THE SOCIAL AND PHYSICAL VARIABLES RELATED TO THE SOCIAL INTERACTION MECHANISM OF MENTAL DISABLED CHILDREN WITH THEIR NORMAL PEERS WITHIN THE INCLUSIVE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the relationship between each of the social and physical variables and the social interaction of mentally disabled children with their normal peers in the inclusive school environment. To achieve the objective of the study, three scales were designed, namely the school social variables scale, the school physical variables scale and the social interaction scale for mentally disabled children with their normal peers and their application to an intentional sample of teachers in the inclusive government primary schools of (325) singles distributed on the educational departments (Heliopolis educational department with (82), Shubra educational department with (79) and Nasr educational facility with (164)). The study found the following results: There is statistically significant relationship between the school social and physical variables and the social interaction of mentally disabled children with their normal peers. There is statistically significant difference between each of the school social and physical variables in their effect on the social interaction of mentally disabled children with their normal peers in favor of social variables. There are statistically significant differences between the mentally disabled children in the level of their social interaction with their normal peers according to the different school environments in favor of Heliopolis schools, followed by Shubra schools, then the schools of Nasser facility. The study recommends with necessity of development of the inclusive school environment with its social and physical variables which agree with mentally disabled children importance of increasing educationable interactive situation for mentally disabled children inside the inclusive school environment the through multiplicity of situation and increasing the participated school activities with normal peer.