Pamuji, Nurul Khotimah, Fajar Arianto
Daily living activity independence is a critical developmental outcome for children with multiple disabilities, yet functional learning in special schools often remains limited to classroom-based instruction with minimal transfer to real-life contexts. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of the Functional In–Out Study learning model in improving daily living activity independence among children with multiple disabilities. A quantitative research approach employing a quasi experimental design with a non-equivalent control group pretest–posttest was used. The participants consisted of 65 children with multiple disabilities aged 8–12 years, divided into an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group received instruction using the Functional In–Out Study learning model, while the control group received conventional functional learning. Data were collected using the Daily Living Activity Independence Scale and analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired and independent sample t-tests, and effect size analysis. The results indicated a significant improvement in daily living activity independence in the experimental group compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The between-group comparison revealed a substantial difference favoring the experimental group, with a large effect size (Cohen’s d = 1.68). These findings suggest that integrating functional instruction across indoor and outdoor learning environments effectively enhances skill transfer and generalization. The study concludes that the Functional In–Out Study learning model is a practical and effective approach for improving daily living activity independence among children with multiple disabilities in special education settings. Copyright (c) 2026 The Authors. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Special Education, Universitas Negeri, Surabaya, Indonesia; Early Childhood Education, Universitas Negeri, Surabaya, Indonesia; Educational Technology, Universitas Negeri, Surabaya, Indonesia
