Examination of Expert Opinions on Art Skills Education for Individuals with Mild Intellectual Disabilities

Abstract

This study investigated the adequacy of the current visual arts curriculum for individuals with mild intellectual disabilities concerning artistic skills education, identified its deficiencies, determined the ideal state of such a program, and proposed areas for improvement. Employing a descriptive survey model, the research utilized a semi-structured interview form consisting of nine open-ended questions. This form was administered to expert academics and teachers specializing in the fields of intellectual disabilities and visual arts education to gather insights for curriculum enhancement. The research findings indicate a consensus among academic, teacher, and expert participants that the existing visual arts curriculum fails to consider the individual differences of individuals with mild intellectual disabilities. They strongly suggested that any new program should include differentiated arrangements based on the varying degrees of disability among these students. The study revealed that the current program suffers from limited activity diversity and that the learning environments (workshops) need to be suitably prepared to accommodate the specific needs of these children and the program's requirements. According to the findings, the participant experts ranked the most crucial needs of individuals with intellectual disabilities as: experiencing a 'sense of achievement,' contributing to the development of their 'psycho-motor skills,' and 'considering their individual differences.' Furthermore, the participants emphasized that any prospective new program must fundamentally 'aim to develop motor skills,' 'assist in vocational training,' 'be integrated with social and physical knowledge usable in daily life,' and demonstrate 'interdisciplinary consistency' with other subjects. Based on the results of this research, recommendations are presented for the development of a visual arts curriculum specifically tailored for individuals with mild intellectual disabilities.