Reimagining inclusive education through challenge-based learning: Opportunities and barriers for students with learning disabilities.

Abstract

Inclusive education increasingly emphasizes pedagogical approaches that promote participation, autonomy, and meaningful engagement for all learners. Challenge-Based Learning (CBL), an educational framework that engages students in addressing authentic, real-world challenges through collaboration, inquiry, and action, has gained attention as a promising approach for fostering academic, social, and transversal skills. CBL should therefore be understood as a pedagogical framework rather than an assistive technology, even if, when combined with assistive and digital tools, it can support information access, planning, collaboration, communication, and multimodal expression. However, its potential application to students with Learning Disabilities (LD) remains largely underexplored. In this short narrative review and position paper, we examine the theoretical foundations of CBL and discuss its relevance for inclusive educational settings. Drawing on evidence from the broader literature on challenge-, project-, and problem-based learning, we explore how key features of CBL, including student agency, collaborative learning, and multimodal engagement, may align with the learning profiles and strengths of students with LD. At the same time, we identify key challenges related to executive functioning demands, self-regulation, cognitive load, assessment practices, and the need for appropriate scaffolding and teacher support. We argue that CBL offers a valuable opportunity to move beyond deficit-oriented approaches and toward strength-based models of inclusion that recognize and value the diverse competencies of learners with LD. Building on the limited attention given to CBL in relation to students with learning disabilities, we propose a research agenda focused on how CBL can be implemented in accessible and supportive ways, drawing on Universal Design for Learning principles and evaluating outcomes related to academic achievement, self-determination, and participation.