Universal Access in the Information Society (2023) 22:95–110

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-021-00840-0

LONG PAPER

An analysis of the utility of digital materials for high school students

with intellectual disability and their effects on academic success
Arzu Deveci Topal1 · Aynur Kolburan Geçer2 · Esra Çoban Budak1

Accepted: 31 August 2021 / Published online: 15 September 2021

© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2021

Abstract
This study thoroughly examines the usability of digital materials, to establish a classroom environment in which technology
is integrated into teaching practices using tablet computers and interactive smart boards. The study was conducted at a spe-
cial education vocational school, where students with intellectual disability receive training. The integration of technology
was made to the Natural Disasters unit (erosion, landslide, flood, earthquake, and digital story developed on the subject of
flood) in the Social Science syllabus. This study also aims to develop multimedia applications and apply these to teaching
activities, and additionally to increase the learning competencies of students in the subject of Social Sciences. This study
involved eight students who have mild intellectual disability at a vocational high school. A thorough multiple probe design
was used among single-subject research models. Comparison of the results revealed that students’ post-test scores increased
significantly when compared to the pre-test scores, and that the teaching materials had a significantly positive impact on
their learning process. Moreover, the effect of the prepared digitalized materials on learning was determined to be high in
terms of its application in special education schools. Students indicated that they liked these activities which they engaged
on computers, as well as the interactive multiple choices questions, and wished to have such creative applications made
available for other subjects such as Turkish, Mathematics, Music, and Art.

Keywords Special education · Computer applications · Single-subject research models · Students with intellectual
disability · And digital materials

1 Introduction technology provides for the whole of society are also true
for people with disabilities. Learning and/or teaching envi-
The fast growth and development of information and com- ronments which are designed with information technologies
munication technology impacts the field of education, as can and will provide essential opportunities for students with
well as other fields, providing potential innovation for both intellectual disability in special education schools. Using
instructors and students in teaching and learning processes. computers in learning environments enriches these envi-
Güngör et al. [1] argue that the independence, flexibility, ronments and allows for teaching to be customized accord-
and improvement of quality of life in certain areas which ing to the needs of students Tekinarslan [2]. Wehmeyer [3]
has also stated that content presented through particularly
graphics-based videos with sound established using multi-
* Arzu Deveci Topal
[email protected] media components may increase students’ participation in
class and improve motivation, thus customizing the learning
Aynur Kolburan Geçer
[email protected] experience. Jeffs, Behrmann and Bannan-Ritland [4] state
that when students read books with the support of technol-
Esra Çoban Budak
[email protected] ogy and the Internet, they find reading books more enjoyable
and consequently read more.
1
Informatics Department, Kocaeli University, Umuttepe Instructors at special education practice schools have
Campus, 41380 İzmit‑Kocaeli, Turkey claimed that effective use of digital technologies in schools
2
Department of Computer and Instructional Technologies which teach students using intellectual disability materials
Education, Faculty of Education, Kocaeli University, is going to be beneficial for them in various ways Arpacık,
Kocaeli, Turkey

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96 Universal Access in the Information Society (2023) 22:95–110

Kurşun and Göktaş [5]. Some of these benefits are as fol- conducted with students with intellectual disability focused
lows: as a result of technology-supported educational mostly on reading, writing, and Mathematics, and that there
applications and research carried out for mentally disabled is a need for studies focusing on physical and Social Sci-
individuals, information and communication technologies ence. Sola-Özgüç [10], in a study conducted with Turkish
increase students’ motivation and interest in the lesson, middle school students with intellectual disability, devel-
improve their learning skills and make students more suc- oped technology-supported teaching activities related to the
cessful [6–12]. Ramdoss et al. [13] argue that using com- “Let's get to know the substance” unit of the science and
puter-based applications to develop the daily life skills of technology course and examined the results. According to
students with intellectual disability is a successful approach. the results, it has been determined that the teaching provided
According to Li et al. [14] teaching materials ought to be through technology made a positive contribution to students’
prepared in visual and audio format and ought to be used as learning of the subject. It was observed that students made
much as possible to help educate students with intellectual improvements in generalizing the learned information and
disability Li, Chen, Yin and Li, [14]. transferring it to daily life.
Some of the advantages of digital materials compared Among the studies which have been carried out in Turkey
to traditional materials is that they can be developed in a on students with intellectual disability, the numbers of high
way to meet the needs of students with different character- school level studies are perceived to be limited. Instructors
istics Avcı [15], and that the materials used to develop the have argued that there is a lack of digital materials which
listening comprehension skills of individuals with intellec- could be used in teaching students with mild intellectual dis-
tual disabilities make it easier to understand because they ability, and that they could not find enough digital materials
affect many sensory organs and enable the concretization of teaching Turkish, Mathematics and Social Science subjects.
abstract concepts Sümer and Çetin, [16]. In addition, digital They have been facing multiple difficulties in the classroom
products enable both the presentation of the audio-visual in establishing, presenting, or using materials they collect
content in the courses in the desired environment and the online. Over and above this, they could not use materials
design of enriched lessons such as those with audio-visual from websites such as YouTube, for instance, because using
pictures in a blended structure Taşkıran [17]. Bates [18] has such materials was prohibited at high school level by the
stated that digital products come to the fore in improving Ministry of Education Budak, Topal and Geçer, [19]. Fur-
learners’ ability to learn independently, as well as promot- thermore, the problems they faced in classrooms and the
ing the acquisition of communication, thinking, and digital insufficiency of interactive digitalized materials for disabled
skills. students have become an even more important issue during
Although the use of technology in educational environ- the COVID-19 pandemic.
ments has increased significantly along with the fast growth In light of the data obtained from the relevant literature,
and development of modern-day technologies, it is noticed this study conducted preliminary research to determine what
that technologically supported teaching materials are not can be done for the education of students with intellectual
applied in teaching activities in special education institu- disability who are currently enrolled in special education
tions for reasons that include but are not limited to insuf- high schools. In this preliminary research, special education
ficient technological hardware and content, and the limited teachers who work at a special education school indicated
ability of instructors to use such technology Özgüç & Cav- that materials for all classes were insufficient, particularly
kaytar [9], Budak, Topal and Geçer, [19]. In interviews with in Social Sciences classes. This study has been carried out
elementary school teachers of students with intellectual dis- within the scope of the Social Sciences subject, as it con-
ability, they stated that there was a lack of digital materials tains information which will provide more help in the daily
for teaching the syllabus, and that there was a crucial need life of students with intellectual disability, and because this
for more teaching technologies particularly for physical sci- information is not taught in daily life other than through
ences and Social Science subjects Güleç-Aslan et al. [20]. direct experience? The issue of natural disasters discussed
There have been several studies conducted in Turkey in this study is natural phenomena which often occur in real
which investigate the use of technology in special educa- life, and individuals with intellectual disabilities need to be
tion schools. Acungil [21], Özgüç and Cavkaytar [9] argue enlightened and taught the precautions they should take if
that many of these studies increasingly emphasize the need they experience natural disasters. Accordingly, this study
for planning new studies about the use of technology and was established to lay the foundations for a class supported
its efficacy in special education. This study is significant in by technological tools (tablet computer and interactive smart
terms of its contribution to relevant literature and in serving board) in a special education vocational high school where
as a model for future studies. students have intellectual disability, to integrate technology
In a study carried out on teaching of academic skills with into the Natural Disasters unit of the Social Sciences syl-
the support of technology, Martin [22] stated that those labus (erosion, landslide, flood, and earthquake, as well as

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Universal Access in the Information Society (2023) 22:95–110 97

a digital story prepared particularly for the flood subject). secondly, cases shall be functionally similar. The procedure
In this regard, the aim was to develop multimedia applica- of the study is shown in Fig. 1.
tions and to apply technology-supported teaching activities
in order to identify and solve the problems which might arise 2.1 Participants
during this process, and to increase the learning competen-
cies of students in the Social Sciences subject. In accordance The study was carried out at a vocational school for students
with these aims, the research questions were established as with mild intellectual disability in Kocaeli, Turkey. Nec-
follows: essary permission was granted by the Kocaeli Provincial
Directorate of National Education and Governorship. Eight
1. Does the use of technology in the learning process affect students in the ninth grade, three females and five males,
the academic success of students? and a special education instructor participated in the study.
2. How are teaching activities utilizing technology? Their class was selected because the instructor volunteered
3. How has the use of technology in the learning activities to participate in the study. The instructor is thirty-seven
of the Social Science course affected students? years old and has fifteen years occupational experience. The
researchers of the study include two experts in the field of
Computer and Teaching Technologies Education and one
2 Method expert in the field of Computer Teaching Education, all of
whom are employed at a university and have occupational
The mixed method (which unifies the results of the study experience of at least 19 years.
using quantitative and qualitative data collection methods) According to the World Health Organization [27], Intel-
was used in this study. Thus, both quantitative and qualita- ligence quotient (IQ) mental retardation can be classified
tive data were collected at the same time and more reliable in four grades: mild (IQ = 50–70), moderate (IQ = 35–49),
results were consequently obtained. The findings of both severe (IQ = 20–34), and profound (IQ =  < 20) [28]. Accord-
quantitative and qualitative measurement tools were com- ing to this classification, individuals with mild disability can
pared and their consistency was determined. be classified as ‘trainable’, and individuals with moderate
This study used a single-subject design with a multiple disability can be classified as ‘teachable’. The demographic
baseline model and probe conditions across participants. In information of students who participated in the study is
this design, basic sessions are applied to interpret threats given in Table 1. The data in the Wisc R and diagnostic col-
to internal validity and to assure experimental control. umns in Table 1 are based on the results of the health reports
According to Tekin-Iftar [23, 24], multiple probe design is obtained from the child psychiatry services of medical fac-
an adaptation of multilevel modelling that aims to evaluate ulties or full-fledged hospitals in Turkey. This information
the effectiveness of a teaching or behaviour modification was obtained from the school administration, in accordance
program on more than one occasion. In this model, experi- with the confidentiality rules, only for use in the research.
mental control is established for each participant and data The data on the skills of the students were obtained from the
were collected continuously along with measurements taken class teacher and branch teachers.
multiple times. Single-subject studies are considered experi-
mental research, however, due to the inability to determine 2.2 Materials preparation
the impartially, they are also categorized as quasi-experi-
mental. Additionally, they are studies in which the effective- An interview was conducted with the school teachers six
ness of an application is evaluated under standard conditions months before starting this study, in which they stated the
with repeated measurements for each participant Sönmez, problems encountered in the use of instructional technolo-
Kot, & Sazak Pınar, [25]. To achieve maximum efficiency gies at a public vocational high school for intellectually disa-
according to this design, individuals with similar learning bled students and which had also been determined by the
backgrounds who exhibited similar behaviours under simi- researchers who carried out. Afterwards, an analysis of their
lar environmental conditions were consecutively exposed to opinions was established stating that digital materials used
the same independent variable Yeni, Çağıltay and Karasu, to teach Turkish, Social Science, and Mathematics subjects
[26]. The multiple probe design consists of two phases: (a) to students with mild intellectual disability were ineffec-
starting level phase and (b) application phase. Establishing tive and insufficient. Moreover, while their teaching ought
the experimental control in the multiple probe design is sub- to be supported by two- or three-dimensional digital visuals
ject to two prerequisites: first, cases shall be independent, Budak, Deveci-Topal and Geçer, [19], the available anima-
meaning that the start of teaching in one situation should tions and videos were inadequate. Therefore, the number of
not cause a change in the starting levels of other situations, digital materials, particularly for the Social Science course,

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Fig. 1  Study procedure

was determined to be insufficient and digital materials for form, the words and the related pictures in the animations
the subject of natural disasters were therefore prepared. prepared for them were placed close to each other. Unnec-
While the materials were being prepared, the purposes essary pictures, texts, or vocalizations did not feature in the
and learning outcomes of the Social Science syllabus, par- media. Since the target audience were a group of students
ticularly for students with mild intellectual disability, were without prior knowledge about the subject, the aim was to
examined along with script for learning outcomes. These make it easier for them to organize and learn the information
scripts were duly reviewed by special instructors who through pictures and words presented in a multimedia format
worked at the high school where the digital materials pre- compared to learning with words only. The materials were
pared for the study were applied. The scripts were organized relatively interactive since they had forward, backward, and
according to the advice of experts then digitalized by the two replay buttons for students to use them unaided.
authors of this research using Scratch and graphic design According to the visual design evaluation principles form,
programs and recorded. The materials for this study were six instructors who work in the field of special education
prepared according to Mayer’s [29] multimedia design prin- conducted an evaluation of the materials. This initial evalu-
ciples. Pictures were supported by simultaneous vocalization ation indicated that these materials were suitable for students
and accompanied by sub-titles to attract the attention of stu- with mild intellectual disability and could be used in their
dents, and in order for students to see the action in concrete classrooms. As suggested by the instructors, a few changes

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Universal Access in the Information Society (2023) 22:95–110 99

Table1  Demographic Students Gender Age Wisc R Diagnosis The skills the student has
information of the students
participating in the study Sf Fa Mi Hf Rpv Ar Spt

Nehir Female 16 60 Mild + + + + + + +

Seyit Male 15 74 Mild + − + + + + +
Yusuf Male 15 60 Mild + + + + + + +
Muhammed Male 16 50 Mild + + + + + + +
Hafize Female 16 55 Mild + + + + + − +
Eren Male 16 65 Mild + + + + + + +
Eray Male 16 50 Mild + − + + + + −
Selmanur Female 14 55 Mild + + + + + − +

Sf: Simple verbal instruction follow-up

Fa: Focusing attention on an activity for 10 min
Mi: Being able to imitate motor skills
Hf: Using hands and fingers
Rpv: Being able to respond to a question by pointing or verbally
Ar: Being able to attend school regularly
Spt: Being able to perform the skill planned to be taught

and corrections were made to the materials (for instance, (2006), digital stories are short stories useful for transferring
a slower lecture in the video and more frequent placement information about individual stories and historical events by
of next and back buttons of the given information). A pilot combining elements such as video, music, text, voice-over,
study involving three students with intellectual disability was and graphics.
conducted in a class other than the experiment group, and When the scores students received was below 70 in all
materials were arranged according to students’ reactions. evaluations, they were asked to repeat the lesson topic;
An interactive evaluation activity was prepared for stu- whereas when they were 70 and above, and in order to
dents to measure their comprehension. In addition, multiple- increase their motivation, they received positive reinforce-
choice questions were added to the activities which included ment with audio responses such as “very good” and “con-
games, including but not limited to, dragging and hiding gratulations”, which were also supported by visual effects.
images when clicked. Students received positive reinforce- Screenshots of some materials are given in Fig. 2.
ment with messages such as “congratulations”, “bravo”,
“you are wonderful”, “well done”, and “carry on” for ques- 2.3 Experimental process
tions they answered correctly; on the other hand, incorrect
answers received instant feedback such as “it is OK, you Within the scope of this study, the erosion, landslide, flood,
could not guess correctly”, “I'm sorry”, “you can do this”, digital story, and earthquake lesson topics were reviewed.
and “you should take another look at the topic”. For some The materials were explained to students step by step by the
questions, students were provided with clues and the correct special education instructor using a smart board. During the
answers if they could not answer correctly. lecture, videos and photographs were taken, and the three
A digital story about floods and landslides in the Social researchers conducting this study simultaneously observed
Sciences course was prepared in order to ensure the com- the lecture. Pre-tests were established before the lecture. A
prehension and reinforcement of the subjects. At the end week after the lecture, a post-test was carried out. At the
of the story, the students were asked interactive questions end of each lecture, students completed an interactive les-
(7 items) about what they understood from what they had son exercise with at least six questions on the computer.
seen and heard. Students received a point according to the The experiment process lasted 6 weeks. Figure 3 shows two
short, written answers they provided to the questions. As photographs of the experimental process from the class-
Sümer and Çetin [16] have stated, digital story activities room. After all the lesson topics were covered, a team of
activate both the senses of hearing and seeing and facilitate three people scored the objectives on the observation form
comprehension in individuals with intellectual disability as for each student separately over three weeks which covered
they materialize abstract notions. five different sessions. Students were first asked to watch the
According to Hathorn (2005), a digital story is a pro- lesson topics on a computer, and they were then asked ques-
gram innovation that integrates technology with commu- tions about these lesson topics according to target behav-
nication, language, and literacy skills. According to Robin iours. While students were answering the questions, three

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Fig. 2  Screenshots of some materials: a Animation explaining the subject; b, c, d End-of-subject reinforcement work

different observers scored students’ responses between 1 and form, and upon applying this format of the form was final-
5 as per the observation form. ized. At the end of the experiment process, the scores from
the observers’ forms were analysed and the reliability of
2.4 Data collection tools the raters was calculated. In the sample of the observation
form in Table 2, the target achievements to be scored in
2.4.1 Observation form the teaching of erosion are seen. Observations were carried
out for five separate activities, where after students were
Target learning outcomes of lesson topics prepared for the scored between 1 and 5 for every step they accomplished,
natural disaster were determined according to the goals and the average of these scores was calculated. One of the
and topic content indicated in the curriculum, and an students could not be observed during the erosion lesson
observation form was also prepared. Two instructors, who because he/she could not attend classes regularly.
are experts in special education, suggested an edit to the

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Fig. 3  Photographs of the experimental process from the classroom

Table 2  Sample observation form for the subject of erosion

Target behaviour (Erosion) Nehir Eren Seyit Hafize Eray Yusuf Muhammed

He/she articulates what erosion is 1 5 4 2 1 3 2

He/she describes how erosion occurs 0 5 3 2 1 3 3
He/she articulates why we should protect the soil 1 5 5 4 2 4 3
He/she articulates in which regions erosion is common 3 5 2 3 1 4 3
He/she articulates why erosion occurs 1 5 3 1 0 3 3
He/she says that urbanization is important factor in the occurrence of erosion 4 5 5 2 0 3 3
He/she describes the effect of excess water on the soil 1 5 4 2 0 3 3
He/she articulates forest fires and mining activities are important reasons for 3 5 5 3 0 3 3
the occurrence of erosion
He/she can tell overgrazing animals cause erosion 5 5 5 2 0 3 2
He/she describes what to do to prevent erosion 0 5 4 3 0 4 3
He/she states afforestation protects the soil 4 5 5 3 0 3 4
He/she states pastures should be preserved to prevent erosion 0 5 1 2 0 4 3
He/she states vegetation should be preserved to prevent erosion 1 5 4 3 0 4 4
Means 1.83 5 3.82 2.47 0.33 3.36 3

2.4.2 Academic success test Once adjustments had been made according to the
advice of the experts the finalized form included ratings
Based on the relevant literature, a ten-question test form was such as “appropriate”, “needs to be corrected”, “not appro-
prepared for each subject according to the target learning priate”, and “explanation”. Table 3 includes only questions
outcomes of the course, as to be presented for the approval and teachers’ evaluations of earthquake lessons. After the
of validity and reliability of the academic success test. questions were corrected as advised by the teachers, the
These were presented to teachers and instructors who work first five questions were reorganized to constitute the pre-
in the special education field for approval for validity and test questions, and the last five questions were reorganized
reliability.

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Table 3  Academic success test used for the evaluation of the earthquake lesson, and instructors’ opinions about the suitability of the questions for the students’ level

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Earthquake questions T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8 T9 T10 Appro- Needs to be Not appro-
priate(3) corrected priate (1)
% (2) % %

Construct low-rise and solid buildings is minimize the damage of which natural disaster? 3 3 3 2 3 2 3 3 3 3 80 20 0
(A) Landslide (B) Flood (C) Earthquake (D) Erosion
Which of the following is not included in earthquake an emergency bag? 3 3 2 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 80 20 0
(A) Camera (B) Radio (C) Whistle (D) First aid kit
Which place is safer when we are caught in an earthquake in our house? 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 80 20 0
(A) Near the window (B) Under the table
(C) Ladders (D) Elevator
Which of the following actions should be carried out regarding earthquake is correct? 3 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 80 20 0
(A) We must build our houses to be sturdy
(B) We must attach the furniture to the wall with screws
(C) We should prepare an earthquake emergency bag
(D) All of the above
Which of the following should we not do during earthquake? 2 3 3 3 2 3 3 1 2 2 50 40 10
(A) We should sit and crouch to protect our head
(B) We should prepare an earthquake emergency bag for urgent needs
(C) We should shut off electricity and natural gas against fire hazard
(D) We should wait in the house for the tremor to end
Which of the below is not included among measures that can be taken before an earthquake? 2 3 3 3 2 2 3 1 3 3 60 30 10
(A) Preparing an earthquake emergency bag
(B) Preparing an earthquake evacuation plan
(C) Fixing items such as cabinets and shelves to the wall
(D) Staying away from places such as windows and stairs
What is the jolt caused the by rupture in the Earth’s crust? 1 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 90 0 10
(A) Landslide (B) Tsunami (C) Earthquake (D) Erosion
If we are in a classroom during an earthquake, which of the following should we do? 1 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 90 0 10
(A) We should crouch down on the ground next to the desks
(B) We must jump out of the window
(C) We should lie on the floor
(D) We should get to the corridor
Which of the following is the first measure which should be taken to deal with earthquakes? 2 3 2 2 2 3 3 2 2 3 40 60 0
(A) Building earthquake resistant houses
(B) Doing research on earthquakes
(C) To include the subject of earthquakes in the school curriculum
(D) Informing ourselves about earthquakes
Which of the following items should be secured so as not to pose a danger during an earthquake? 2 3 3 3 3 2 3 2 2 3 60 40 0
(A) Kitchen table (B) Chair
(C) Large cabinet with glass (D) Beds
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Universal Access in the Information Society (2023) 22:95–110 103

to constitute the post-test questions. Moreover, instructors At the end of the study, the researchers asked each student
were coded as T1, T2, etc. semi-structured questions in a 10-min conversation. Both the
verbal and non-verbal responses of the students were noted
2.4.3 Social validity form by the researchers and expressed in a regular sentence. The
related findings after examination are given in what follows.
Researchers developed a form with open-ended questions Nehir: Nehir’s results were analysed, and it has been
to collect students’ opinions regarding the study based on noticed that her success rate in the erosion and landslide
the relevant literature. Three experts (an academic from the lessons increased significantly. To discern students’ learning
department of computer and educational technologies, an outcomes and how successful they have been, an individ-
instructor of intellectually disabled students, and an aca- ual observation has been conducted, the findings of which
demic in the field of assessment and evaluation) amended revealed that students’ performance in the erosion lessons
the questions so that their final form was as follows: was low, yet was average in other lessons. Accordingly, and
to be able to choose the correct answers, the student watched
• Do you like the teaching materials? the scenes not less than two times while listening carefully;
• What did you like the most while studying the material? in addition, she responded to the hints and tips provided.
• What did you dislike most while studying the material? Nevertheless, the student’s concentration level was low, and
• Would you like similar technological tools (materials) to a lack of self-confidence which led to multiple changes to
be used in other lessons? Which lessons would you like her answers, which she had made based on the instructor’s
to have them in? facial expressions, and difficulty in remembering the lesson
itself were duly perceived (Fig. 4). Below is a statement by
2.5 Data analysis the student explaining her opinion regarding the digitalized
material which she used in the lesson.
A Wilcoxon signed-rank test was performed to reveal the
The student stated that she liked this activity on the
significance of the difference between the pre-test and post-
computer that it was so much fun to learn via the com-
test. Students’ pre-tests, post-tests, and observation results
puter, she liked that the questions had multiple choices
were established using Spreadsheet; moreover, the inter-
and were interactive and expressed that she wanted
views conducted by researchers were transcribed. A fre-
similar activities in Turkish, Mathematics, Music, and
quency analysis was conducted on the teachers’ opinions
Painting lessons.
regarding the academic test for a better understanding of
similarity variations. To analyse the observation form, a Seyit: It was determined that Seyit got full points in all
Krippendorff reliability test was used to determine accu- subjects from the post-tests, his success was higher than the
racy among observers. Students’ observation score for each pre-tests, and the observation results were found to overlap
lesson was calculated according to the average of the scores these result. Seyit was able to read well but had difficulty
noted by the observers. in understanding the subject, was easily distracted, and
answered questions with the help of clues after listening
3 Findings to most of the scenes twice because he was unable to con-
centrate enough for some topics in the observation session
3.1 Observation results of monitored sessions (Fig. 4). Seyit was asked about his opinions regarding the
digitalized material which he used in the lesson.
Three observers evaluated the students individually at the
Seyit stated that he liked these activities on computers,
end of each lesson, and they were given a score which var-
that he had learned better with the visuals presented
ied between 1 and 5. Due to the fact that there were more
by the computer, that he liked to answer questions
than two raters, Krippendorff’s Alpha reliability analysis was
directly, and that there should be such applications in
applied. The Krippendorff Alpha coefficient was calculated
Turkish and Mathematics lessons.
to be 0.795, which means agreement between researchers
was at a high level (threshold value 0.8 and over) Krippen- Yusuf: Findings showed that his post-test grades increased
dorff, [30], p: 242. compared to his pre-test grades, yet apart from the Land-
slide lesson, Yusuf’s observation grades in other lessons
3.2 Pre‑test, post‑test, and observation scores were average. Additionally, during the follow-up session,
of academic success it was noticed that Yusuf was able to read well and listened
to the instructor carefully, but at some point, he got bored
The graphics of the academic success pre-test and post-test and lost concentration in the lesson and eventually started
scores and observation scores stated were given in this part. to answer the questions randomly. Thus, Yusuf was given a

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Fig. 4  Graph representing Nehir and Seyit’s learning accomplishment and results of the observation

short break and after which he carried on where he had left landslide subjects, and wanted such activities to be
off (Fig. 5). Yusuf’s thoughts on the material he worked on applied/made available for Mathematics and Turkish
can be summarized as follows. lessons.
Yusuf stated that he liked this way of learning, liked Muhammed: The erosion lesson pre-test and post-test
to answer multiple-choice questions and work on the grades were quite different. During the lesson, not only did
computer, but didn't like studying the erosion and he get bored easily and lose his concentration level but he

Fig. 5  Graph representing Yusuf and Muhammed’s learning accomplishment and results of the observation

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Universal Access in the Information Society (2023) 22:95–110 105

was also unable to answer the questions unless clues or hints the questions correctly after listening to them only once.
were provided. His opinions about the material can be sum- Aside from this, he was able to use the computer quite
marized as follows. well. It was observed that Eren frequently squeezed and
played with his fingers while answering the questions.
Muhammad could not decide whether he liked this kind
Eren’s opinions about the material are as follows.
of learning experience or not. He stated that it was
good to learn from both the computer and paper mate- Eren said that he liked this activity, liked multiple-
rial (digitalized and non-digitalized), and that he liked choice questions and features such as drag and
to be able to watch the lessons over and over. Moreo- drop, voice narration, and other digitalized items;
ver, he also liked that the materials were dubbed. he thought learning on the computer was fun, and
that there should be such activities in Turkish lessons
Hafize: Her post-test grades were noticeably high com-
and laboratory experiments as well.
pared to her pre-test grades, but her observation scores were
average. She showed interest towards the digitalized mate- Eray: It was noticed that his post-test grades were
rial, but despite watching the scenes not less than twice, higher than his pre-test grades. Eray did not want to con-
it was observed that her perception and expressive power clude the erosion lesson observation session until the end
were a little low, lacked the ability to express herself and of study; therefore, his erosion lesson grades were low.
her ideas. When she was asked about her opinions regarding Yet, aside from erosion lesson, Eray’s observation scores
the digitalized material she used in the lesson (Fig. 6), her were good. He participated in the studies more carefully,
response can be summarized as follows. as he was warned by the class teacher in the next sessions.
Nevertheless, he had to read the topic many times over
Hafize stated that she liked to participate in this type of
and had to listen to the track more than once because he
activity, it was more useful to learn with the computer,
kept forgetting what he was being taught during the class
she liked to learn with interactive exercises such as
(Fig. 7). Eray’s views on the material can be summarized
throwing in the basket, feedback, and pictures, and
as follows.
that these should be used in Mathematics and Turkish
lessons as well. Eray said that he liked this learning methodology
and, moreover, liked interactive exercises, multi-
Eren: His grades in the post-test were higher com-
ple-choice questions, receiving feedback when he
pared to the pre-test, yet it was noticed that his pre-test
answered correctly. He liked features such as the
grades were also relatively high. His observation scores
next button, but didn't like to watch lectures again.
were high because it was noticed that his concentration
He would like to study Mathematics and Turkish les-
level and comprehension were good. Eren could answer

Fig. 6  Graph representing Hafize and Eren’s learning accomplishment and results of the observation

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106 Universal Access in the Information Society (2023) 22:95–110

Fig. 7  Graph representing Eray and Selmanur’s learning accomplishment and results of the observation

sons using the same methodology, and with the same hand, students generally answered the questions related
digitalized activities on computer. to the story correctly in digitalized material. When the
story activity grades were checked and either evaluation
Selmanur: Since Selmanur did not attend classes regu-
were concluded, and only Eray and Seyit were required to
larly, she only attended the lessons for the flood and earth-
repeat the lessons as per the feedback they received from
quake subjects and succeeded in these. It was observed that
the digitalized material for the lesson due to the grades
she was successful in the observation sessions, listened bet-
they received through digital material- grades were less
ter if she focused, and could easily answer the questions.
than 70—among all other participants.
Selmanur’s views on the material she worked on are as
follows.
Selmanur stated that she liked this type of learning 3.3 Findings related to pre‑test and post‑test
methodology, preferred the material used in teaching results measuring students’ academic success
the earthquake lesson, learning by listening, flash-
cards, pictures, and interactive exercises; for instance, A pre-test and post-test were carried out at the beginning
throwing in the basket, the sounds accompanying the and at the end of each lesson in order to evaluate the effi-
digitalized exercises and the reinforcing comments she cacy of the prepared materials for students’ academic suc-
heard when the questions were answered. She wanted cess. It has been deduced that students’ pre-test and post-
this learning method applied in Mathematics and Turk- test scores can be compared, since their mental retardation
ish courses as well. scores, despite being mild, were close to each other.
To establish the significance of the difference between
To evaluate the efficacy of what the students had watched
pre-test and post-test scores, Wilcoxon signed-rank test
and listened to, students watched a digitalized story explain-
results were based on the total points scored by the stu-
ing the flood and landslide lessons which was presented on
dents, which are shown in Table 4. This test was used
the smartboard. The observers then asked them questions
due to the fact that the number of participants was low.
which had been prepared earlier, where after their tests were
According to Table 4, students’ post-test success grades
graded. At the end of lesson, students answered the questions
(X = 15.25; sd = 3.5) showed a significant increase com-
as interactive in the digitalized materials. Figure 8 shows the
pared to the pre-test grades (X = 8.25; sd = 3.2,) and the
students’ observation and academic success grades.
creative teaching materials positively affected their learn-
In general, the students understood the story which
ing (z = 2.53; p < 0.05.) The effect of the prepared materi-
they watched during the observation session, but what we
als on learning was determined to be high (r = 0.89).
have noticed is they could not remember it. On the other

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Universal Access in the Information Society (2023) 22:95–110 107

Fig. 8  Story grades

Table 4  Wilcoxon signed-rank Pre-test -Post-test N Mean rank Sum of ranks z p r

test results of the pre-test and
post-test total scores Negative ranks 0 .00 .00 2,527 .012 0.89
Positive ranks 8b 4.50 36.00
Ties 0c
b
Post-test > Pre-test

4 Discussion and conclusions program offered to them. Li et al. [14], Cullen [31], and
Williams [32] have demonstrated that the curriculum sup-
In the context of this study, the utility of digital materials ported by audio-visual technologies is effective in teaching
developed for students with mild intellectual disability at vocational skills to individuals with intellectual disabil-
high school level and their effect on their academic success ity. There are multiple studies in the literature which have
were analysed. argued for and proved the efficacy of technology in helping
students with intellectual disability acquire academic skills
Gökmen, [33]; Özgüç and Cavkaytar, [34]; Fitzgerald and
4.1 Students’ learning proficiency Koury, [9]; Kellems et al, 2020; Sheriff and Boon, [35];
Öztürk, [36]; Özak and Avcıoglu, [37]. This study and
It has been observed that the post-test scores of the stu- its findings, therefore, contribute to the literature regard-
dents increased significantly compared to the pre-test ing the efficiency of technology in teaching students with
scores, and that the teaching materials had a positive effect intellectual disability.
upon their learning. Accordingly, the study determined
the efficacy of the prepared materials in improving stu- 4.2 The effect of using technology in Social Studies
dents’ learning. Similar findings were found in the litera- course on students in learning activities
ture. Douglas et al. (2011) stated that text and illustrated
graphic editors supported by electronic media help stu- When the students’ opinions about the digital materials
dents with intellectual disability to understand the subject, they used during the lessons and interacted with were
and that such activities should be included in the school reviewed, they stated that they liked doing such activities
curriculum. Acungil [21] examined the effectiveness of on computer and the fact that questions were optional and
the tablet computer curriculum offered with audio-visual interactive brought fun and joy to learning in the class;
technology in teaching students with mild and moderate furthermore, they wanted such digitalized applications to
intellectual disabilities, the ability to use tablet comput- be applied in other lessons, such as Turkish, Mathemat-
ers, and indicated all participants learned to use tablet ics, Music, and Art. The reason why students especially
computers with this audio-visual technology-supported want to use such materials in Turkish lessons may be that
they have difficulties in expressing themselves verbally

13
108 Universal Access in the Information Society (2023) 22:95–110

and in writing, as well as in understanding Turkish texts 4.3 Limitations

due to their disabilities, and those teachers do not have
sufficient material related to this course. Similar findings In a single-subject design with a multiple baseline model
can also be seen in the literature Acungil, [21]; Çankaya, that has probe conditions across participants’ models, a
[38]; Geçal and Eldeni̇z Çeti̇n [39]. This study’s findings general session is held after working with each student
revealed that students showed a preference for receiving individually. However, in this study, due to crowded
feedback regarding their answers (to interactive questions classrooms, limited time, and having only one instructor,
of the digitalized materials) while they were studying. In lessons were delivered for the class collectively by the
the literature, Smith and Okolo [40] argue that technology instructor through the smart board instead of individually
makes teaching more effective by providing consistent for each student. At the end of each lecture, each student
and immediate feedback, which supports the findings of sat in front of a computer and answered interactive ques-
this study. tions. Therefore, the materials are designed to be utilized
Considering the findings of this study, some sugges- both individually and in groups. Studies on the efficacy of
tions can be proposed for further research and application. materials in individual teaching should therefore be con-
Similar studies can be conducted for various students ducted in further studies.
with different disabilities, and for those of different age
groups. In other subjects for students with mild intellec-
tual disabilities, teaching environments can be designed Funding There is no funding in this study.
by following an approach similar to this study. If digital
Data availability The datasets used and/or analysed during the cur-
stories and questions related to them are both provided
rent study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable
in a lesson, students’ participation will be positively request. Access to data can be provided if desired.
affected. In addition, there are several other factors to be
considered in the presentation of course topics through Declarations
gamification and stories along with curriculum-integrated
system established on the web, which will enable stu- Conflict of interest The authors declare that they have no competing
dents to continue their education and training activities interest.
in their homes, particularly when they cannot continue
in the classroom environment due to situations such as
COVID-19 pandemic.
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