The Effectiveness of a Computer-Based Art Teaching Program on Space Representation of Pupils with Cerebral Palsy

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The study investigated the effectiveness of computer-based art teaching on space representation of pupils with cerebral palsy. The subjects were three students with cerebral palsy from Special School. The single-subject experimental design of multiple probe design across subjects was used to evaluate the effects. The independent variables were computer-based art curriculum with special joystick, and the dependent variables were the score of space representation on art work.
Results show that there was a significant progress during the intervention period in their performance (Wilcoxon Signed-Rank, W = 0, p=.05), but there was no significant change during the baseline phase (W = 9 p>.05). We can see a little improvement in production during baseline phase, while there will be a large increase in performance during intervention phase. This is because that the intervention phase （art teaching）having more effect than self-learning practice (baseline) due to the intervention (art teaching) being more effective than self-practice (baseline). In other words, pupils had already learned during the intervention (Art teaching). At the maintain phase, pupils did maintain their performance at all most the level of the end of the intervention.
Results indicated that disabled children’s experience of Art can be improved to produce representation of space on the screen. The study supports the view that the integration of visual and tactile components is vital for teaching and learning Art. This means computer-based Art teaching could be of great benefit to children with cerebral palsy in Art education.

Stream: Special Education, Learning Difficulties, Disability

Paper: A paper has not yet been submitted.

For my Bachelor degree, I majored in special education, which led to my teaching students with physical disabilities in Taiwan in elementary, junior and high school for 15 years. I was then back to university to study for a Masters in counseling, back in special school. My Ph.D. Degree in School of Education from the University of Bristol in the UK. I teach in areas of teacher training in National Taipei university of Education in Taiwan. My interests include research into the experience of students with physical disabilities, and developing pedagogical strategies for students with physical disabilities and technology for people with disabilities.

Chii- Hai Tsay received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Taiwan from University, and his MPhil Degree in Art Education from University of Bristol in England which led to his teaching students with physical disabilities in special school for 25 years in Taiwan.