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The STEAM Revolution in Special Education
The STEAM Revolution in Special Education
By Junior Gonzalez
The Allegheny Intermediate Unit (AIU) operates three special education schools across Allegheny County. In recent years, the AIU’s Special Education and Pupil Services Division has worked to expand curricular incorporation of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) principles.
Fostering Inclusion & Empowering Students
As an AIU-operated special education school, Mon Valley School in Pleasant Hills provides high-quality vocational training to full-time students enrolled through arrangements with their home districts and to students who take part-time classes during typical school day hours.
The school is home to a one-of-a-kind STEAM lab designed for students with special needs. Partially located in a computer science classroom, the STEAM lab is furnished with broad tabletops, instead of individual desks, to bring students closer together and foster collaboration. It’s also equipped with a Mac computer featuring the latest design and creativity software, including Adobe Illustrator and source-code editors.
Mon Valley School Principal Richard Dowell, Ed.D., believes it is important to continue challenging the common false assumption that STEM and other technical subjects are “too complex” for special education students to understand. “Instead of assuming any limitation, we have provided the opportunities for these students to grow and develop in an increasingly complex world,” Dr. Dowell said.
Students enrolled in Mon Valley’s computer science program can choose from three areas of study: engineering and design, coding with robotics, and graphic arts and digital fabrication (3D modeling and CAD). Mon Valley students also have access to a print shop, 3D printers and screen printing equipment to bring their concepts into the real world.
“As we enter a new age of learning with the advent of artificial intelligence, it is crucial that students with special needs are included to reap the benefits of AI,“ said Robert DeFillippo, computer science teacher. “From increased access using assistive technology to leveraging generative AI to foster creativity, I’m eager to explore the possibilities alongside them. This technology is as new to me as it is for them, and that’s exciting.”
Code in Practice
Mon Valley School’s dedication to expanding STEAM education paid off this past spring when it was one of just 20 schools across Pennsylvania to reach the finals of the Governor’s STEM Competition in Harrisburg.
Over the course of a semester, DeFillippo teamed up with technology teacher Beth Whitney and art teacher Tarah Morelli to challenge students to develop not only a concept, but a viable prototype of a product addressing a school problem. After a flare-up in a nearby classroom caused disruption in the hallway, students started brainstorming an idea to improve the classroom climate. They eventually settled on creating a smartwatch and adjoining software to help students experiencing signs of distress, as detected through dramatic changes in heart rate. The device would suggest individualized calming exercises based on a student’s positive behavior plan.
The students worked diligently for months. First, they sourced parts, including computer chips, small display panels, wrist straps and light sensors. Next, students put years of coding classes into practice. Using Python, a high-level programming language, students collaborated on code to make all the parts work together.
Throughout the semester, DeFillippo, Whitney and Morelli worked with students to strengthen critical soft skills, including teamwork to tackle ideas and time management to meet deadlines. To prepare to give their pitch at the Governor’s STEM Competition finals in Harrisburg, students practiced public speaking, rehearsed question-and-answer scenarios and honed their knowledge on all aspects of the product. Their hard work and preparation paid off in Harrisburg, where the team received outsized attention and praise for their concept.
“Rob, Beth and Tarah have done remarkable work to help our students grow critical thinking skills by building on their strengths and embracing unique learning styles,” Dr. Dowell said. “Their hard work led to new and exciting opportunities like the Governor’s STEM Competition.”
Real-World Impact
The incorporation of STEM/STEAM learning continues to expand throughout the AIU-operated schools. Starting this year, Whitney will lead Mon Valley’s new print shop class that will focus on entrepreneurship and finance in addition to the more technical aspects of product design and allocation.
The new class builds on years of existing design work that has lifted school spirit with stylish Mon Valley apparel and even keepsakes for AIU initiatives, including the design and manufacturing of customized tumblers for Project SEEKS SES and holiday ornaments.
“We’re going to focus a lot on the skills needed to run a business and how to properly account for that business, which is hugely important [for students to learn],” Whitney said.
DeFillippo and Whitney are also known for their efforts to boost computer science education opportunities for all students in the Pittsburgh region. In 2020, they were both named Learning Lab Teaching Assistants for CSforPGH, a Remake Learning initiative that matched them with local out-of-school computer science programs to work on curriculum alignment and develop strategies to grow student interest in the field, all while fostering an inclusive environment.
For DeFillippo, it’s an effort he has been dedicated to expanding for nearly 30 years. “I think for me, the big thing is that technology, as it continues to evolve, is a quality-of-life issue,” he said. “We’re trying to get kids to better understand technology as they integrate it into their lives. It’s not an accessory, it’s a necessity.”
Day of Code
Want a glimpse into innovative special education instruction? Look no further than the multiple Day of Code events that occurred throughout the 2022-23 academic year. At Sunrise School in Monroeville, a springtime Day of Code Summit brought together students from Sunrise, Pathfinder and Mon Valley schools to compete in an array of coding activities as well as robotics challenges.
At the summit, students immerse themselves in the world of programming and computer science, moving from room to room for different hands-on educational activities. Through these interactive workshops, students gain exposure to coding languages, game development, robotics and more.
The special education schools have an all-hands-on-deck approach to STEM/ STEAM learning. During Day of Code, it is typical to encounter all staff — teachers as well as social workers and speech, physical and occupational therapists — joining in the fun to create an efficient rotation of activities for students.
BattleBots, a robotics combat competition in which students equip a motorized cup with materials such as straws or sticks to strike competing robots, is a hit during Day of Code. “When their robot didn’t work well, they went back and wanted to redo it — it was for their own benefit to do that,” Whitney said.
“You had kids who lost and then were angry. But afterward they said, ‘Well, I’m going to make mine better,’” Morelli added. “I think it goes along with [instilling] problem solving and being able to see things differently.”
Coding Is Fundamental
The AIU Blind and Visually Impaired Support Program (BVISP) is another program within Special Education and Pupil Services that incorporates coding into its services with partner districts, including Pine-Richland and North Hills school districts.
Code Jumper™, a Microsoft program developed by the American Printing House for the Blind, teaches fundamental programming concepts to students ages seven to 11 through a physical programming language. Initially designed for students who are blind or visually impaired, Code Jumper™ allows classrooms with a diverse set of learners to use a hands-on coding system with literal blocks of code at their fingertips. Mechanisms such as color, light and sound help distinguish the blocks of code from one another, allowing students from a variety of modalities to participate. The fun and inclusive program fosters critical thinking, creativity and analytical skills, and prepares students for their future academic and professional journeys.
Read more from this issue: Fall 2023
