Explicit memory among individuals with mild and moderate intellectual disability: educational implications

Abstract

We previously reported a meta‐analysis of explicit memory studies in populations with intellectual disability (ID). The current study discusses the educational implications of this meta‐analysis. The main factors at the core of these implications can be divided into two categories: those related to task characteristics (e.g., depth of processing, task modality, test type), and those related to participant characteristics (e.g., chronological age, aetiology). Recommendations include: (1) exposing participants with ID to deep rather than shallow encoding, and using visual scaffolding when teaching verbal material; (2) designing memory tests based on recognition more than free recall, and using various types of questions; (3) teaching individuals with ID memory strategies even though they might only be used later because memory could improve with age; and (4) designing instruction based mainly on linguistics skills for individuals with Williams syndrome and instruction based mainly on visuo‐spatial and gesture skills for individuals with Down syndrome.