Educational strategy to improve the inclusion of students with mild intellectual disabilities in Basic Education

Abstract

Introduction: The inclusion of students who present developmental diversities is a fundamental duty of professionals who teach education. The objective of this research was to design an educational strategy based on collaborative learning for the inclusion of students with mild intellectual disabilities in basic education. Materials and methods: A mixed approach was used, a descriptive type of study, the methods used were: theoretical such as analytical-synthetic and inductive-deductive, likewise the empirical methods used were observation, survey and interview, statistical methods were also used such as percentage analysis and Cronbach's Alpha, the design was non-experimental, the sample was 8 students with mild intellectual disability, 8 parents, 10 teachers, 1 director, with a total of 27 individuals corresponding to the Gran Colombia School of Basic Education in the canton of Portoviejo, and the techniques applied were observation form, interview guide and questionnaire with a LIKERT scale instrument. Results: Teachers report a lack of adequate resources and little support for professional preparation. The director admitted that curricular adaptations are implemented. However, it is partially prepared in teaching methodologies and educational resources, and presents significant deficiencies in accessibility. Parents stated that teachers make little use of adapted tools and resources, make curricular adaptations irregularly, and communication with parents about students' progress is insufficient. Discussion: The data collected indicate that, in some cases, students with mild intellectual disabilities participate frequently in school activities, while in other cases, these opportunities are more limited. Conclusions: This research provides the educational community with a strategy to contribute to the teaching work and to be a reference for inclusion in the face of diversity.