STEAM EDUCATION FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION: DESIGNING AND PROGRAMMING AN ACCESSIBLE SMART PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC LIGHT SYSTEM USING MICRO:BIT FOR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Abstract

The STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) educational approach is a contemporary pedagogical framework that integrates science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics, fostering creativity, collaboration, and authentic problem-solving. In Special Education, STEAM contributes to the development of inclusive learning environments that promote students’ active participation and engagement. This paper presents a STEAM-based educational intervention in which Special Education students designed, constructed, and programmed an intelligent pedestrian traffic light model using the micro:bit microcontroller. The construction incorporated audio signals to support individuals with visual impairments and visual indicators to assist individuals with hearing impairments, promoting accessibility and equal participation. At the same time, the creative design and construction of the physical model enhanced the Arts dimension of the STEAM approach. The intervention contributed to the development of collaboration skills, computational thinking, problem-solving abilities, creativity, and social awareness. The results highlight the significant contribution of STEAM approaches to inclusive education, as students developed confidence and actively participated in designing technological solutions with meaningful social impact.

Keywords: STEAM education, inclusive education, special education, educational robotics, micro:bit, computational thinking, accessibility

Ethics and Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that ethical guidelines were followed throughout the research process. We make clear that the views and findings expressed in the study are solely those of the authors. The authors also declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding this study.

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