Crystallized and fluid intelligence of university students with intellectual disability who are fully integrated versus those who studied in adapted enrichment courses

• Published in: PloS one 2018-04, Vol.13 (4), p.e0193351-e0193351
• Main Authors: Lifshitz, Hefziba, Verkuilen, Jay, Shnitzer-Meirovich, Shlomit, Altman, Carmit
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Adults; Analysis; Biology and Life Sciences; Classification; Cognitive ability; College students; Colleges & universities; Crystallization; Developmental disabilities; Diagnostic software; Diagnostic systems; Down syndrome; Earth Sciences; Education; Empowerment; Enrichment; Female; Fluid intelligence; Humans; Intellectual disabilities; Intellectual Disability - psychology; Intelligence; Intelligence - physiology; Learning; Life assessment; Lifelong learning; Male; Models, Theoretical; People and Places; Physical Sciences; Placement; Psychological aspects; Psychology; Qualitative research; Risk factors; Sensitivity analysis; Short term memory; Social Sciences; Special education; Students; Students - psychology; Teacher education; Trends; Universities; University students
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0193351

Inclusion of people with intellectual disability (ID) in higher postsecondary academic education is on the rise. However, there are no scientific criteria for determining the eligibility for full inclusion of students with ID in university courses. This study focuses on two models of academic inclusion for students with ID: (a) separate adapted enrichment model: students with ID study in separate enrichment courses adapted to their level; (b) full inclusion model: students with ID are included in undergraduate courses, receive academic credits and are expected to accumulate the amount of credits for a B.A. (a) To examine whether crystallized and fluid intelligence and cognitive tests can serve as screening tests for determining the appropriate placement of students with ID for the adapted enrichment model versus the full inclusion model. (b) To examine the attitudes towards the program of students with ID in the inclusion model. The sample included 31 adults with ID: students with ID who were fully included (N = 10) and students with ID who participated in the adapted enrichment model (N = 21). Crystallized and fluid intelligence were examined (WAIS-III, Wechsler, 1997) and Hebrew abstract verbal tests (Glanz, 1989). Semi-structured interviews were conducted in order to examine the attitudes of students in the inclusion model towards the program. The ANOVAs indicate that the most prominent difference between the groups was in vocabulary, knowledge and working memory. ROC analysis, a fundamental tool for diagnostic test evaluation, was used to determine the students' eligibility for appropriate placement in the two models. Seven tests distinguished between the groups in terms of sensitivity and specificity. The interviews were analyzed according to three phases. The results indicate that students with ID are able to participate in undergraduate courses and achieve academic goals. The general IQ and idioms test seem to be best determiners for appropriate placement of students with ID to one of the two models. The included students with ID are motivated and self-determined in continuing in the program.