Reimagining inclusive education through challenge-based learning: Opportunities and barriers for students with...

Area of Science:

• Education
• Special Education
• Pedagogy

Background:

• Inclusive education seeks pedagogical approaches for universal learner engagement.
• Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) is a collaborative framework for authentic problem-solving.
• CBL's potential for students with Learning Disabilities (LD) is underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• Examine CBL's theoretical foundations and relevance in inclusive settings.
• Explore CBL's alignment with learning profiles of students with LD.
• Propose a research agenda for accessible CBL implementation for LD.

Main Methods:

• Narrative review and position paper.
• Analysis of existing literature on challenge-, project-, and problem-based learning.
• Discussion of CBL features in relation to LD strengths and challenges.

Main Results:

• CBL features like student agency and collaboration may benefit students with LD.
• Challenges include executive functioning, self-regulation, and assessment.
• CBL can shift from deficit-based to strength-based inclusion models.

Conclusions:

• CBL presents a valuable opportunity for inclusive education for students with LD.
• Accessible CBL implementation requires Universal Design for Learning principles.
• Future research should evaluate academic, self-determination, and participation outcomes.