A Web-Based Historical Consciousness Assessment Framework Through North Sumatra Local History Writing for Students with Diverse Learning Needs

Abstract

The development of historical consciousness is essential in fostering students' critical understanding of the past, present, and future relationships within society. However, conventional history assessments often fail to accommodate students with diverse learning needs, particularly in inclusive educational settings. This study aimed to develop a web-based historical consciousness assessment framework through North Sumatra local history writing activities designed to support accessible and inclusive learning. The study employed a Research and Development (R&D) approach involving needs analysis, framework design, expert validation, pilot testing, and revision stages. Participants included secondary school students with diverse learning needs, history teachers, special education experts, and educational technology specialists in North Sumatra. Data were collected through interviews, observation, questionnaires, validation sheets, and usability testing instruments. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings indicated that the developed framework was valid, accessible, and practical for assessing students' historical consciousness. The integration of local history writing activities enhanced student engagement, reflective thinking, and contextual understanding of historical events. Accessibility features such as adaptive navigation, multimodal content presentation, and flexible response formats supported inclusive participation among learners with varying abilities. The study concludes that the proposed web-based framework can serve as an effective assessment model for inclusive history education and advance digital assessment practices in special education contexts.