TEXT VERSUS HANDS-ON SCIENCE CURRICULUM - IMPLICATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

THIS PAPER DESCRIBES RECENT EDUCATIONAL REFORM EFFORTS IN SCIENCE EDUC ATION AND THEIR POTENTIAL IMPACT ON STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. AN ANA LYSIS OF THE CURRICULUM IN SCIENCE EDUCATION IN FOUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS FROM FOUR DIFFERENT STATES IS PRESENTED. TWO DISTRICTS EMPLOY A CONTEN T APPROACH USING TEXTBOOKS AS THE DOMINANT INSTRUCTIONAL MEDIUM, WHILE THE OTHER TWO DISTRICTS EMPLOY A HANDS-ON APPROACH USING MANIPULATIVE ACTIVITIES AND THEMATIC UNITS. COMPARISONS ARE MADE WITHIN AND ACROSS THE ACTIVITIES-ORIENTED AND TEXTBOOK APPROACHES. IMPLICATIONS FOR STU DENTS WITH DISABILITIES ARE DISCUSSED.