@article{education2015389,
author={Silvio, Bagnariol},
title={Construction of an Inclusive Learning Environment: Towards a New Ecological Class},
journal={American Journal of Educational Research},
volume={3},
number={8},
pages={1005--1009},
year={2015},
url={http://pubs.sciepub.com/education/3/8/9},
issn={2327-6150},
abstract={The Italian school inclusion and integration process still involve considerable troubles and difficulties: ¡°integration is not at issue, yet it is often unsatisfactory¡± [1]. Junior high school and high school students with intellectual disability tend to take little part in the learning process or, even worse, to remain in a situation of separation most of the time [2]. This two-group experimental study focused on six classes from a vocational high school. The assumption was that a learning environment expressly designed [3] to encourage <i>analogical tools</i>,<i> processes </i>and<i> languages</i> can effectively help all students ¨C not only students with intellectual disability?- to learn and to relate better. The ¡°ecological approach¡± [4], started from a rearrangement of the traditional classroom, which was divided into different <i>learning environments</i>, specifically designed for static, movement, materials and new technologies. The <i>setting </i>of the students¡¯ tables and of the teacher¡¯s desk - which is no longer an ¡°active mediator¡± in high school [5] - was rearranged in order to allow all students to play an active part in the learning experience. Throughout a few weeks, the new learning environment based on the ¡°capability approach¡± [6] made it possible to set [7] the specific analogical languages of that student with intellectual disability ¨C such as images, pictures, charts, cards, drawings, videos, concept maps ¨C allowing the whole class to experience a laboratory learning training. Cognitive tests proved that the experimental classes managed to develop better learning processes in specific cognitive domains. Furthermore, the socio-metric test results, which were recorded in a few socio-grams, showed an increase in popularity and involvement of the students with intellectual disability.},
doi={10.12691/education-3-8-9}
publisher={Science and Education Publishing}
}