Effects of Unplugged Programming Education on Computational Thinking and Social Skills in Individuals with Developmental Disabilities

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the effects of unplugged programming education on computational thinking and social skills in individuals with developmental disabilities. As computational thinking is recognized as an essential competency in the digital age, it is important to promote inclusive access to programming education so that people with developmental disabilities have equitable opportunities to develop this skill.
A modified multiple-probe design across participants was used in this study. The study involved six individuals with developmental disabilities in the Republic of Korea. The intervention spanned 14 sessions, and unplugged programming education was implemented using tangible programming tools.
As a result, all participants showed improvements in computational thinking compared to the baseline, and these effects were maintained during the maintenance phase. In particular, the PND results showed strong effects on computational thinking (100%). In addition, all participants exhibited increased social skills, with PND values ranging from 50% to 100%, suggesting moderate to strong effects depending on the individual. These findings suggest that instructional strategies that consider the characteristics of individuals with developmental disabilities can effectively enhance both computational thinking and social skills. Future research should include a broader range of age groups and disability types, and it should explore the long-term effects of such educational interventions.