Historically, children with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities (ID) and extensive support needs (ESN; individuals who require ongoing, intensive assistance in many areas of life) have been largely excluded from meaningful participation in STEM instruction. A focal point of this project was to investigate the behaviors of both teachers and students during the implementation of an engineering unit. The initial data were collected as part of a federally funded research project (Jimenez & Courtade, 2021-2026) that aims to explore how teachers can effectively scaffold engineering instruction for students with ID/ESN focusing on fostering skills that promote self-regulated learning. Teacher perspectives and student outcomes are shared. The authors also present the importance of building a supportive framework for teaching engineering to students with ID/ESN, as well as ideas about what we still need to know.
Jimenez, B., Courtade, G., Rathmann, M., & Cunningham, C. (2023, June 23). Developing inclusive engineering education opportunities [Paper presentation]. 2025 ASEE Annual Conference, Montreal, Canada.