Tance learning of students with intellectual disabilities: realities and prospects
Abstract
The article reveals the urgency of the problem of organizing distance learning of children with
intellectual disabilities in the conditions of quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis of literature sources, normative documents and modern domestic researches concerning problems of
the organization of distance learning of pupils with special educational needs and prospects of their
decision is presented. The problems of organization, educational and methodical support of distance
learning, the need to create a system of educational resources for students, psychophysical limitations
in children with complex developmental disorders are described. The importance of information and
communication technologies for distance learning of students with special educational needs is outlined:
the possibility of overcoming spatial and temporal limitations, expanding the boundaries of learning and
support, the possibility of learning at an individual pace; the participation in events of various formats,
etc. An up-to-date educational and methodological manual «Parents’ Guide: Practical Recommendations
for Distance Learning of Children with Intellectual Disabilities» (2020) is presented. It covers issues of
organization, providing methodological support for online learning of children at home; step-by-step
instructions and memos on the adaptation and presentation of educational material, important corrective
techniques, compliance with which will increase the effectiveness of the educational process of students
with intellectual disabilities. Particular attention is paid to the necessary psychological and pedagogical
conditions and rules of distance learning. They are psychological adjustment of students to the new
agenda, individual psychophysical capabilities of children, technical problems to ensure learning in
home educational space, different methods of information transfer and others. The author presents
algorithmic steps and practical recommendations for the organization of distance learning for students
with intellectual disabilities at the initial stage of its implementation. Prospects for further research on the
outlined issues are presented.