EBP: Bringing AP Computer Science Principles to Students with Learning Disabilities and/or an ADHD: The Hidden Underrepresented Group

这项研究旨在通过确保有学习差异的学生(有学习障碍和/或注意力缺陷/多动障碍(ADHD)的学生)能够成功地参加一般的计算机科学课程，特别是AP计算机科学原理(CSP)课程，来扩大对计算机科学的参与。来自Outlier Research&Aming(芝加哥大学初级数学与科学教育中心(CEMSE)的一个研究小组)和沃尔科特学校(位于芝加哥的一所为有学习差异的学生开设的学校)的跨学科团队将应用他们在教育研究、特殊教育、心理学、教育学和计算机科学(CS)内容方面的专业知识：识别学习差异的学生在参与计算机科学概念和计算实践时面临的挑战；得出解决这些挑战的解决方案；以及；测试调整和适应，以应对开发中的两个AP计算机科学原则(CSP)课程的挑战：纽约市计算的美容和喜悦(BJC4NYC)；以及Code.org的CS原则。这个项目的发现将是确保这一经常被忽视的学生群体能够充分参与CS教育的第一步。该项目非常及时，因为大学理事会正准备在2016年秋季推出新的AP CSP课程。这项基础性研究的结果对于确保学习方式不同的学生不被排除在外至关重要。为了实现这一目标，Outlier和Wolcott School团队将探讨以下研究问题：(1)对于让有学习差异的学生能够接触到高中CS教育，特别是AP CSP，有哪些学习和教学方面的问题？(2)需要进行哪些具体的调整和适应，才能使CSP课程总体上以及BJC4NYC和CS原则特别对有学习差异的学生具有易懂？(3)有学习差异的学生在多大程度上成功地完成了AP CSP课程，并对他们的经历表现出积极的态度？为了回答这些问题，项目组将：a)确定通常与特定学习障碍和ADHD有关的课程适应，并考虑其在CS教育中的应用；b)为选定的CSP课程制定和测试适应和适应；c)为学习差异的学生制定一套教授CS的设计原则；d)与CSP的开发人员合作，将适应和适应永久地纳入他们的材料中；以及e)广泛传播关于针对学习差异的学生的调整的结果、教学指导和其他发现。该小组将采用混合方法的研究设计，使用通过课堂观察收集的数据；教师书面反馈和访谈；以及学生书面反馈、自我评估、问卷答复、焦点小组和访谈。这项研究将支持为高中计算机科学教育建立大规模基础设施的努力，方法是采取措施，产生关于将这一尚未接触到的群体纳入计算机科学教育所需的知识，就如何在CSP中纳入不同学习方式的学生提供具体指导，并展示努力推进扩大参与这一层面的重要性和优点。

This study aims to expand participation in computer science by ensuring that students with learning differences (students with learning disabilities and/or an Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)) can successfully participate in computer science courses in general, and AP Computer Science Principles (CSP) courses in particular. An interdisciplinary team from Outlier Research & Evaluation (a research group at the Center for Elementary Mathematics and Science Education (CEMSE) at the University of Chicago), and the Wolcott School (a school in Chicago for students with learning differences) will apply their expertise in education research, special education, psychology, pedagogy, and computer science (CS) content to: identify the challenges students with learning differences face as they engage with computer science concepts and computational practices; derive solutions for addressing those challenges, and; test adaptations and accommodations that address those challenges for two AP Computer Science Principles (CSP )curricula in development: Beauty and Joy of Computing for New York City (BJC4NYC); and Code.org's CS Principles. Findings from this project will take a first step toward ensuring that this often overlooked student population can fully participate in CS education. The project is timely, as the College Board is preparing to launch the new AP CSP course in the fall of 2016. The findings of this foundational study will be crucial to ensuring that students who learn differently are not excluded. To accomplish this goal, the Outlier and Wolcott School team will pursue the following research questions: (1) What are the learning and teaching concerns regarding making high school CS education in general, and AP CSP in particular, accessible to students with learning differences?; (2) What specific adaptations and accommodations are needed to make CSP courses in general and BJC4NYC and CS Principles in particular accessible to students with learning differences?; and (3) To what extent do students with learning differences successfully complete the AP CSP course and demonstrate positive attitudes about their experience? To answer these questions, the project team will: a) identify lesson adaptations generally associated with specific learning disabilities and an ADHD, and consider their application in CS education; b) generate and test adaptations and accommodations for select CSP lessons; c) derive a set of design principles for teaching CS to students with learning differences; d) work with CSP developers to permanently incorporate adaptations and accommodations into their materials; and e) broadly disseminate findings, instructional guidance and other findings about adjustments for students with learning differences. The team will employ a mixed-methods research design using data collected through classroom observations; teacher written feedback and interviews; and student written feedback, self-assessments, questionnaire responses, focus groups and interviews. The study will support efforts to generate a wide-scale infrastructure for high school CS education by taking steps to generate knowledge about what is needed to include this as yet unreached group in computer science education, provide specific guidance about ways to include students who learn differently in CSP, and demonstrate the importance and merits of working to advance this dimension of broadening participation.