The course aims to promote students' theoretical-practical reflection and knowledge on the topic of diversity-difference with reference to the condition of disability and Special Educational Needs (BES), according to the inclusive perspective. The perspective of approach to the study topics will be that of special didactics, i.e. of a discipline whose theoretical and practical field of research and study is the teaching process of those who, in developmental and adult age, are signalled by a situation of disability, DSA or other BES.

The training objectives are as follows

• to know the main learning characteristics of people with disabilities;
• to know the main learning characteristics of people with specific learning disorders (DSA);
• to know the main learning characteristics of people with other special educational needs (BES);
• to know the main reference concepts of special education; the models of disability; the reference legislation; the transition from exclusion to inclusion;
• knowing and being able to apply the main strategies of inclusive teaching in school contexts (inclusive curriculum);
• knowing how to design and conduct inclusive intervention models aimed, in particular, at guaranteeing the right to read (from shared reading to independent reading through reasonable accommodations and facilitators that make illustrated books and books accessible, in particular to students with disabilities).

• The concept of inclusion.
• Evolution of the legal framework supporting inclusion.
• The umbrella term BES (special educational needs).
• The disability models: individual, social and ability.
• The ICF bio-psycho-social anthropological model, critical reflections and educational perspectives.
• The UD model and the UDL construct.
• Educational intervention in early childhood, with reference to children with disabilities.
• The concept of the zone of proximal development and scaffolding.
• Climate, shared rules at school and cooperative strategies.Activating the peer resource.
• Cooperative strategies
• Cognitive and metacognitive strategies.
• Social-emotional competence education.
• Personalisation, individualisation.
• Index for Inclusion.
• Dyslexia.
• Compensatory tools and dispensatory measures for people with specific learning disorders (DSA).
• Law 170/2010 and its 2011 Guidelines.
• Personalised Learning Plan (PDP) planning for people with SLD.
• Facilitation of study materials (the 7 plans).
• Strategies to support the study method (conceptual and mind maps, etc.).
• Features of accessible books and books in AAC symbols.

No propaedeuticity is provided.

The expected learning outcomes, referring to the Dublin Descriptors, are as follows.

Knowledge and understanding (knowledge and understanding):

- Knowledge and understanding of general concepts related to school inclusion, with particular reference to the field of disability, Learning Disabilities and other Special educational needs;

- Knowledge and understanding of the methodologies of educational observation and assessment to be applied with persons with special educational needs of different ages and in different contexts;

- Knowledge and understanding of educational intervention methodologies for persons with special educational needs of different ages and in different contexts;

Applied knowledge and understanding (applying knowledge and understanding):

- Ability to apply knowledge in the area of promoting inclusive policies and practices for all.

- Analyze inclusive educational intervention appropriate to the context and special educational needs. 

- Design curricular segments, within the relevant subject area/field of experience, dedicated to the promotion of reading for all and for each. 

Autonomy of judgment (making judgements):

- Know how to express opinions, hypotheses, judgments, and evaluations of different methodologies for building and promoting inclusive environments for all in society.

- Identify the most appropriate inclusive teaching mediators for building an inclusive learning environment.

- Interpret teaching situations that present barriers by formulating hypotheses to activate facilitators. 

Communication skills (communication skills):

- Ability to clearly express course content by explaining its meaning;

- Ability to communicate through the use of discipline-specific language with school practitioners;

- Ability to argue about issues and problems in inclusive education. 

Ability to learn (learning skills):

- Be able to learn discipline-specific content through various modes (individual work, group work, etc.), also making use of specific methodologies (advance organizers, mind and concept maps, etc.) and new information and communication technologies. 

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

During the lessons, the testimony of the primary school teacher, as well as special education teacher, Dr. Alessia Muratori, through a dialogue lecture between lecturer, guest speaker and students, is expected.

Teaching

The course includes:

• face-to-face lectures
• participatory lectures 

Innovative teaching methods

Flipped Classroom 

Attendance

There is no obligation to attend.

Course books

1. Cottini (2017). Didattica speciale e inclusione scolastica. Carocci 

To be studied exclusively:

• p. 29 to p. 116
• p. 141 to p. 150 (no paragraph 2)
• p. 164 to p. 217 (no paragraph 2.1)
• p. 245 (no paragraph 3) to p. 285

2. Emili (2020). Dislessia. Progettualità educative e risorse compensative. BUP

Open access book, free download at the link:

https://buponline.com/prodotto/dislessia/?v=c860970b6ab6

To be studied exclusively:

• p. 13 to p. 71 (no paragraph 4.4)
• p. 81 to p. 127 (no section 6.13)
• p. 132 (from section 6.16) to p. 166
• p. 169 (no paragraph 6.16) to p. 174

3. Ianes, Demo (a cura di) (2020) Didattica e inclusione scolastica. Franco Angeli

Open access book, free download at: https://series.francoangeli.it/index.php/oa/catalog/view/677/508/3860

To be studied exclusively:

Chapter 11. Pages 154 to 167 Albi illustrati in simboli della CAA. Le ricadute di un’indagine esplorativa nelle scuole dell’infanzia (di Enrico Angelo Emili)

4. Pinelli, Fiorucci, Giaconi (a cura di) (2024) I linguaggi della Pedagogia Speciale. Pensa Multimedia

Open access book, free download at: https://www.pensamultimedia.it/download/2681/de6027640a0c/i-linguaggi-della-pedagogia-speciale_pinnelli_open-access.pdf

To be studied exclusively:

Da pag. 262 a pag. 266 La rappresentazione della disabilità nei giocattoli (di Enrico Angelo Emili)

Students are invited to consult the teaching material uploaded onto Moodle blended.uniurb.it (slides discussed in class, etc.) through which it will be possible to study the volumes in greater depth.

Assessment

The envisaged objectives will be verified and assessed by means of a final written test

• Duration of test 60 minutes.
• Four questions relating to all the study texts in the syllabus. The first three, closed and with argumentation of the answer in a maximum of 5 lines, aimed at assessing knowledge and ability to understand the central concepts of the course. The last question, open, may require an argued reflection or a problem solving situation aimed at assessing procedural knowledge.
• Assessment criteria: relevance and effectiveness of the answers in relation to the programme content; level of articulation of the answer; appropriateness of the disciplinary language used. Each of the criteria is assessed on a four-level value/judgement scale with equal weight assigned to each criterion.
• The first three questions will be scored from 0 to 5 and the fourth from 0 to 15.

Intermediate self-assessment test, optional (not valid for final examination assessment)

A (optional) mid-term self-assessment test will be scheduled during the course.

This test, which is optional, will have the sole purpose of enabling students to self-assess their level of knowledge and ability to understand the concepts addressed so far during the course.  

This will involve filling in a multiple-choice questionnaire that will be made available on the blended.uniurb.it Moodle platform.

During the course, any critical points arising from the mid-term tests will be taken up and discussed in depth.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

Non-attending students are invited to consult the teaching materials uploaded on Moodle blended.uniurb.it (slides discussed in class, etc.) through which it will be possible to further study the volumes indicated in the "Study Texts" section.

Attendance

There is no obligation to attend.

Course books

In order to give non-attending students the opportunity to compensate for what is done during the lectures through self-study, it is recommended that they make use of all the materials posted on the blended platform (slides, tutorials, supplementary material) that are particularly useful for a full understanding of the programme content.

1. Cottini (2017). Didattica speciale e inclusione scolastica. Carocci 

To be studied exclusively:

• p. 29 to p. 116
• p. 141 to p. 150 (no paragraph 2)
• p. 164 to p. 217 (no paragraph 2.1)
• p. 245 (no paragraph 3) to p. 285

2. Emili (2020). Dislessia. Progettualità educative e risorse compensative. BUP

Open access book, free download at the link:

https://buponline.com/prodotto/dislessia/?v=c860970b6ab6

To be studied exclusively:

• p. 13 to p. 71 (no paragraph 4.4)
• p. 81 to p. 127 (no section 6.13)
• p. 132 (from section 6.16) to p. 166
• p. 169 (no paragraph 6.16) to p. 174

3. Ianes, Demo (a cura di) (2020) Didattica e inclusione scolastica. Franco Angeli

Open access book, free download at: https://series.francoangeli.it/index.php/oa/catalog/view/677/508/3860

To be studied exclusively:

Chapter 11. Pages 154 to 167 Albi illustrati in simboli della CAA. Le ricadute di un’indagine esplorativa nelle scuole dell’infanzia (di Enrico Angelo Emili)

4. Pinelli, Fiorucci, Giaconi (a cura di) (2024) I linguaggi della Pedagogia Speciale. Pensa Multimedia

Open access book, free download at: https://www.pensamultimedia.it/download/2681/de6027640a0c/i-linguaggi-della-pedagogia-speciale_pinnelli_open-access.pdf

To be studied exclusively:

Da pag. 262 a pag. 266 La rappresentazione della disabilità nei giocattoli (di Enrico Angelo Emili)

Students are invited to consult the teaching material uploaded onto Moodle blended.uniurb.it (slides discussed in class, etc.) through which it will be possible to study the volumes in greater depth.

Assessment

The envisaged objectives will be verified and assessed by means of a final written test

• Duration of test 60 minutes.
• Four questions relating to all the study texts in the syllabus. The first three, closed and with argumentation of the answer in a maximum of 5 lines, aimed at assessing knowledge and ability to understand the central concepts of the course. The last question, open, may require an argued reflection or a problem solving situation aimed at assessing procedural knowledge.
• Assessment criteria: relevance and effectiveness of the answers in relation to the programme content; level of articulation of the answer; appropriateness of the disciplinary language used. Each of the criteria is assessed on a four-level value/judgement scale with equal weight assigned to each criterion.
• The first three questions will be scored from 0 to 5 and the fourth from 0 to 15.

Intermediate self-assessment test, optional (not valid for final examination assessment)

A (optional) mid-term self-assessment test will be scheduled during the course.

This test, which is optional, will have the sole purpose of enabling students to self-assess their level of knowledge and ability to understand the concepts addressed so far during the course.  

This will involve filling in a multiple-choice questionnaire that will be made available on the blended.uniurb.it Moodle platform.

During the course, any critical points arising from the mid-term tests will be taken up and discussed in depth.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.