Education Commons^™

Perceptions Of The Value Of Problem-Based Learning Among Students With Special Needs And Their Teachers, Brian R. Belland, Peggy A. Ertmer, Krista D. Simons

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

While problem-based learning (PBL) has been found to be effective with gifted and average students (Hmelo-Silver, 2004), little is known about its impact on students with special needs. This study examines the perceptions of middle-school students with mild, moderate, and severe disabilities and of their teachers regarding the value of participating in a PBL unit. The unit focused on the physical accessibility of a low-SES, rural community where the students’ school was located.We used the constant comparative method (Glaser & Strauss, 1967) to analyze interview data, and used observation data and artifacts to triangulate interview comments. Among the noteworthy findings …