Open Journal for Educational Research

45-56

Authors: Maria Alexandri, Christina Papailiou & Eleni Nikolaou

This research study aims to explore the social representations that kindergarten and first elementary class teachers have regarding the inclusion of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the regular classroom. The data collection tool was a questionnaire based on previous research. The results indicate that the teachers of the present study are willing to include students with Autism Spectrum Disorders in their regular class and try to address the related difficulties. The age of the educators and their educational level do not affect their views on the inclusion of children with autism into the regular class. However, their views are influenced by their years of experience, as well as by their previous experience of working with children with autism.

75-90

Authors: Kleio Mourelatou & Milen Zamfirov

It is a well known fact that there is a discrete group of pupils with severe problems in the acquisition of mathematical skills. These problems go beyond a quantitative range, but differ qualitatively from the ways the pupils gain mathematical knowledge from their teachers in the classroom. The central thesis of this survey is the development of the educational digital game the “Four Forces”, and the teachers’ perceptions concerning whether the specific digital game reduce mathematic and memory difficulties in students with intellectual disabilities. This was achieved by comparing and contrasting the teachers’ perceptions on this particular issue through questionnaires via e-mail. Through the survey findings it has been observed that special needs teachers have similar perceptions about the digital math games, which they agree that they could enhance students’ cultivation of memory capacity and could improve the development of numerical skills.