2022 Inclusivity Theme: “IDD in STEM”

An intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) is a condition that is characterized by limitations in both intellectual ability and/or daily function. It develops before the age of 22, but people can get diagnosed with an intellectual disability at different stages of life. The causes of intellectual disability are unknown at this time. Around 1% of the world’s population is reported to have a diagnosed intellectual disability. From an analysis of studies, reports have been made of individuals with intellectual disabilities lacking representation and experiencing injustice within postsecondary education and in the workplace. Therefore, to inform the public of inclusivity in STEM, the Korea_HS team has decided to focus on actions in order to promote inclusivity within the STEM field.

“IDD in STEM” Inclusivity Report:

After the Inclusivity team decided upon focusing on intellectual disabilities, members decided to first research the topic and create a report on which the team could base their future projects. In July, Korea_HS Inclusivity members wrote an Inclusion Report and Plan which contains a detailed explanation of the issues with postsecondary enrollment and STEM education for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

Within the report, we added information primarily from researchers Simon Baron-Cohen and Xin Wei which highlighted the irony of the percentage of neurodivergent students interested in the STEM field and career versus the acceptance and enrollment rate of neurodivergent students in postsecondary education. Another issue that impacted neurodivergent students from enrolling in a postsecondary program was a lack of financial aid, as families of neurodivergent students are more likely to spend money on medical bills or fees for necessary amenities for neurodivergent students, leaving those families in more need of money than families without neurodivergent members.

At the end of the report, we also included a summary of Korea_HS’s proposed solutions to help combat these issues. We used these four principles to guide us on our future projects: financial aid, destigmatization, accessibility, and communication. Members of the Inclusivity team updated the report as necessary, not only to add information but also to describe what we did as well as how it hit one of our four principles aforementioned.

“IDD in STEM” Inclusivity Public Survey:

Our next step was to analyze how aware the general public was of the issue of intellectual disabilities in the STEM field. In order to spread an accessible survey, the Inclusivity team decided to conduct an online survey using the Google form survey format. The survey contained three main questions: “How much do you understand intellectual disability?”, “About what percentage of people with intellectual disabilities engage in STEM?”, and “What problems might people with intellectual disabilities face when engaging in STEM?”. These questions were chosen to assess the population's understanding of general intellectual disabilities and intellectual disabilities in STEM.

The survey was also translated into languages other than English in order to reach out to people of different nationalities and backgrounds. Members distributed the survey to their respective schools, families, friends, and teachers in different countries such as Korea, the United States, South Africa, and Singapore; this ensured a broad scope of responses to analyze.

Most of the people interviewed answered a 3 out of 5— an average score of confidence in understanding. This indicates that people have a general understanding of intellectual disabilities and how individuals with disabilities have been underhandedly discouraged from pursuing postsecondary education or even a career. It also indicates that this is not an issue widely seen as imperative by most people at this time. However, this ignored injustice causes impacted individuals— people with intellectual disabilities— to be silenced and eventually give up their aspirations. Therefore, it is necessary that action and avocation continue to aid those with intellectual disabilities.

In order to better understand the reason why people underestimate the percentage of people with intellectual disabilities engaging in STEM, the Inclusivity team also asked the following question.

The result above indicates that about 72% of the people believe that 20% or fewer people with intellectual disabilities will engage in STEM. Considering that 34.3% of people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) enroll in STEM-related majors, according to Simon Baron-Cohen, we were able to conclude that the public still has stereotypes against individuals with intellectual disabilities in regard to the performances or even interests of people with intellectual disabilities in STEM.

As indicated by the results shown above, most people have stated that social discrimination and communication might have been the barrier that people with intellectual disabilities face in STEM. In order to tackle these issues, we have initiated some educational projects about intellectual disabilities in STEM.

As indicated by the results shown above, most people have stated that social discrimination and communication might have been the barrier that people with intellectual disabilities face in STEM. In order to tackle these issues, we have initiated some educational projects about intellectual disabilities in STEM.

Interview with Learning Support Coordinator:

To gain insight into how individuals with intellectual disabilities are included in a community in real life, an interview was conducted with a Learning Support (LS) teacher at AISJ (American International School of Johannesburg). Mr. Stew Pienaar is a teacher who supports students that require special needs, for example, individuals with ADHD or dyslexia. We were able to communicate with him to expand on our knowledge of what is currently being done to support individuals with intellectual disabilities.

Mr. Pienaar explained that the current system for AISJ is feasible but is not sufficient enough to support all individuals. The long periods of class (80 minutes) may be difficult for certain individuals with intellectual disabilities or special needs. He also indicated that some individuals may believe that intellectual disabilities cannot be supported, but in fact, with a proper system and further interest for these individuals, it is actually not a major problem that cannot be solved.

Furthermore, we were able to learn about students with intellectual disabilities that aspire to become part of the STEM field in the future. He explains that students are driven to learn more and in certain cases are more focused in learning about the field than individuals without intellectual disabilities. He also stated that most individuals that Learning Support is helping are aspiring STEM workers with some of the most popular being mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, or math. While this is the case, Mr. Pienaar did recognize that there are certain stigmas revolving around the idea of intellectual disabilities. Individuals with intellectual disabilities are thought to underperform than do without, and he believes that this is what might be limiting students to continue on with their passion.

As aspiring students of STEM, we can take action to promote a society that is more inclusive towards individuals with intellectual disabilities not only in general but also in the STEM field. It is important to spread awareness and knowledge regarding intellectual disabilities and individuals with them, and what we as part of society can do to solve related issues.

“IDD in STEM” Inclusivity Pamphlet Distribution:

Currently, the issue of mental health and furthermore intellectual disabilities is one of great interest. Despite this, it is true that the barriers and challenges that individuals face with intellectual disabilities are often not explicitly addressed, especially regarding specific fields with STEM being an example. In order to raise awareness regarding different intellectual disabilities and how they affect individuals in the STEM field, these two categories were addressed based on previous research that was carried out on the current situation of individuals with intellectual disabilities in this field. This information is shown in the sections “What are Intellectual Disbailities” and “Intellecutal Disabilities in STEM”. Based on the statistics and data, we drafted potential solutions to effectively incorporate, collaborate, and represent those with intellectual disabilities: financial aid, destigmatization, accessibility, and communication. These solutions were presented with a short description such as solving the inability to pay for post-high school education, accepting behaviors, making inclusive and accessible campuses, and making sure that needs are met, providing insight as to how people can support individuals with intellectual disabilities in general and also in the STEM field. A quote was also incorporated to reflect on how individuals with intellectual disabilities in STEM are being represented currently. This helped initiate discussions and self-reflections on how the general public has viewed and acted towards individuals with intellectual disabilities, contributing to the incompetent representation of them.

This poster was distributed through the social media platforms of Korea_HS such as Instagram, and in schools across the globe to different students. The posters were distributed in Pittsburgh, United States, South Africa, and Singapore. The distribution of this poster and raising awareness sparked discussions about the reality of individuals with intellectual disabilities in STEM and how they can be effectively represented with necessary support.

“IDD in STEM” Inclusivity Webinar:

With an aim to expand discussions on inclusivity with other iGEM teams, we hosted a webinar open to any iGEM teams on August 28, 2022, in which attending teams discussed their plans to help create an inclusive environment in the STEM field. Our team introduced our topic and the objective of Korea_HS to champion inclusivity for those with intellectual disabilities by showing the marginalization that individuals with disabilities receive in education enrollment and in the workplace. We then provided a brief summary of three intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, Tourette syndrome, and ADHD, and the problems they face in education especially such as communication issues, short attention spans, and hypersensitivity. Finally, we proposed our four key solutions to better the lives of those with intellectual disabilities -- monetary action, destigmatization, accessibility, and communication -- and provided a summary of our aspirations in order to promote an inclusive environment in STEM. This also included a more detailed explanation of how each solution would impact society such as making financial aid available to provide bigger opportunities and relieve the stress of dealing with medical bills or giving assignments with choices of having an oral assignment or a written one. After all participating teams presented their topics, we discussed specific barriers to STEM participation due to the marginalization and stigmatization of minority groups. From this webinar, teams were able to take inspiration from each others’ topics and solutions and come to a conclusion on major societal issues regarding diversity that must be solved immediately.

A common prevalent issue regarding inclusivity was languages. One of the most important issues regarding the STEM field was the issues of translation and accessibility of STEM resources in non-English languages. This creates a situation in which certain countries are unable to access STEM-related educational materials that are available in English. In addition, we discussed the issues that students with physical disabilities such as blindness and deafness face in terms of learning, as many educational facilities do not have accessible material for those students, whether or not they claim to have accessible materials to students with disabilities. To combat this, many iGEM teams have focused on providing educational material such as books and videos in multiple languages, especially ones that are not often translated from English, and providing funding for educational materials in braille and audio formats. This encouraged Korea_HS to participate in indirect projects regarding translating materials and providing our own materials in different languages, as well as educate others on these issues through a trivia night. This webinar was an important stepping point for us to interact with other teams interested in inclusivity and diversity and grow ourselves in terms of future projects.

“IDD in STEM” Awareness Trivia Night:

Although we were able to discuss and communicate with other iGEM teams and educate them about the importance of inclusivity in our topic (intellectual disability) as well as inclusivity in general, our ultimate goal was to educate the general public on this issue. In order to educate the public about inclusivity in a fun way, we hosted a trivia night. We created trivia questions based on research from the Inclusivity Report and the information we discussed with other teams from the “IDD in STEM” Inclusivity Webinar. Questions included quantitative data – enrollment rates of people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the percentage of institutions that provide accessible material for people with disabilities – and qualitative data – the impact of having educational material in different languages and the impact of stigma on people with intellectual disabilities on postsecondary education enrollment rates. Using Kahoot games, we were able to educate people about the significant injustice those with intellectual disabilities face. The Kahoot game was shared publicly on the site in order to give access to others that are also interested in a similar topic, distributing new information to a wider audience. The majority of the participants in this event were students from middle to high school, which showed Korea_HS that fun activities such as the trivia night can attract a younger audience and can help expose and educate them about societal issues and encourage them to take a stand for social justice, diversity, and inclusivity.

Instagram Week:

Adding on to the efforts to increase awareness of the public, we’ve set an ‘inclusivity week’ and posted information about famous figures with intellectual disabilities in STEM on Instagram.

The public is aware of the issues of intellectual disabilities, but usually, they do not have the motivation or the opportunity to learn about the issue in depth. By posting well-known figures with intellectual disabilities who have succeeded in STEM, we aimed to better relate individuals with intellectual disabilities and break the stereotypes of the public. By employing Instagram as our main source of communication, we were also able to reach out to a wider range of the public, better-providing people with interest the opportunity to learn about the issue.

Surprisingly, this project even gave us the opportunity to educate ourselves. During the research, we learned more about the accomplishments of people with intellectual disabilities in STEM, practical advice from their sayings, and the fact that small steps can also support people with intellectual disabilities and impact the public. This also broke down certain stereotypes regarding intellectual disabilities that is prevalent in society. This project was a great opportunity for us, members, to recognize the importance of inclusivity in STEM areas and how to support them.

Funding Proposal:

One of the main factors of the low rate of postsecondary enrollment is the lack of effective financial aid to those with intellectual disabilities. Families of neurodivergent students are more likely to spend money on medical bills or fees for necessary amenities for neurodivergent students, leaving those families in more need of money than families without neurodivergent members. In order to expand on the potential solution of providing financial aid in order to include individuals with intellectual disabilities in STEM in practical reality, we drafted a funding proposal for education/inclusivity plans. This funding proposal included partnerships with support organizations and textbook publishers, a discussion of a hotline network, and the funding of an official organization aiding those with intellectual disabilities. After consulting with Sam Han— general manager of Crimson Education — we were able to submit our funding proposal to Crimson Youth Fund (CYF), a branch of Crimson Education that provides students to bring projects to life and make lasting impacts on the community.

By submitting this proposal to Crimson Youth Fund, Korea_HS will expand its efforts to bring potential plans to reality after the iGEM competition. This will hopefully leave a long-lasting impact on students with intellectual disabilities hoping to immerse themselves in the STEM field.

Fundraiser Virtual Concert Series:

In order to donate to My Possibilities— an education and job placement program in North Texas that aims to give those with intellectual disabilities “the chance at a higher education and an opportunity to let their untapped possibilities shine”— Korea_HS posted a video series of team members recording their talents, such as singing or playing instruments. We modeled the video series as a “virtual concert” in which viewers could donate to My Possibilities through the video, even after the Grand Jamboree is over. A total of 5 videos ranging from 50 seconds to 8 minutes were uploaded in order to raise awareness. The videos can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl9xTO8kdv5JOXBCV8DRFTQ/videos

Reflections and Conclusions:

Over the course of three months, the Inclusivity team completed numerous projects in order to promote inclusivity for people with intellectual disabilities in STEM. The team decided to focus on a specific topic that is applicable to most, if not all, iGEM participants— STEM education. As members of Korea_HS are high school students seeking a career in the STEM field, many of us have been concerned about college applications, acceptance letters, and enrollment. An especially looming part of enrollment is the fees that come with applying to a postsecondary program. Many people choose to go to lower-ranking schools or even decide against a postsecondary education simply due to the monetary weight that comes with enrolling. When deciding upon a topic, the Inclusivity team wished to focus on minority groups who are often faced with stigma about their academic abilities or their comprehension. After researching intellectual disabilities, the team was eager to advocate for those with intellectual disabilities pursuing a STEM education.

Researching into the issues those with intellectual disabilities face created a strong starting point in which the Inclusivity team was able to investigate issues of participation in the STEM field and created our four key goals — financial aid, destigmatization, accessibility, communication — to help relieve the disabled community from stigma and mistreatment. In addition, the interview with AISJ Learning Support Coordinator Mr. Stew also showed insight into issues with taking longer classes or studying in inaccessible environments for those with intellectual disabilities. These projects helped Korea_HS further identify issues with the inaccessible environment for students with intellectual disabilities.

In order to directly impact individuals with intellectual disabilities, Korea_HS created an Education Funding Proposal in which a plan to provide monetary support to advocate for and aid those with intellectual disabilities was sent to Crimson Youth Fund. When accepted, the funding program will be able to collaborate with Korea_HS to provide funding to recorded organizations and programs. In addition, Korea_HS’s hosted Fundraiser Virtual Concert Series helped raise money to donate to “My Possibilities”— an education and job placement program in North Texas that aims to give those with intellectual disabilities “the chance at a higher education and an opportunity to let their untapped possibilities shine”. With our efforts of monetary action, Korea_HS’s work will help grow access to the STEM field for people with intellectual disabilities.

Another important factor was its application to the local public. Korea_HS hosted many projects that reached out to the public, such as the Inclusivity Public Survey, which surveyed people from Korea, the United States, Singapore, and South Africa on their knowledge of intellectual disability participation in STEM. We were able to use this survey to estimate what was publicly known about intellectual disabilities and what was unknown or stigmatized about intellectual disabilities. Korea_HS also created informational posters and spread them around to three different countries in addition to spreading it online: the United States, Singapore, and South Africa. Korea_HS also hosted an Inclusivity Week on their Instagram in which we posted one famous scientist with an intellectual disability in order to reduce stigma on an individual’s ability to study science. Finally, Korea_HS’s hosted trivia night educated high school students on the significant injustice those with intellectual disabilities face.

The four key goals aforementioned above are not only applicable to those with intellectual disabilities but are applicable to any and all groups. The completed projects provide insight into societal issues and basic goals to reduce the issues. In an effort to collaborate with other iGEM teams on inclusivity, Korea_HS hosted an Inclusivity Webinar in which participating teams shared their ideas to promote inclusivity in science and discussed common goals in order to universally achieve an inclusive environment. Korea_HS’s Inclusivity team promoted inclusivity by identifying issues within diversity and helping to remedy those issues, both directly through financial initiatives and indirectly through spreading information.