Investigation of the effectiveness of direct ınstruction application provided with small group arrangement in teaching support and movement system subject to students with special needs

This study aims to examine the effectiveness of the direct instruction method in teaching the support and movement system within the science course to individuals with mild intellectual disabilities. The research was conducted using a multiple baseline design across subjects, one of the single-subject experimental designs classified under quasi-experimental research methods. The sample consisted of three female students diagnosed with mild intellectual disabilities who were enrolled in special education classrooms in a public school located in Erzincan, Turkey. The participants were selected based on their potential to acquire skills related to the support and movement system and their suitability for the instructional methods.As data collection tools, a pre-test consisting of various question formats was used to determine the students' prior knowledge, while a post-test was administered to evaluate their progress during instruction and to examine the retention of learning. Additionally, observation forms regarding the students' learning processes and teacher opinions were analyzed. The findings indicated that the direct instruction method was effective in teaching the topics of bones, muscles, and joints, and that students were able to generalize the learned knowledge to different types of questions. Furthermore, tests administered one week after the instructional process revealed that the learning was largely retained. In conclusion, the direct instruction method was found to be an effective strategy for enhancing the academic performance of students with intellectual disabilities in science education. It is suggested that when supported with individualized education plans, this method can significantly contribute to the development of both academic and daily life skills of students with special needs.