Development of a Multimedia Courseware on Pre-Mathematics Skills for Kindergarten Pupils with Autism

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Autism refers to a condition characterized by severe and pervasive impairment in several areas of development: reciprocal social interaction skills, communication skills, stereotyped behavior, interests, and activities, On the other hand, they are visual learners with good visual processing skills and detail focused processing skills. Teachers are faced with the challenge of innovative approaches that would be appropriate to address their learning characteristics. Thus, the unique characteristics of pupils with autism come to be one of the considerations in this research pursuit of developing multimedia courseware. Moreover, the researcher was driven by the determination to address the insufficiency of materials for them. Likewise, it helps them attain a good pre-mathematics skills foundation.

METHODS

The study made use of descriptive-developmental research design. The researcher utilized a descriptive method in identifying the content of the multimedia courseware, the current level of kindergarten ten purposively selected pupils with autism on the Kindergarten level in terms of pre-mathematics, computer skills and the design considerations for the multimedia courseware. It was considered to be developmental since multimedia courseware for pupils with autism was developed, evaluated and tried-out using an improved version of the Analysis-Design-Development-Implementation-Evaluation (ADDIE) Model.

RESULTS

Findings revealed the following; that much of the pre-mathematics skills should need to be worked on among pupils with autism. And that all the pre-mathematics skills from the curriculum were the content of the multimedia courseware; the autism" ̃s characteristics, previous studies on courseware development and suggestions from experts were necessary to design and develop a multimedia courseware; the multimedia courseware was highly acceptable as a supplementary material and that its try out had shown improved learning behaviors among pupils with autism.

DISCUSSIONS

With the given findings, this study concludes that: A complete multimedia courseware is needed by special education teachers. Also, multimedia courseware could be designed, developed and finalized through triangulation of information from autism's characteristics, previous researches, experts' evaluation and actually try out. Given the scope of the study and the process it went through, the following recommendations are proposed: 1) the courseware developed to be evaluated further for the enhancement of content and design. 2) A similar study is conducted with more participants and those with other exceptionalities. 3) Multimedia courseware that covers other subjects or learning competencies be developed.