C9941 - DIDATTICA PER LE DISABILITA' SENSORIALI

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

• demonstrate knowledge of the epistemological foundations underpinning an inclusive educational perspective for children with sensory disabilities;

• understand the historical development and evolution of the principal classification systems related to sensory disabilities;

• demonstrate fundamental knowledge of the characteristics of hearing and visual impairments;

• identify the main educational mediators that facilitate the inclusion of pupils with sensory disabilities in the classroom;

• understand and critically use the principal teaching resources, both digital and non-digital, designed for preschool and primary education to address the educational needs associated with sensory disabilities;

• demonstrate knowledge of the main models of care and support based on co-evolutionary, ecological, and systemic perspectives;

• design educational plans grounded in the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL);

• develop and implement learning support strategies that move beyond emergency-based and assistance-oriented approaches;

• work effectively and collaboratively with professionals from educational, school, and health and social care services within a multidimensional, multifactorial, and interdisciplinary framework;

• design intervention models in collaboration with schools, families, community services, and other local stakeholders to promote inclusive educational pathways.

Course contents

Prerequisites: Epistemological and pedagogical foundations of inclusion (evolution of disability paradigms: the medical, social, and biopsychosocial models; the paradigm of rights, participation, and quality of life).

The course will be delivered through an integrated approach and will be organized into the following three modules:

Module 1 – Understanding Sensory Disabilities

• Historical development of interpretative models of deafness and blindness.

• Sensory disabilities within the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).

• Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and inclusive educational planning for authentic participation.

• Educational implications for preschool and primary education.

Module 2 – Hearing Impairment and Learning

• Linguistic, cognitive, and communicative development of deaf children.

• Prelingual and postlingual deafness.

• Educational approaches: oralism, bilingualism, and bilingual-bicultural education.

• Italian Sign Language (LIS): introductory concepts and its role in education.

• Communication accessibility.

• Teaching strategies for preschool and primary education.

• Assistive technologies (hearing aids, cochlear implants, FM/DM systems, captioning, and speech-to-text transcription).

• Designing accessible learning environments.

Module 3 – Visual Impairment and Learning

• Blindness and low vision: functional characteristics.

• Cognitive, motor, and perceptual development.

• Orientation and mobility.

• Accessibility of educational materials.

• Braille system and tiflological educational resources.

• Assistive technologies (screen readers, Braille displays, OCR software, and screen magnification software).

• Inclusive teaching strategies for preschool and primary education.

• Learning environment organization and instructional mediation.

The course will also introduce the main educational mediators and assistive technologies that support inclusion. Particular emphasis will be placed on the importance of interprofessional collaboration and interagency networking, within the framework of a life project approach, aimed at promoting the participation, autonomy, and quality of life of children with sensory disabilities.

Readings/Bibliography

Caldin R. (2023) De VisuDisabilità visiva e agire educativo. Erickson

Gaspari P. (2005) Il bambino sordo. Pedagogia speciale e didattica dell'integrazione. Anicia

Teaching methods

The teaching methods adopted in this course are based on active learning approaches. Accordingly, the course will include lectures, meetings with invited guest speakers (the schedule of which will be announced on the course instructor's webpage), case study discussions, and practical exercises.

The course methodology combines theoretical and experiential learning through a variety of teaching strategies, including individual and group activities, the analysis of videos and documentary materials, and, as noted above, meetings with invited guest speakers who have direct experience of, or have conducted research on, conditions of vulnerability, disability, and social disadvantage.

Assessment methods

The assessment consists of a written examination to be completed in class. The examination requires a thorough study of the assigned course readings. It will last one hour and will consist of open-ended questions.The final grade will be expressed on the Italian 30-point grading scale (maximum grade: 30 cum laude).Students must register for the examination through the AlmaEsami online system.

Assessment will be based on the following criteria:relevance and completeness of the answers;critical analysis and discussion of the topics addressed;accuracy and clarity of written language;appropriate use of the prescribed bibliography and other scholarly sources, as well as the completeness and feasibility of the proposed project (where applicable).For the assessment of learning outcomes, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools is not permitted, for either University of Bologna students or international students.

Teaching tools

Studenti e studentesse con DSA o disabilità: si raccomanda di contattare per tempo l’ufficio di Ateneo responsabile (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/it ).Sarà cura del Servizio di Ateneo proporre agli/lle studenti/sse interessati/e eventuali adattamenti, che dovranno comunque essere sottoposti, con un anticipo di 15 giorni, all’approvazione della docente, che ne valuterà l'opportunità in relazione agli obiettivi formativi dell'insegnamento.

Office hours

See the website of Valeria Friso