in Inclusive Educational Robotics: An Action Research
摘要
Educational Robotics (ER) provides opportunities for students with autism to leverage their strengths and be included in peer groups. As ER becomes an integral part of the curriculum, the urgent need to develop specific strategies for their inclusion becomes increasingly apparent. To address this need, an action research study was conducted in non-typical educational settings to evaluate the effectiveness of the Search and Share Strategy (SaSS), a specific strategy designed to enhance the participation of students with autism in assembling and block programming when they take part in Inclusive Educational Robotics activities (IERa). Six students diagnosed with autism received remote training in SaSS. After receiving this training, they participated in face-to-face IERa alongside twelve neurotypical peers, in groups of three, using WeDo 2.0 and Spike LEGO Education Robots (ERs). This study examined the transferability and impact of the SaSS training across both instructional contexts. The findings indicated that the remote SaSS training had a positive impact on the participation of students with autism in IERa fostering positive attitudes among neurotypical peers toward the inclusion of students with autism.