Abstract of Paper presented at the International Conference Practical Work in Science Education, Copenhagen, 2023 May 1998.
SCIENCE FOR ALL
using microcomputer based laboratory tools for students with physical disabilities
Karin Bernhard
Rehabilitation Engineering Program, Högskolan Dalarna, S-781 88 Borlänge, Sweden
Jonte Bernhard
Dep. of Physics, Högskolan Dalarna, S-781 88 Borlänge, Sweden
Persons with disabilities are seriously underrepresented in science and engineering. This is unfortunate since it's reported that persons, with a disability who have a science or an engineering education, have higher employment rate than persons with a disability in general have. Young people are deterred from studying science or engineering because of miscon-ceptions among parents, teachers, counsellors, school and college administrators and others who believe that it is unsuitable or even hazardous for a student with a disability to study science or engineering. However for most students with a disability only very small adaptations are necessary and for many attitudes are a much more serious impediment than physical barriers. We have investigated the feasibility and advantages of using microcomputer based laboratory equipment (MBL) to make it possible for students with mild physical disabilities to perform laboratory experiments independently.
Full paper (html-format) coming soon