Adaptive Reading Learning Program for Children with Intellectual
Disabilities in Inclusive Elementary School
Tjutju Soendari
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia
Keywords: Adaptive Reading Learning Program, Students with Intellectual Disabilities, Inclusive Elementary School.
Abstract: The problem that is often faced by elementary school teachers who hold inclusive education is the
instruction implementation. This is partly due to the readiness of regular education institutions in the
infrastructure, facilities and educational capabilities not yet available. This study intends to develop a
reading learning program that is able to accommodate students with intellectual disabilities in inclusive
primary schools. This research was conducted in three elementary schools of Cimahi city, West Java
province with research subjects consisting of three students with intellectual disabilities, three parents of
students with intellectual disabilities and three classroom teachers. This study using research &
development approach through three stages. The first stage, exploring the objectivity of students' reading
ability with intellectual disabilities and planning as well as the implementation of reading learning by
classroom teachers; the second stage, the formulation of the adaptive program draft, which is further
validated by the expert and the learning practitioner, and third stage is test of learning program
implementation draft. Data collection is done through technique of test, interview, observation and
documentation study. Based on the implementation of the program obtained the result that there is an
increase in reading ability in students with intellectual disabilities and positive changes that occur in
learning conditions reading in the classroom. The implications of the results of this study have been
compiled a learning guide book which contains the basic provisions that give direction to how learning
should be done especially in reading learning for students with intellectual disabilities.
1 INTRODUCTION
The ability to read has a high humanitarian function
and a distinction between humans and other
creatures (Sumarlin, 2013). Therefore, reading is a
knowledge that must be possessed by everyone and
plays a very important role in all aspects of human
life, so that reading becomes a requirement of every
human including students with intellectual
disabilities. “Intellectual disability is a disability
characterized by significant limitations both in
intellectual functioning and in adaptive behavior,
which covers many everyday social and practical
skills. This disability originates before the age of 18.
The complexity of problems and learning difficulties
facing students with intellectual disabilities,
consequences to the competence of the teachers in
creating learning programs that are able to
accommodate their learning needs. Failure
accommodate students' learning needs with
intellectual disabilities can adversely affect the
learning process further. This suggests that the
program created by teachers in the inclusive primary
school must be tailored to the ability of each student,
either students with intellectual disabilities or
students without intellectual disabilities, which in
this study is known as "adaptation of learning
programs" in inclusive elementary schools.
An inclusive elementary school is a regular
primary school (a typical children's school) that
receives children with special needs. They learn
together, with the same teacher, the same place, and
the same time. Consequently, to achieve the
expected learning objectives, teachers must be able
to adapt adaptations in teaching their students in
these diverse classes.
Adaptation of learning programs for students
with intellectual disabilities in inclusive Elementary
School is based on the notion of humanism.
Humanism views the individual from its uniqueness
and potential. Humanism emphasizes the importance
of individuality for free will in actualizing
240
Soendari, T.
Adaptive Reading Learning Program for Children with Intellectual Disabilities in Inclusive Elementary School.
In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Educational Sciences (ICES 2017) - Volume 2, pages 240-246
ISBN: 978-989-758-314-8
Copyright © 2018 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. All rights reserved

themselves. The implication of learning, a teacher
must be able to explore the potential that exists in
the students, both strength and weakness, so that the
implementation of learning in accordance with the
needs of students, especially students with
intellectual disabilities.
To explore students' potentials, both strengths,
weaknesses, and student learning needs, teachers
must perform activities known as assessments.
Essentially, assessment is an activity to explore
information about the ability, constraints, and
learning needs faced by individuals as a foundation
in the preparation of learning programs for the
individual concerned. Three questions that are
essential when the teacher conducts the assessment
are: 1) what are the student difficulties / obstacles?
2) why the hardship happened? 3) in what ways did
they complete their tasks? Thus, in preparing the
adaptive learning programs for children with
intellectual disabilities in inclusive elementary
school’s teachers should start with the results of
assessment analysis in the form of student learning
needs. The learning needs of students is what will
underlie the determination of learning objectives,
learning materials, strategies and evaluation tools
used to determine whether the established goals are
achieved or not. This explains that the position of
the students becomes very central, because each
component of the adaptation of the learning program
is focused on the progress and needs of the students.
The adaptive learning program is not solely based on
learning objectives but is based on the results of the
assessment. The adaptive learning program does not
work for students but works with students.
Therefore, each student must know what goals will
be achieved, what tasks will be done, and how to do
them (Payne and Polloway, 2001). Assessment as a
comprehensive assessment, then teachers need
information from various sources from family,
community, or from other related professions such
as doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists, and so forth.
This is consistent with that suggested by Beirne
(2002). that "with the diversity of problems children
experience with intellectual disabilities ... they need
systematic education and service treatments and
multidisciplinary services". This opinion is
reinforced by Handoyo (2010) who argues that:
"Given that children with intellectual disabilities are
children with complex and highly varied disorders,
they require multidisciplinary and integrated
treatment". It is realized that no man is perfect,
everything knows, and everything can do it on his
own. Bertolino and O'Hanlon (2002) points out “Not
one to be confined by purist thinking”, so the teacher
is not the only source of problem solving. The
source of the solution exists and is in the community
and is in the social network created by the teacher.
This means that learning needs to be considered as a
collaborative effort between teachers, students and
related experts, sharing along with their expertise
and validity. Therefore, a teacher needs co creating
solvable problems together with other related
parties. This is important because teachers play a
role in formation and coaching within the context of
learning. Kirk and Gallagher (1986) argues that
"classroom teachers cannot do everything. They
need the help and support of personnel, both from
psychologists, school counsellors, and parents. "
Payne and Polloway (2001) argues that parental
involvement is an essential and mutual support as a
substitute for previous systems often found in
special education, where there is a separation
between family and school settings. Thus, it is
reasonable that in the adaptive preparation of
learning programs for children with intellectual
disabilities in primary school is through a team
approach. This team will work in collaboration from
the assessment to the planning of the learning
program.
Preliminary study results show that the
implementation of learning for students with
intellectual disabilities in inclusive primary schools
has not been optimal. Some of the causes, among
others, are the unavailability of special education
teachers in schools, the low level of teacher
understanding in student learning (Rahardja, 2017),
the absence of optimal cooperation between schools
with parents with intellectual disabilities (Aprilia,
2017). While the teachers at the elementary school
at this time have not understood what the
appropriate learning program to overcome the
difficulties students with this intelligence defect. The
condition of teachers in elementary school is very
reasonable because they do not have special
education background (Rahardja, 2017).
Many teachers in regular classes and special
classes ask how they can accommodate the learning
needs of students with intellectual disabilities. While
at the same time teachers help all students meet the
standards set by the government's curriculum
(Mastropieri and Scruggs, 1997). Students with
intellectual disabilities present in primary schools
need appropriate educational services tailored to
their level of difficulty and need to obtain
appropriate educational achievement.
The results of preliminary studies conducted by
researchers on some elementary schools in the city
of West Java Province Cimahi show both teachers of
Adaptive Reading Learning Program for Children with Intellectual Disabilities in Inclusive Elementary School
241

general education and parents of students with
intellectual disabilities, they conduct their own
activities individually, separated without clear
coordination. This is consistent with that of Johnsen
and Skjorten (2003) that: "traditionally regular
teachers and special education teachers and parents
are accustomed to self-sufficiency, the classroom
becomes its own responsibility.“ In addition to the
lack of coordination from various parties, the
strategy of developing the academic aspect is not
clearly planned regarding both the structure of the
activities and the aspects that need to be developed;
planning and execution of learning programs by
teachers that are classical, so the program used tends
to be the same for all students in the classroom for
students with intellectual disabilities or for students
who do not experience intellectual disabilities. This
phenomenon is likely to have an impact on the
achievement of non-optimal learning objectives and
even support the increasing difficulty of teachers in
teaching students with intellectual disabilities and
exacerbating the barriers experienced by students
with intellectual disabilities in inclusive elementary
schools.
One alternative solution to the above problems is
through research and development focused on
"adaptive reading and learning programs for students
with intellectual disabilities in inclusive elementary
schools” This study intends to develop a learning
program that is able to accommodate academic
skills, especially reading in students with intellectual
disabilities in inclusive elementary schools.
2 METHODS
2.1 Subject and Place of Research
This research was conducted in three elementary
school at Cimahi, West Java Province with research
subjects consisting of three students with intellectual
disabilities, three parents of students with
intelligence disabled and three elementary school
teachers.
2.2 Research Design
Research using research & development approach
through three stages. The first stage, exploring the
objectivity of students' reading ability with
intellectual disabilities and planning and
implementation of reading learning by teachers in
the classroom; the second stage, the drafting of the
adaptation of the learning program in
accommodating the skills of students with
intellectual disabilities in inclusive primary schools.
Furthermore, the draft adaptation of this program is
validated by experts and draft revisions in
accordance with expert suggestions and comments.
Thus, the researchers have hypothetical adaptive
programs. Research phase 3 is the test of the
implementation by teachers in applying adaptation
of learning programs that are able to accommodate
students' reading skills with intellectual disabilities
in elementary schools that are hypothetical.
Implementation of learning comes with an observer
consisting of a class teacher (college principal
teacher), principal, and researcher. After the
implementation test, the resulting adaptation of
learning program in accommodating students'
reading skill with intelligence defect in elementary
school is tested its implementation. Here is a chart of
the research procedures carried out in this study (see
in figure 1).
Figure 1: Flowchart research
2.3 Data Collection Technique
Data collection techniques used were interviews,
observations, reading skill assessments and
documentation studies. to collect data on the
preparation of the adaptive draft of the learning
program, the participants involved are experts in the
field of education of children with intellectual
disabilities, specialist in special education learning,
and elementary school reading teachers, and parents
of students with intellectual disabilities. In order to
collect data on the adaptive implementation test of
the learning program, the participants involved are
the fourth-grade teachers, the teachers (the
implementing colleagues who teach reading), all
fourth graders of elementary school who are
following reading learning including students with
intellectual disabilities and school principals who
will observe process of learning implementation.
ICES 2017 - 1st International Conference on Educational Sciences
242

2.4 Data Analysis Technique
Data analysis techniques in this study were
conducted qualitatively. In connection with that,
Bloom and Crabtree (2006) suggests that
“qualitative data analysis ideally occurs concurrently
with data collection so that investigation can
generate an emerging understanding about research
questions, which in turn informs both the sampling
and the questions being asked”. The data analysis
used in this research is based on the framework
developed by Miles and Huberman (1992), where
the research technique consists of three phases, i.e.
data reduction, data presentation, and draw
conclusions (verification). 1) Data Reduction is the
process of selecting, focusing, simplifying,
abstracting, and transforming data contained in the
results of observations and interviews. Reduced data
will provide a clear picture and make it easier for
researchers to perform further data collection. 2)
Display Data is how the data is presented. Display
data in this study displays the information organized
so as to facilitate the analysis of data that has been
obtained in the form of a brief description. 3)
Conclusion and Verification of data; The next step is
to draw conclusions or verification. The conclusion
in this study contains a description or description of
an object that was previously still unclear so as to
obtain a tentative conclusion as a basis in drawing
the conclusions of the study.
3 RESULTS
3.1 Description of Student Reading
Skills with Intellectual Disabilities
Physically the three subjects are in the fourth grade
of elementary school, however academically, the
subject has the ability to read in grade 1 semesters 1
and 2. The subject (A & C) has the ability to read
vowels and most of the consonants (except f, q, v, x,
z); Both the physical and social subjects do not show
any abnormalities. The learning need to read the
current subject is to incorporate the letters into KV
syllables (Vocal Consonants); combining syllables
into KV-KV. Subject (B) has the ability to combine
letters into syllables with KV patterns; Both the
physical and social subjects do not show any
abnormalities. The learning need to read the current
subject is to combine syllables into KV-KV
patterned words.
3.2 Description of Teaching Learning
of Student Reading Skills with
Intellectual Disabilities
The teaching learning profile of the three subjects is
a classical learning with the same material, method
and aluation. No special treatment or service is given
to the subject. The reason for the three subjects,
because of the unavailability of special education
teachers, has difficulties in dividing time, dividing
the material, and the fear of neglecting attention to
other students (non-disabilities). Therefore, learning
is not different for all students, either in the material,
the media, or metode and its judgments.
Implementation of learning is based on programs
made by Teachers Working Group (KKG) in the
school cluster and then reproduced and implemented
by teachers in each school. In other words, the
learning program used by teachers is not based on
students 'learning abilities and difficulties and does
not aim to meet students' learning needs, but to
achieve the curriculum targets and package books
provided by the central government. In classroom
management, teachers do not make proper seating
arrangements. One of the research subjects sat alone
in the back, while the other students sat together
with their friends, so the subject looked lonely,
lacking the help of peer tutors, rarely interacting
with friends during the lesson. The subject appeared
to be busy with the books and toys. This has an
impact on the condition of the subject which is
increasingly no progress in the lesson especially in
reading lessons.
3.3 Adaptive Learning Program Draft
Based on the objective condition of the subjects and
the conditions of reading teaching learning in the
classroom, as well as the literature review,
researchers need to formulate a learning program
that is able to accommodate the learning needs of
each student in the classroom. The program in
question is a syllabus and learning implementation
plan (RPP) regularly modified both objectives,
materials, methods and evaluation, so as to
accommodate the learning needs of each student in
the class in question. Modifications are based on the
results of the assessment analyzes performed on
subjects (students with intellectual disabilities).
Assessment results obtained data on reading ability
of subjects, reading difficulties faced by the subjects
and reading learning needs. This data is the starting
point for the preparation of the syllabus and RPP of
this modification hereinafter referred to as "program
adaptation". The program adaptation preparation
Adaptive Reading Learning Program for Children with Intellectual Disabilities in Inclusive Elementary School
243

procedure begins with: 1) Establishment of
Adaptation Team of the Program (classroom
teachers, principals, parent subjects and researchers),
2). Assessment, 3) Adaptation of assessment results
to curriculum 4) Develop syllabus 5) develop RPP.
The developed RPP can be an integrated RPP and an
individual RPP. The program adaptation draft is
validated by experts and practitioners who then
tested its implementation.
3.4 Test adaptive Learning Program
The test of learning program implementation of
reading is done through three stages, namely pre-
implementation, (discussion of team members),
stage of adaptation implementation by class teacher
and final stage (reflection of program adaptation).
The implementation test results show that adaptation
of the program is able to provide new knowledge to
the general education teacher on the assessment and
preparation of adaptation of the program that is able
to accommodate the student's learning needs.
Adaptation of the program is able to create an active,
creative and fun classroom atmosphere. Adaptation
of the program can improve student learning
outcomes, so that the learning objectives that have
been set can be achieved.
4 DISCUSSION
The problem faced by inclusive elementary school
teachers is the implementation of learning. Yulianto
(2012) suggests "Implementation of inclusion
education at lower levels of education is more
difficult when compared to higher levels ... learners
have more mature independence and higher rational
culture" ... The absence of the same perception
among bureaucrats, education practitioners that
inclusion education has not been considered a
national program; The readiness of regular
educational institutions both in infrastructure,
facilities and educators' capabilities is not yet
available. The core problem found in this study is
the absence of a learning program that is able to
accommodate students' reading skills with
intellectual disabilities in inclusive elementary
schools. One factor is the low level of understanding
of teachers in teaching and learning of students
(Rahardja, 2017), This is understandable, because
teachers in primary schools are generally not having
special education background. Besides that, also
because of unavailability of special education
teacher in school (Rahardja, 2017). The preparation
of the teaching and learning program is essentially
an attempt to define procedures and systematize the
learning process in certain situations in such a way
that the student's behavioural changes take place.
One form of educational service for children with
intellectual disabilities is through adaptation of the
program. Based on the grand design of national
inclusion education that has been agreed in
Palembang on 27-30 November 2007 (Yulianto,
2012) that the substance of the implementation of
inclusion education is adaptation ... substantially
indispensable in adaptation to inclusive education is
adaptation of curriculum and adaptation of teaching
and learning ... students with intellectual disabilities
can adapt to a regular curriculum according to their
ability " Adaptation of the learning program referred
to in this study is a written document developed in a
learning plan for children with intellectual
disabilities based on the style, strength, and special
needs of students in learning, so that students work
with tasks appropriate to the conditions and
motivations. In principle, program adaptation is a
learning program based on the learning needs of
each student. This study proves that the adaptation
of the program is able to create an active, creative
and fun classroom atmosphere. Adaptation of the
program can improve student learning outcomes, so
that the learning objectives that have been set can be
achieved. This is supported by the grand design of
the national inclusion education that curriculum
adaptation can be done by 1) (a) taking the same
basic competency and competency standard with the
standard curriculum (regular and special education)
but lowering the indicator (taking some indicators);
or 2) Take the same competency standard with the
regular curriculum and formulate its own
competency standards. In essence, not all subjects
and / or subject matter require adaptation. Only
subjects and / or lesson metrics create difficulties as
a direct result of the disorder requiring adaptation.
The adaptation of the program is based on a
humanistic philosophy which sees that "necessity is
the basis for the emergence of individual behavior.
Meeting the need for survival is very basic "
It is not surprising that special education experts
agree that one of the footholds in the preparation of
the learning program should start from the learning
needs of students, because students are individuals
who will learn. For that program adaptation is the
right way in learning to teach students in order to
avoid the occurrence of failures in the learning
process.
This study proves that in the program
implementation stage obtained the result of
improved reading ability in students with intellectual
disabilities and positive changes in the condition of
reading teaching learning in the classroom. This is
supported by the results of Lynch's research (Lynch,
ICES 2017 - 1st International Conference on Educational Sciences
244

1994) on the effectiveness of the adaptive program
indicating that the experimental group in 32 students
with adaptive programs was significantly higher in
ability than the control group, they were more
interactive in learning. This implies that the learning
process based on the students' learning needs as
desired in the adaptation of the program further
helps the achievement of student learning objectives.
Another problem found in Cimahi elementary school
is the unavailability of Special Education Teachers,
thus becoming one of the obstacles in the process of
implementation of learning for children with
intellectual disabilities. Yulianto (2012) "The
implementation of inclusive education as an
educational innovation should involve various
parties according to their expertise".
The first step in adaptive programming is to form a
team (Abdurahman, 2012). It is realized that no man
is perfect, everything knows, and everything can do
it on his own. Bertolino and O'Hanlon (2002) puts it
"Not one to be confined by purist thinking" so the
teacher is not the only source of problem solving.
This means that learning needs to be considered
as a collaborative effort between team members.
Ideally these team members are multidisciplinary.
For the current Indonesian situation, at least the team
members consist of special education teachers,
public education teachers, principals and parents,
because they are the ones who really understand the
students' whereabouts. Teachers in elementary
schools are already familiar with the preparation of
RPP. This is the basis of strength in making
adaptation of programs that can accommodate the
learning needs of each student. With the adaptation
of this program, teachers are expected to learn to
teach students with intellectual disabilities without
disrupting the implementation of learning to students
in general.
Physically the three subjects are in the fourth
grade of elementary school, while academically their
learning needs especially in reading are in the 2nd
semester curriculum semesters 1 and 2. While
emotionally and socially the three subjects do not
show any abnormality. Learning profile that has
been experienced by the subjects is learning that is
classical, so it has not been able to accommodate the
learning needs. The main factor is the unavailability
of a special program to accommodate the subject's
learning needs, so that the subject's ability is not
progressing.
Therefore, it is necessary to formulate an
adaptive learning program that is able to
accommodate the learning needs of each student in
the classroom. The meaning of the program
adaptation is a learning program that is based on the
learning needs of each student formulated based on a
previously established team. The program's work
steps begin with team building, assessment,
adaptation of assessment results to curriculum,
syllabus development and development of lesson
plans. The implications of the research results are
compiled by a learning guide book that contains
basic provisions that provide direction on how
learning should be done especially in reading
learning for students with intellectual disabilities.
5 CONCLUSIONS
Physically the three subjects are in the fourth grade
of elementary school, while academically their
learning needs especially in reading are in the 2nd
semester curriculum semesters 1 and 2. While
emotionally and socially the three subjects do not
show any abnormality. Learning profile that has
been experienced by the subjects is learning that is
classical, so it has not been able to accommodate the
learning needs. The main factor is the unavailability
of a special program to accommodate the subject's
learning needs, so that the subject's ability is not
progressing. Therefore, it is necessary to formulate
an adaptive learning program that is able to
accommodate the learning needs of each student in
the classroom. Adaptation of the program in
question is a learning program that is based on the
learning needs of each student formulated based on
the team that was formed previously. The program's
work steps begin with team building, assessment,
adaptation of assessment results to curriculum,
syllabus development and development of lesson
plans. The implications of the research results are
compiled by a learning guide book that contains
basic provisions that provide direction on how
learning should be done especially in reading
learning for students with intellectual disabilities.
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