Effect of Inclusiveness and Contemporary Teaching and Learning Environments on Students with Learning Disability

Abstract

This work is an overview of the effect of inclusiveness and contemporary teaching and learning environments on students with learning disability. The paper looked at learning disability, inclusiveness in education and contemporary teaching and learning environment from the conceptual perspective as well as the effect of both inclusiveness and contemporary teaching and learning environments on students with learning disability. It was ascertained based on reviewed literature that inclusive education is in tandem with the United Nations Sustainable Developmental Goal (UN-SDG) 4 which stipulates that no child should be left behind in education with special reference to students with learning disability. On the effect of contemporary teaching and learning environment on students with learning disability, as evident, the environment is prepared in such a way to meet the needs of students in this era of information and communication technologies. Indeed, students’ learning is supported by access to portable technologies which as noted are beneficial to students with learning disability. Against the backdrops of identified positive impacts of both inclusiveness and contemporary teaching and learning environments on students with learning disability, recommendations that can further enhance the two concepts were made.

1. Introduction

The emergence and the use of Information and Communication Technology in education is considered an important innovation in classroom teaching-learning and is advocated by many educational policy-makers [1]. This revolution has brought about transformation as schools’ facilities are no longer designed in the conventional pattern rather provisions are made to allow for multiple learning skills. To this end, the inclusion of modern technologies in the learning and teaching environment is seen as a bound step towards enhancing functional teaching and learning process. Against this backdrop teachers are advised to inculcate contemporary technologies while teaching, as they have the potential to transform an outdated educational system [2]. By embracing virtual classrooms and providing access to educational resources, schools can offer personalized instruction and flexibility to their students.

Come to think of it, the intention of creating contemporary teaching and learning environment is to make available space that will promote efficient and effective lifelong learning on the part of the students. The fact is that education today is envisaged as a tool for encouraging learners who are better off to work in a group that brings out their creativity and critic in a complex challenge [3]. As evident, contemporary classrooms are prepared with a view to meeting up with students’ needs in this technology driven society. As a result, the spaces allow for flexibility in teaching, team-work among students and independent learning that allows for flexibility, collaboration and personal learning as well as access to global learning resources. In fact with contemporary learning environment, students of all sorts are exposed to the actual utilization of mobile technologies. Imperatively, this development leads to one on one program and its implications for contemporary learning and teaching [4]. Contemporary learning therefore is personalized and provides anytime, anywhere access for students to portable technologies.

The obvious is that information and communication technology has become a global way of live and its inclusion in education is no doubt is a necessity [5]. Regardless of the high premium placed of ICT in the area of enhancing effective teaching and learning the underscore is that not much of it has been applied to bring the needed transformation in teaching and learning in many countries of the world [6] more so, in non-western world a development that has detrimentally affected inclusiveness in education. Inclusiveness in this context, is an undeniable entitlement of every individual to get involve inany communal activity without any form of discrimination. This implies that every student should be given that sense of belonging and support for him or her reach to achieve the desired goal and the reach the full potential [7]. This it is believed is not obtained by students with special cases like learning disability. Learning disabled students in the context of this write-up are those who have adequate mental ability and sensory processes but fail to utilize them to perform [8].

The whole idea behind inclusive education is that everyone should be carried along in that no one should be discriminated upon as a result of strata such as background and learning disability. The whole idea is in line with United Nations –Sustainable Development Goal 4 as it asserted the need to ensuring all inclusiveness for sound education for children with disabilities of any sort as many of them in many nations of the world are alienated from having sound education and some cases, are denied access to schools. The implication is that children with disabilities in many countries have higher propensity of being denied educational training that any other class of children. Since education is the bedrock of both personal and societal development, excluding children with learning disability from conventional educational training is no doubt suicidal and dehumanizing as such children are by so doing denied the right of lifelong learning that will prepare them for adulthood and future societal engagement. It is against this backdrop that this write-up is initiated as to holistically assess the effect of inclusiveness and contemporary learning and teaching environments on students with learning disability. To realize the purpose of this write-up, the author employed document analysis methodology which is the process of reviewing or evaluating documents both printed and electronic in a methodical manner. The document analysis method, like many other qualitative methods, involves examining and interpreting data to uncover meaning, gain understanding, and come to a conclusion [9]. To this, review of related literature was carried out in which documents related to the topic were gainfully analyzed in line with the topic treated.

2. Learning disability

Any delay that cannot be attributed to mental retardation, emotional disturbance or sensory deficiency but leads to deviations and performances discrepancies in the basic academic subjects such as; arithmetic, reading, writing, spelling as well as speech is referred as learning disability. It is therefore an educational genre that embodies variety of conditions [10]. It is so to speak, variety of disorders that affect the acquisition; organization, retention, understanding or use of verbal and non-verbal information while specific learning disability refers to a particular disorder in one or more of basic psychological processes involved in using language, spoken or written which may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell or do mathematical calculations [11]. This is to say, that neurological disorder that affects one or more of the basic psychological processes that is involved in understanding or in using spoken or written language is a learning disability.

Learning disability is also referred as any condition that can gives rise to difficulties in acquiring knowledge and skills to the level expected of those of the same age especially when not associated with physically handicapped. The aeration is that learning disabilities are not the same as intellectual disabilities as it is a disorder in basic process that involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written which manifests itself in an imperfect ability to listen, speak, react, read, write, spell or do mathematical calculation [12]. It also included such conditions as perceptual disabilities, injury of the brain and developed aphasia [13]. As a group disorder, the reality on ground is that it affects the ability of the brain to receive; process, store, respond and communicate information [14].

3. Inclusiveness in learning

Inclusiveness in learning from the general perspective is all about giving every child regardless of class and nature same opportunity to go to school with a view to acquiring the desired knowledge and skills for future development survival through all inclusive learning process. It was the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs Disability (UNDESAD) in 2018 that brought inclusion education to public purview as the theme of International Day of Persons with Disabilities an initiation that has been described as a clarion call for all children of all abilities for the sake of education to be in the classroom [15].

Inclusive education could be said to be one important avenue through which children are given that ample opportunity to go to school with the sole purpose of learning, developing the required skills to succeed in life. This implies that inclusion is carry every child along a message that is in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs). The realization of this philosophy will be better pronounced when students with learning ability are included in every aspect of the global educational program or process [16].

As an ambition plan of action of the international Community, the 2030 Agenda of leave no one behind, is aimed at creating a peaceful and prosperous world, where dignity of an individual person and equality among all is applied as the fundamental principle, cutting across the three pillars of the work of the United Nations: Development, Human Rights and Peace and Security. Its main purpose is to ensure the full and equal participation of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and creating a enabling environments by, for and with persons with disabilities. This implies that inclusion education is a global campaign against disparity of what type of child stays in a particular classroom and a particular school. It is all about therefore, all children, same classrooms and same schools whether with disability or not even speakers of minority languages [17].

Inclusion in education in a broad term means that all students should be able to access and gain equal opportunities to education and learning and on no ground should any child be discriminated upon as to denying him or her the right to effective formal education. This is built on the premise that special and personalized educational programs are more effective with children with special needs as such mixed experiences will enhance their social interactions leading to successful life. The idea behind inclusion in education is to make way for the utilization of special classrooms and schools for students disabilities. The underlining factor is that the protagonists of inclusion in education main intention is to move away from seclusion models of special education to the fullest extent practical. This on the believe that that it is to the social benefit of general education students and special education students alike, with the more able students serving as peer models and those less able serving as motivation for general education students to learn empathy [18]. It is pertinent to state that the application of these practices differs as some schools most frequently utilize the inclusion model for selecting students with mild to moderate special needs [19]. While those schools that implement to the fullest inclusiveness, though rare, do not separate “general education” and “special education” programs; rather, such schools are restructured in such a way that all students learn together [20].

It is very pertinent to state that inclusive education is quite different from the ‘integration’ or ‘mainstreaming’ model of education, which tended to be concerned with selected few while in inclusive education much attention is focused on optimal involvement of students with disabilities respecting their social, civil, and educational rights. The obvious is that when one is said to be included, it is not limited to physical and cognitive disabilities, but rather it includes the full range of human diversity with respect to ability, language, culture, gender, age and of other forms of human differences [21]. As has been noted, student performance and behavior in educational tasks can be profoundly affected by the way they feel, they are seen and judged by others. This is because, when one is viewed as inferior, the abilities seem to diminish [22]. It is on this ground that the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 recognizes the essence for adequate physical infrastructures and the necessity for safe, inclusive learning environments [23].

4. Contemporary teaching and learning environments

Unless you living under a rock, that is why you may not have noticed how dramatically the education system has changed in the past few decades especially in developed nations like the United States (US), United Kingdom (UK), Canada, Germany, Europe and others. The true picture is that the conventional teacher-knows-all based learning system has been overtaken by higher-order thinking with future skills such as problem-solving and books being replaced by tablets or mobiles. All the same, one thing that has not drastically change in line with the trend in the education system is the environment where teaching and learning take effect. The truth is that some schools make use of contemporary classrooms well equipped with modern facilities such as smart boards; tablets, computers, among others, whereas, most schools are nowhere closer. Likewise, teacher in most schools still apply the old method of teaching which is standing in the front and lecturing the students all at once. In the present dispensation, both the pattern of delivering the lesson and environment negatively affect students as they are neither developed nor equipped with problem solving skills, innovative skills as well as creative and logical thinking in a world ruled by technology. The one way out of this morass, is the utilization of modern teaching environment enriched with technologies of our time.

The concept of contemporary learning and teaching environment has brought about transformation with schools in most nations of the world more so those of developed countries as they fuse the physical spaces with modern teaching approaches. In contemporary learning and teaching environment, teachers with flexible classroom spaces and integrated technology which facilitate the mix of independent, small-group and whole class learning which pave way for students’ success. Ideally, contemporary learning environment is made up three basic elements. These are; connected devices (such as notebooks, tablets or even smartphones); audiovisual tools (including projectors and touch-screen displays); and purposeful furniture that allows students to learn in different ways at different times (such as standing desks, collaborative workstations and connected seating.

Inasmuch as the idea of equipping classrooms with modern devices is not anew lexicon, the trending fact is that most devices in students’ possession are not optimally being utilized due the fact they are seen as distracter rather than effective tools needed for functional teaching and learning. In the past, what was common in most schools especially those of the developing nations was the use of laptops and tablets that were rarely connected to the internet as funds were not invested on acquiring these tools for teaching so available ones were self-provided. In situations where much have been invested in one-to-one programs, leaders have sometimes been disappointed by lackluster adoption, found it difficult to continue funding the programs over time or failed to make the networking upgrades necessary to ensure a high level of performance.

In the contrary, the assumption for designing contemporary learning and teaching environments is that students will have an uninterrupted and regular access to internet connectivity, supported by technology and teachers’ training that will ensure that students’ devices play pivotal role in the classroom in the course of teaching and learning. Furthermore, in contemporary learning and teaching environment audiovisual solutions directly support student learning and engagement. Audiovisual solutions depending on grade level and instructional goals, may include interactive whiteboards, document cameras, multi-touch digital displays, projectors and even microphone lanyards for soft-spoken teachers in larger classrooms. The idea is not to implement any single audiovisual tool with a one size-fits-all approach, but rather to outfit classrooms with the solutions that will best help teachers reach their students.

The Contemporary learning and teaching environment, so-to-speak a learning space (a classroom) that is more interactive, innovative, and connected with the primary purpose of helping students learn better and follow the modern ways of learning to meet future challenges. A modern learning environment basically comprises of but is not limited to: audiovisual aids; such as touch screen displays and projectors, connected devices: Such as tablets, notebooks, or smartphones [24]. Indeed, the three key aspects of contemporary learning and teaching environment are technology, flexible furniture and audiovisual tools which help propel classrooms and students into the future.

5. Effect of inclusiveness on students with learning disability

The popular biblical dictum ‘He who created them, created them male and female could be likened to inclusive education and students with learning disability. As it was to close the education gap for children with disabilities, that United Nations International Children Education Fund (UNICEF) supports government efforts to foster and monitor inclusive education systems [15]. Inclusive education is like a fundamental right whereby everyone is equal before the law as there is no disparity as a result of strata of any form. The implication is that in a formal classroom, inclusiveness put into consideration the individual contribution of every student regardless of background which pave way for different group to work together for the good of all. The above aphorism is an affirmation of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the Division for Early Childhood (DEC),that the gain of inclusive experiences for students of all sort and their families is that it gives a sense of belonging and membership, positive social relationships and friendships, and development as well as learning to reach their full potential [7].

The integration of inclusiveness in our educational processing in the real sense of it, will expose learners of all sorts including those with learning disability to among other things; mastery of information and communication technologies and other related digital devices; becoming good thinkers, innovative and creative in mind/action; It will further assist all strata of students to learn and carryout researches on their own and be better placed to acquire information related to their learning that is commensurate to their abilities. It will also broaden students horizons in varying context; exposing them to the happenings outside their jurisdiction; enabling them solve both academic and personal difficulties independently as well as help in increasing students’ enthusiasm and desire to learn.

Come to think of it, we are in an era in which the world has become a global village in that almost everyone in including the students are connected to the internet. To this end, the trends of things ranging from climate change, culture and demographic factors, digital revolution and global emerging economy have shaped the way we live globally. These global changes including cultural differences throw open a lot of opportunities for the young and these they must tap into and milk all desirable benefits. All the same, developing a global intellectual outlook is not a straight jacket activity rather a lifelong process which can only be shaped by education [25, 26, 27, 28, 29].

Inclusiveness education can also bring about global competence which is a multidimensional capacity. With inclusive education, students with learning disability will acquire globally competent which with it they will be better positioned to scrutinize both local and global issues and intercultural issues. With such knowledge, they can understand and appreciate different perspectives and world views, interact successfully and respectfully with others and also take responsible action towards sustainability and collective well-being (Figure 1).

Figure 1.

Global competence source: Pisa 2018.

6. Effect of contemporary teaching and learning environments on students with learning disability

Generally, the accrued benefits of utilizing contemporary educational environment for teaching and learning cannot be overemphasized. As has been noted, contemporary teaching and learning environment if well used increases students’ engagement and motivation, makes it possible for students to create stronger relationships with peers and teachers, enhances collaboration and an increased sense of belonging among students as it relates to their learning. Inasmuch as contemporary learning environment is a relatively new concept, available results have shown that a well designed classroom is a catalyst to effective teaching and learning thus has a notable impact on both the student’s learning and health outcomes. Apart from acting as a catalyst, modern teaching and learning environment creates global awareness which in turn connects students with ease to other students of the world resulting to sharing of ideas by youths. This in fact breaks language, cultural and geographical barriers as well as the challenge posed by learning disability.

Frankly speaking, man by nature is so resistant to change. So, teachers who see themselves as the man-in-charge in the classroom are bound to resist any physical design of the classroom that will impede their full control of the classroom. in this case, a physical cum social environment that will promote student self-management and self-direction in learning will definitely pose a threat to these crop of teachers. The irony is that the above assertion is the expected responsibility of any teacher to learners today as era we are in requires are trained to be critical/logical thinkers and only an environment that is designed and enhanced in learning settings that inspire creativity, active investigation and self-expression in settings that invite self-direction and require self-management and in settings that connect students globally can satisfy this purpose. This learner and learning-centred settings are in contradiction with the standard industrial era classroom where teacher is driven by the sole aim of covering the curriculum and in full charge of controlling the learning process. A part from that, in a contemporary teaching and learning environment there is this hunger to knowing what the learning is all about, ascertain the knowledge of the teachers by their experiences as expressed in the course of teaching which heightens teachers’ values and belief about learning. This on its own part, enhances epistemic awareness and gets teachers involved in intentional design of settings and spaces to support different types of learning activities which work in favor of students with learning disabilities.

Some two decades ago we were talking of fact-based learning and major skills required of students were those of memorization and organization but today, the story has changed, students now ask for creative and more sophisticated skills such as collaborative working, logical thinking, management, problem-solving among others. Teaching these skills in teacher-centred classroom no doubt will be like bridge too far as acquisition of such skills needs students’ collaboration and working as a team. These kind of skills can only be acquired in an environment that is designed and equipped with contemporary technologies and state-of-the–art facilities which contemporary teaching and learning environment represents.

In life, one known fact is that there are individual differences even the so called identical twins in the real sense of it are not identical as there traits in them that expose their differences both in attitude and intelligence. In the educational world, every practicing teacher knows that no two students is the same. In the then teaching environment, students irrespective of the nature are tutored the same way not minding whether it was effective or not. On the other hand, the contemporary learning environment makes learning interactive, allows for group teaching as well as personalized teaching putting into consideration individual trait.

Experience they say is the best teacher that the 2020 pandemic caused by corona virus also known as Covid-19 became an awakening call to both students with learning disabilities and those with none. The situation actual brought an unprecedented transformation on the educational system. This was because the period brought to the forefront the importance of technology to teaching and learning as smartphones and other related devices were utilized as a result of self-distancing making possible for all students to study from their homes. To this end, the existence of contemporary teaching and learning environment which allows for the application and utilization of contemporary technologies including smartphones in teaching and learning is like a moral booster for those with learning disability who are now well informed on her to use the smartphones for learning.

As a follow-up to the above fact, with contemporary teaching and learning environment, students with learning disability are exposed to modern educational technologies and with them it will become easier to have students with learning disability better equipped with the skills of handling contemporary educational technologies. This is because as part of the learning tools, students both with disability or not will be trained on better ways to use these technologies for effective learning. This development, facilitates fast retention of information and aiding students commitment and active participation in learning having gained a significant level of understanding and knowledge [25]. For instance, In an annual survey conducted by Project Tomorrow (2018it was revealed that around half of the students use YouTube for self-directed learning. The same survey also revealed that half of the students using technology find collaborating with other students as a better way to learn. The implication is that students from tender ages become masters in the use of the internet with which they connect with friend and carryout assigned school projects. A replication of this technology driven environment is just one any student of the 21st century ask for and this can only be realized with the aid of a contemporary teaching and learning environment [30].

Furthermore, with contemporary teaching and learning environment, teachers are well positioned to teach differently and better as the environment is made to carry every student along regardless of the disability. The revelation by experts is that any significant transformation in the teaching and learning environment design is likely to unintentionally impact how teachers instruct the students. In another development, it was noticed that teachers lecture more in the traditional setting and promoted active discussion in the modern setting [31]. This indicates that a little transformation more so the inclusion of technology and space in a classroom design will pave way for student-centered learning. In other words, effective teaching is better carried out by teachers in a contemporary learning environment.

There is also evidence that contemporary teaching and learning environments impact positively the learning outcome of students with learning disability. Research has shown that students with lower overall ACT grades do perform as better as those with higher ACT scores when exposed and taught in an active and contemporary environment. This shows what great impact a contemporary learning environment could have on learners [32]. Come to think of it, a traditional teaching and learning environment could be said to be suitable for the students who prefer auditory to visual learning while contemporary learning environment is designed to meet both ends. The emphasis is that in contemporary teaching and learning environment, teachers are at liberty to use any of the following methods or even combine; experimentation, kinesthetic, collaboration, active discussion and even flexible classrooms with a view to satisfying every learner’s need. This implies that contemporary teaching and learning environment suits all learning styles.

Another effect of contemporary teaching and learning environment on students with learning disability is that, it promotes natural and learning curiosity among them. For instance In the old learning environment, students mere listen to the teacher and do not ask questions as the teaching goes on but on it at the end, denying the students the opportunity of being active participants which may lead to poor retention and this situation makes it practically impossible for such students to recall all that was taught. In such scenario also, It is practically impossible for student to understand lesson two when, lesson one has not been understood On the other hand, with contemporary teaching and learning environments, reverse is the case as learning is made interactive and students are at liberty to ask questions at any point of the lesson and this enhances their curiosity to learn and to know more and teachers ever willing to explain in an interactive way using such contemporary learning technologies as; interactive whiteboards, audiovisual aids, to mention but a few.

Besides, since technology plays a crucial/essential role in modern learning. With the inclusion of things like; smart boards, projectors, interactive whiteboards, and tablets for each student in the class and accessing of the computer laboratory in the course teaching and learning, students with learning challenges are not left behind as they gain of the applications of technology is to give everyone that sense of belonging. The consideration in contemporary classroom environment is that, no two individuals are alike. Therefore there is need for unique learning methods such as adaptive learning which cater for the unique needs of every student and allow them to learn at their own pace. A situation as explained above encourages students to have the desire to learn and makes learning a thing of pleasure.

In furtherance, contemporary learning environment encourages adaptive learning. As earlier stated, no two individuals are alike and that being the case, adaptive learning method allows for every child to been seen as an entity distinct from other students thus should be taught based on his or her ability. With this learning method, instruction can be adjusted and learning experiences tailored towards meeting the individual needs of every student in the same classroom thereby allowing each of them to learn at their own pace. One good thing about this method is that with it, one can track students data in such areas as; student progress, engagement, and performance and with the data collected the teacher can utilize them to provide personalized learning experiences suitable for the particular student [33, 34].

These environments are as well designed in conformity with global best practices where digitalization is given its due place. The provided learning spaces make learning very flexible and create opportunities for collaboration, independent learning and students can connect to global resources. Indeed, learning is powered by contemporary technologies and students easily have access to these technologies. The approach is in line with emerging issues which relate individualized teaching and is in tandem with contemporary learning and teaching practice [4]. That is to say, that contemporary teaching and learning environment is personalized and provides anytime, anywhere access for students to portable technologies as students’ learning activities both at home and at school and their lives in general are interwoven as they all use information and communication technologies and other related technologies. All these encourage collaboration.

7. Conclusion and recommendations

Students with learning disability are often neglected and tagged never do well as a result the United Nations under the auspice of the United Nations International Children Education Fund (UNICEF) resolved to promote equal education for all. Above all, the UN-SDG 4 is geared towards insuring that children with disability are not discriminated upon and should enjoy equal opportunities with others and should be granted equal participation in every human activity including education. To achieve this, creating enabling environments are solicited [17, 35]. Talking of enabling environment, one can deduce that inclusive education cannot successfully strive without the construction of contemporary teaching and learning environments. On known fact is that with contemporary teaching and learning environments, there is this positive impact on student outcomes ranging from academic growth and engagement to improved health and classroom as contemporary teaching and learning environments seamlessly integrate technology into spaces that are designed around teaching and learning, giving instructors and students including those with learning disability the tools they need to succeed in a physical setting that promotes collaboration and supports multiple learning styles. The conclusion therefore is that inclusiveness and contemporary teaching and learning environments positively affect students with learning disability as they give them that sense of belonging. It is based on the above that the under-listed recommendations are proffered:

• In life the only thing that is constant is change. This implies that it is inevitable as long as we live in this dynamic world. Inclusiveness will remain an illusion if the entire globe does not embrace it and sees it as a must implemented transformation. All hands must be on deck as to ensuring that all that are needed are done. Everyone from government, individuals, parents, teachers to the society at large should play their roles and do the needful as required. Children with learning disability should be seen and treated as anyone of us and should be support by all and sundry in schools. This means that society should frown at any form of discrimination against students with disability and stigmatization tackled with offenders punished by law and enabling environments provided by those concerned [9].

• Governments at all levels should come up with effective policy on contemporary teaching and learning that will promote inclusiveness with special focus on those with learning disabilities. This policy should be backed-up with action-plans ensuring that every necessary facility or amenity and needed manpower are provided

• Schools should encourage and support the application of technology in teaching and learning as not to deny their students especially those with learning disability the desire skills to succeed in future noting contemporary learning and teaching environments as a global practice for transformation.

• While there is the need to create contemporary teaching and learning environments and embrace inclusive education, it is pertinent to state that the hood does not make the monk. This is to say, that it will be a fruitless venture to build the best of schools, furnished with the best equipment and with state-of-the-art technology fitted without the qualified manpower. To achieve goal of inclusiveness therefore there should be well trained teachers and managers to meaningfully implement the policy. In other words, programs for training and retraining of teachers as to be well equipped in the area of skills as to effectively manage the modern teaching and learning environment as well as students with learning disabilities.

• Teachers should realize that the use of technology in teaching is no longer a show-off rather a necessary tool that makes them relevant today in an era driven by technology. With huge information resources available online that enhance teaching and learning beyond the printed textbooks, utilization of information and communication technologies has become a sine-qua-non for both teachers and students for teaching and learning including those with learning disability. Online courses are becoming more and more necessary for education to and for knowledge spread. Thus, teachers should consider this trend in education and get prepared technically and pedagogically to take online teaching in consideration. In turn, students with learning disabilities need to get enough skills that will help them effectively benefit from the advantages contemporary teaching and learning environments are providing.

• As noted Adaptive learning being one the gains of contemporary learning and teaching environment requires human planning and interactions to be successful. To this end, Instructor’s presence is essential for effective adaptive learning to take place. This is based on the fact that teachers are needed to assist students in understanding the value of the adaptive system and help transition them from passive to active collaborators and learners [34].

• Teachers instead of delivering just lectures during class, should encourage curiosity among the students regardless of abilities. The teacher can add a question box in the class where students with learning disabilities can drop their questions and that such that answers to those questions provided at the beginning or at the end of the class. What is more, teachers can encourage students with learning disabilities to regularly ask questions. However, the teachers should ensure that the right questions are asked as this will assist build self-confidence, enhance curious, maintain calmness and discard anxiety among the students.