ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the attempt to nurture special education students' creativity and critical thinking skills by designing an improvised learning experience. In this class project, the teachers conceptualized a multifaceted novel study on Afghan culture with the goals of developing cultural awareness and sensitivity; breaking down harmful stereotypes related to Islam, race and gender; and improving children's reading and communication skills. The class project, The Breadwinner, involving children identified with learning challenges, was part of a multi-year collaborative action research study to explore the design and implementation of multimodal literacies in curricular learning. Research on implementing 21st century learning frameworks in special education has demonstrated that digital technologies can have a demonstrably positive impact by promoting access and participation while also improving learning outcomes. Project-based learning gives students' work meaning, and allows them to base their learning on real life issues and to participate in an authentic task in a real-life context.
