Virtual Scaffolded Instruction for Students with Disabilities.

Area of Science:

• Education
• Special Education
• Virtual Learning

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a rapid shift to virtual learning, exacerbating existing challenges for educators.
• Virtual learning presents unique obstacles for students with disabilities, requiring tailored instructional approaches.
• Scaffolding is identified as a crucial high-leverage practice for supporting these students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the adaptation of scaffolding strategies from face-to-face to virtual learning environments.
• To provide practical examples of scaffolded instruction for science classrooms in a virtual setting.
• To support reading comprehension, a critical component of science learning, through scaffolding.

Main Methods:

• The study focuses on transforming established scaffolding techniques for virtual contexts.
• Vignettes from a science classroom illustrate teachers planning scaffolded instruction.
• The approach emphasizes leveraging existing knowledge of scaffolding for students with disabilities.

Main Results:

• The article demonstrates how scaffolding can be effectively implemented in virtual science education.
• It highlights the importance of explicit instruction and assistive technology in virtual learning for students with disabilities.
• Teachers can adapt high-leverage practices to meet the needs of diverse learners online.

Conclusions:

• Scaffolding is a viable and effective strategy for supporting students with disabilities in virtual learning environments.
• Adapting face-to-face scaffolding techniques is essential for successful virtual instruction.
• This research provides a framework for educators to plan and implement scaffolded virtual science lessons.