“We are the same, we are equal”: Plant diversity knowledge in Indonesian elementary special school textbooks

 

Abstract

Background: Education for students with disabilities continues to develop to meet the demands of changing times so that students with disabilities can receive learning in an inclusive environment and their talents and interests continue to develop. The research aims to determine plant diversity in Indonesian textbooks based on class, disability specifics, and book themes at the elementary school level.

Methods: The data was collected from 190 books from six grades and five disability categories (blind, deaf, autistic, physically disabled, and mentally disabled).

Results: The results found 172 plant species from 61 families. The total frequency was 3642 from all textbooks, and the species that had the highest relative frequency levels was Cocos nucifera (8.79%). The book with the highest species frequency was fifth grade autistic, with 387. Based on content analysis in each chapter, it was found that the cultural score in first grade and instrumental in sixth grade was the highest, with 80 chapters. The dominant plant type was herbaceous at 63.95%. Plants were also categorized into several different types. Several types of threatened species were also found in the textbook. Most of the plants discussed were in the horticultural category.

Conclusions: The results of this research can be a reference regarding plant content to better explore threatened species as a conservation education effort. Apart from that, the low level of introduction of plants in textbooks could be reviewed for more effective methods for introduction.

Keywords:  disability, diversity, plant, special school, textbook   

https://ethnobotanyjournal.org/index.php/era/article/view/6161