Strategies for Physical Environment Improvement of Horticultural Education for Students with Special Needs

This study aimed to identify and assess classrooms’ physical environment improvement strategies by horticultural education teachers to work with students with special needs in Iran. This first phase was conducted used a modified Delphi technique. The specialized Delphi team consisted of gardening education teachers in the Special Education Organization of Iran (31 teachers). The outcome of this phase of the study was 27 strategies to improve the physical environment of classes. Results showed that all respondents agree that these strategies include: repeat and practice of the teaching procedure (two or three times orally) ; more practical training, putting disabled students beside students of the border, assignment of students to small practical projects meant to be fully accomplished. It seems that, before starting any teaching course, the agriculture teacher must comprehend the field of exceptional teaching and understand the needs of students with special needs in order to be able of providing proper feedbacks and a good strategy. The second phase was conducted a survey study. The population consisted of 80 horticultural teachers in Special Education Organization of Iran. According to finding, 34.8% of gardening education teachers evaluated their strategies at a very high level, 45.5% at a high level, and 19.7% at a moderate level. In addition, comprehension of the classrooms’ physical environment improvement strategies by the teachers brings about long-term consistency of agricultural teaching programs in exceptional schools.