Education Ministry: IFP Helps Special Needs Students Experience 'Deep Learning'

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) has stated that the digitalisation of learning through the distribution of Interactive Flat Panels (IFP) is helping students with special needs experience a ‘deep learning’ approach that accommodates their challenges.

Tatang Muttaqin, Director General of Vocational Education, Special Education, and Special Service Education at Kemendikdasmen, said in a written statement on Monday that the distribution of IFPs is part of the ministry’s effort to ensure teaching and learning activities in every classroom are feasible, safe, and comfortable with the help of adequate technological access, including in special needs schools (SLB).

For students with visual impairments, the IFP opens up more opportunities to access materials through audio, video, and displays that can be enlarged for low-vision students. A teacher named Novi explained that the IFP has been very helpful for learning, especially for blind students who rely on audiovisual information. She noted that the children have become more enthusiastic and their curiosity has increased because learning is no longer delivered only verbally, but also through media that can be adjusted to each individual’s visual ability.

Previously, Novi relied more on braille books, speakers, and laptops, which required frequent repetition of material. Now, she has more media options. She can enlarge letters and images for low-vision students, while blind students can learn through narration, audio, video, and materials combined with braille. She added that learning has become much more interactive and has made students more confident in accessing materials.

Anggawinata, a third-grade teacher at the same school, has also felt similar benefits. He assessed that the combination of images, video, sound, and animation makes it easier for children to understand the material compared to conventional learning. He noted that children with autism find it easier to learn through images and sound. He recalled a student who previously had difficulty focusing and often had tantrums, but when he played a learning video on the IFP, the student was able to sit calmly until the end and focus on the screen, showing remarkable development.

He added that the IFP’s ability to present flexible materials allows teachers to tailor learning to each child’s needs. Some children understand images more easily, while others learn better through video or audio. Everything can be adjusted, so learning is no longer monotonous. The children are also more active because they can interact directly through the touch screen.

Both teachers hope that more IFP units will be placed in every classroom to fill them with learning materials that are friendly for children with special needs. This would allow more students to experience inclusive, engaging learning that suits their individual learning styles.