Disabilities In Primary Schools Research Articles

Saudi teachers’ perceptions on pedagogical affordances of digital applications in teaching students with learning disabilities

ABSTRACT Creating a supporting learning environment for students with learning disabilities has been the concern of most teachers. However, digital applications provide numerous pedagogical affordances for teaching students with learning disabilities. This quantitative study examined teachers’ perspectives on the pedagogical affordances of digital applications and challenges when teaching students with learning disabilities in primary schools in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected from 280 teachers of students with learning disabilities through a questionnaire using a random strategy. The results showed that despite teachers’ awareness of the pedagogical affordances of digital applications in developing the academic skills of students with learning disabilities, the use of digital applications was intermediate. Teachers identified a lack of digital tools, time pressure and teachers’ workload as hindering the use of digital applications in their teaching. Findings also reveal statistically significant differences in perceptions for males and females, holding a master’s degree or above qualification, experience category (1–5 years), and training category (1–5 training sessions). These findings highlight the need for ongoing professional development and support that focuses more on real-classroom practices and resources, and how teachers can use digital tools to meet the various learning needs of students with learning disabilities.

Teachers’ Awareness and Inclusive Education of Children with Disabilities in Primary Schools in Tororo District

Teachers’ Awareness and Inclusive Education of Children with Disabilities in Primary Schools in Tororo District

Teachers’ Views about Teaching Children with Disabilities in Primary Schools in Tororo District, Uganda

Teachers’ Views about Teaching Children with Disabilities in Primary Schools in Tororo District, Uganda

Teachers’ Practices and Competences of learners with Mental Disabilities in Primary Schools of Rwanda

Teachers’ Practices and Competences of learners with Mental Disabilities in Primary Schools of Rwanda

Perspectives of Individuals Engaged in Inclusive Teaching Activities for Children with Disabilities in Primary Schools

This research aims to examine the current state of inclusive teaching for children with disabilities in primary schools within the South-Central region, Vietnam. A survey involving administrators, teachers, and parents was conducted across 30 primary schools in Da Nang City, Phu Yen Province, and Ninh Thuan Province. The study investigates participants’ perceptions of inclusive teaching activities, the realization of inclusive teaching objectives, content alignment, teaching methods, and assessment practices. Survey data from 390 participants was analyzed to extract insights and patterns. The data collection took from December 2020 to August 2021. The study explored perceptions of inclusive teaching importance, revealing that 7.95% found it “very important”, 8.97% deemed it “important”, 13.85% considered it “less important”, and 69.23% found it “not important”. The assessment of correctness yielded mean scores ranging from 1.65 to 3.50. The achievement of inclusive teaching objectives scored between 3.37 and 3.47. Integrating inclusive teaching content received mean scores from 3.35 to 3.50. Various teaching forms scored between 1.60 and 2.36, indicating potential improvements. Inclusive teaching methods scored between 1.76 and 3.40. Evaluation and assessment mean scores ranged from 1.70 to 2.22. This research contributes to the ongoing dialogue on inclusive education, offering a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities in providing effective and inclusive learning experiences for children with disabilities in the South-Central region, Vietnam.

Fostering volunteerism among students with learning disabilities: The role of primary schools and challenges

The significance of the study lies in its focus on promoting volunteerism among Students with Learning Disabilities (SLD). The study aimed to provide recommendations that help overcome the challenges faced by primary school role in promoting volunteering among SLD. The study used a mixed-method approach. Personal interviews were conducted with 20 parents of SLD, and a questionnaire was administered to 98 teachers of Learning Disabilities in primary schools in Al-Ahsa Governorate, Saudi Arabia. The study results are that the teacher's role held the highest importance in fostering volunteering among SLD in primary school, followed by the school administration role, and subsequently, the school curriculum, according to parents' Perceptions. There are significant challenges facing the role of elementary schools in promoting volunteer work among SLD, with the most important of these being personal, organizational, and then academic challenges, according to teachers' perspectives. The study does not identify significant differences in these challenges based on the teachers' perspectives, considering gender and years of experience.

Promoting safe and inclusive water and sanitation services for students with physical disabilities in primary schools: a concept mapping study in Ghana

Abstract Improving water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services in schools is crucial to providing inclusive environments for all children to thrive. Particularly for children with disabilities, the school environment can serve as a barrier to their access to and use of WASH facilities. This paper examines strategies and programs needed to promote safe and inclusive WASH services for students with physical disabilities in primary schools in Ghana. We recruited 22 stakeholders from the Upper West Region of Ghana to complete an online concept mapping exercise. Participants identified eight themes for promoting safe and inclusive access to WASH services for students with physical disabilities. These themes included ‘building special schools,’ ‘guidance services,’ ‘ensuring non-discrimination and fair treatment,’ ‘additional programs for PWDs,’ ‘local government interventions,’ ‘public sensitization,’ ‘teacher training,’ and ‘supervision.’ These findings can assist stakeholders in identifying strategies and prioritising programs in the short run to improve WASH among students with physical disabilities.

Employing Modified Design and Development Research (DDR) Approach to Develop Creativity Clay Module to Teach Special Educational Needs (SEN) Students with Learning Disabilities

Design and Development Research (DDR) is a systematic study of design, development, and assessment process for production of instructional and non-instructional tools. The purpose of this study is to discuss the Modified DDR approach to develop the Creativity Clay Module to teach Special Educational Needs (SEN) students with learning disabilities in primary schools. Studies indicate that SEN students with learning disabilities are weak when presenting creative skills in the classroom. Students are not sufficiently taught creativity skills in schools as teachers' creativity is low, and they possess suboptimal skills in adopting teaching strategies of a creative in nature. Therefore, there is a need to develop a specific teaching module to foster creativity skills among students. This study employs the Modified DDR approach. There are three phases in DDR namely; phase one: needs analysis; phase two: design and development; and phase three: evaluation. During phase one, a survey method will utilize using purposive sampling by adopting questionnaire instruments for 110 teachers to ascertain the necessity of module development. Subsequently, the Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM) utilized to obtain 15 experts’ consensus to design and develop the module prototype. In phase three, the usability of module measured by conducting a survey study using a questionnaire instrument with 120 samples of special education teachers. Then, organize the findings systematically under the DDR phases and analyze the data using descriptive analysis in phases one and three. In what follows, the researcher derives the threshold, d value, and experts’ consensus value in designing, developing, and evaluating constructs and items of the phase two module. The conclusion of this article presents a conceptual framework for this research. Hence, the findings provide potential information and guidance to design and develop the Creativity Clay Module to teach SEN students with learning disabilities.

Teachers’ Training in Special Needs Education and Implementation of Competency-Based Curriculum for Early Years Learners with Disabilities in Primary Schools in Nairobi City County, Kenya

A competency-based curriculum has been adopted in the Kenyan education system. However, for learners with disabilities in regular schools, they would be learning using two separate programs, that is an inclusive education program and a competency-based curriculum program. Implementing the two programs simultaneously to this category of learners could be challenging. Therefore, this study focused on the teachers training in Special Needs Education influencing competency-based curriculum implementation for Early Years Learners with disabilities in primary schools. The study was premised on the theory of Complexity and Education by Davis and Sumara (2006), which holds that the fruitfulness and range of systems in which ambiguity and uncertainty occur, should be embraced, and accommodated during evaluation. The researcher employed concurrent embedded design based on the mixed-method approach in gathering data. The study’s location was Nairobi City County, Kenya. The target population was 368 participants and from this target, the study sampled 16 heads of schools, 48 teachers, and 2 Educational Officers who were the respondents. The instruments of data collection were semi-structured questionnaires, an observation checklist, and an interview schedule. The piloting of instruments took place in one school with a special unit. The instruments were only accepted as valid and reliable after the results of Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of r=.75. Data were analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics. In addition, data were prepared and organized using Statistical Package for Social Sciences into percentages, mean, Skewness, standard deviations, graphs, and tables. The researcher tested the hypothesis by use of the chisquare test at a significant level of ? =<.05. Findings disclosed that teachers with either high or low levels of training in SNE had no significant association with the level of implementation of CBC for learners with disabilities in regular class. Most teachers were trained in primary teacher education and early childhood education and lacked expertise to work with learners with disabilities. Various categories of learners present in schools were: There were no (0%) learners with physical disabilities admitted to private schools. In regards to developmental disabilities, private schools had the least 2(5%) of the children with dyslexia. Learners with behavioral/emotional disabilities who were present in private schools included: ADHD 3(7.5%), CD 1(2.5%), as compared to public schools, which had ADHD 3(7.5%), ASD 2(5%), CD 2(5%). Regarding sensory impairments, the private schools had the least 1(2.5%), while public 5(12.5%). The Low vision in private was 2(5%), while in public they were 9(22.5%), albinism 2(5%) in private schools, and none (0%) in public schools. Over half (51.28%) of teachers reported that they have trained in Competency Based Curriculum implementation and could apply the skills in teaching learners with disabilities, while slightly lower than half (48.72%) had not received any training in CBC and were unable to apply the skills. However, the level of training as ether primary teacher, early childhood education teacher or special needs education was not a predictor of competency-based curriculum implementation in classes. The study recommended a mass training of teachers in special needs education in the area of early childhood education. The study also recommended a study of the similar nature in upper primary schools.

The relationship between parenting styles and social adjustment of parents with children with learning disabilities: the mediating role of emotional regulation

Background and Aim: Life skills, including social adaptation, play an essential role in life, and paying attention to parenting styles can play a role in social adaptation. Accordingly, the aim of this research was to investigate the relationship between parenting styles and parents' social adjustment in children with learning disabilities. Methods: The current research method was applied in terms of purpose and descriptive in terms of correlation. The statistical population of the research consists of all mothers aged 30 to 55 with children with learning disabilities in primary schools in Qom, 260 of whom have referred to learning disabilities centers, of which 150 were selected as the sample size by random sampling. The research tools included Gholami and Delavari learning disorder questionnaires (2020), Baumerind's parenting methods (1973), Wiseman and Pickel's social adjustment scale (1978) and Garnefski cognitive emotion regulation (2001). To analyze the data, descriptive and inferential statistics (structural equations and path analysis) were used with SPSS24 and PLs software. Results: The research findings showed that there is a significant relationship between parenting styles and emotional regulation with parents' social adjustment. Also, the results showed that the mediating role of emotional regulation in the relationship between parenting styles and parents' social adjustment, which is equal to /438 in the research, is a positive value and significant at the 95% confidence level. Also, the coefficient value of the path of emotional regulation on parents' social adjustment is equal to 0.654, which is a positive value. The t-statistic of this relationship is equal to 10.513, which is reported to be significant at the 95% confidence level. The data means that there is a significant relationship between the dimensions of parenting styles and parents' social adjustment with the mediation of emotional regulation. Conclusion: According to the value obtained from the VAF statistic (the role of the mediator variable) which was equal to 0.554, partial mediation has been confirmed.

Inclusion of children with disabilities in primary schools and kindergartens in Jordan

ABSTRACT Inclusion of children with disabilities in general schools is drawing attention in Jordanian political and educational domains. Teachers play an important role in the successful implementation of inclusive education. This study explores teachers’ perceptions regarding inclusive education using focus group discussions. The findings revealed that teachers were generally positive about including children with physical and mild intellectual disabilities, but believe that it is not feasible to implement in current school environments. The challenges include insufficient human and physical resources, inaccessible buildings, inadequate training and lack of parental support. It is imperative to address these challenges for the effective implementation of inclusive education.

Material Resources Adaptation and Implementation of Cbc for Early Years Learners with Disabilities in Primary Schools in Nairobi City County, Kenya

A competency-based curriculum has been adopted in the Kenyan education system. However, learners with disabilities in regular schools would be learning using two separate programs, that is an inclusive education program and a competency-based curriculum program. Implementing the two programs simultaneously to this category of learners could be challenging. Therefore, this study focused on the material resources adaptation influencing competency-based curriculum implementation for Early Years Learners with disabilities in primary schools. The study was premised on the theory of Complexity and Education by Davis and Sumara (2006), which holds that the fruitfulness and range of systems in which ambiguity and uncertainty occur, should be embraced, and accommodated during evaluation. The researcher employed a concurrent embedded design based on the mixed-method approach in data gathering. The study’s location was Nairobi City County, Kenya. The target population was 368 participants and from this target, the study sampled 16 heads of schools, 48 teachers, and 2 Educational Officers who were the respondents. The instruments of data collection were semi-structured questionnaires, an observation checklist, and an interview schedule. The piloting of instruments took place in one school with a special unit. The instruments were only accepted as valid and reliable after the results of Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of r=.75. Data were analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics. In addition, data were prepared and organized using Statistical Package for Social Sciences into percentages, mean, Skewness, standard deviations, graphs, and tables. The researcher tested the hypothesis by use of the chi-square test at a significant level of α =<.05. Findings revealed that teachers with a high mean score on instructional methods adaptation for learners with disabilities also had high mean scores on implementation of CBC in a regular class. Only about 13(29.5%) of teachers occasionally adapted teaching materials to learners with disabilities. Most of the materials mentioned were missing in the class for the implementation of CBC TO learners with disabilities. Similarly, most of the materials such as tables, charts, graphics, and computers were those used in a standard classroom and therefore lacked adaptation for use by learners with disabilities in a CBC class. most schools had inadequate knowledge of material resources for learning by learners with disabilities. Most school officials failed to understand the difference between the materials used in the standard classroom and the adapted materials for special instruction for learners with disabilities which hampered the proper implementation of CBC. Only about 2(5%) of the teachers from public schools had attended seminars and workshops on special needs education, while about 14(35%) belonged to private schools. Consequently, teachers who had attended the seminars and workshops in special needs education revealed that the knowledge gained during the training improved their skills in material resource adaptation for learners with disabilities. The study recommended the need for mass training of teachers in the use of adapted material resources and adaptation of material resources for the accommodation of learners with disabilities in Nairobi, Kenya.

Parent’s Involvement in the Education of their Children with Disabilities in Primary Schools of Bahir Dar City, Ethiopia: Voices of Parents

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent of parents’ involvement in the education of children with disabilities and the role of parent’s socio-economic factors in their involvement in primary schools of Bahir Dar city. Qualitative research was carried out in the present study using the descriptive survey design to answer the research question. Data were collected using a questionnaire designed to measure six dimensions of parents’ involvement in education (parenting, communicating, learning at home, volunteering, decision making, and collaborating with the community) from 143 parents selected by means of a simple random sampling technique. Five primary schools were sampled for the present study. The data obtained were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics such as one–way MANOVA. The results indicated that involvement in ‘parenting’ is more prevalent than among dimensions of parental involvement in education. Parents revealed a below-expected level of involvement in communicating, learning at home, volunteering.

Barriers to and strategies for parental involvement in the education of children with disabilities in primary schools in Bahir Dar City Administration, Ethiopia

This study explores barriers to and strategies for parental involvement (PI) in the education of children with disabilities, using a qualitative case study design. Using the purposive sampling technique, five parents and five teachers were selected for interviews. Data obtained through semi‐structured interviews have been analysed thematically. The findings demonstrated that PI was hindered by various barriers related to parents (including parents’ low level of education, income and negative attitudes), schools (such as principals’ and teachers’ negative attitudes, the lack of invitations given to parents, and the lack of a welcoming environment) and children (including their unwillingness to pass school invitations on to their parents). In addition, the study identified strategies to increase PI, including effective communication and partnership, training, a welcoming environment, sending invitations, and establishing and utilising resource centres and individual education plans. Overall, the study highlighted the barriers to PI and tactics to increase PI. It is apparent that educative programmes should be designed by schools and other relevant bodies to address the barriers to PI.

Parental involvement in the education of their children with disabilities in primary schools of Bahir Dar, Ethiopia: Do education, income and employment status matter?

AbstractThis study explored the extent of parental involvement (PI) in the education of children with disabilities (CwDs), focusing on the influence of parents’ socio‐economic status (SES) on their involvement, and guided by Epstein’s PI framework. Data were collected using a questionnaire designed to measure six dimensions of PI from 143 parents (n = 143) and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Analysis revealed that among the six dimensions (parenting, communicating, volunteering, learning at home, decision‐making and collaborating) 'parenting' is more prevalent than others. Further ranking of the means of dimensions proved that parental participation in ‘parenting’ was the top‐ranked one, while the ‘decision‐making’ and ‘volunteering’ were the lower ranked dimensions. Significant differences were observed in PI based on employment and income status. However, no significant difference in PI was found for parents at different levels of education. Thus, irrespective of SES, the study found parents appeared to have minimal involvement in their child’s education. Similarities and divergence from previous research are highlighted. Educative programmes designed to help parents discharge their multifaceted responsibilities and support their child's education is a key recommendation.

CLASSIFICATION MODEL FOR LEARNING DISABILITIES IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PUPILS

Learning disability is a general term that describes specific kinds of learning problems. Although, Learning Disability cannot be cured medically, there exist several methods for detecting learning disabilities in a child. Existing methods of classification of learning disabilities in children are binary classification – either a child is normal or learning disabled. The focus of this paper is to extend the binary classification to multi-label classification of learning disabilities. This paper formulated and simulated a classification model for learning disabilities in primary school pupils. Information containing the symptoms of learning disabilities in pupils were elicited by administering five hundred (500) questionnaire to teachers of Primary One to Four pupils in fifteen government owned elementary schools within Ife Central Local Government Area, Ile-Ife of Osun State. The classification model was formulated using Principal Component Analysis, rule based system and back propagation algorithm. The formulated model was simulated using Waikatto Environment for Knowledge Analysis (WEKA) version 3.7.2. The performance of the model was evaluated using precision and accuracy. The classification model of primary one, primary two, primary three and primary four yielded precision rate of 95%, 91.18%, 93.10% and 93.60% respectively while the accuracy results were 95.00%, 91.18%, 93.10% and 93.60% respectively. The results obtained showed that the developed model proved to be accurate and precise in classifying pupils with learning disabilities in primary schools. The model can be adopted for the management of pupils with learning disabilities.

Interventionist classroom management and learning of children with disabilities in primary schools: An inclusive and reframing approach

Interventionist classroom management and learning of children with disabilities in primary schools: An inclusive and reframing approach

Going to school for the first time: inclusion committee members increasing the number of students with disabilities in primary schools in Kenya

ABSTRACTThis paper is an extension of a prior research project where Kenyan primary school teachers began using inclusive education strategies that proved beneficial for meeting the needs of diverse primary school students. Specifically, this paper highlights a project where these inclusive practices were expanded to a second region of western Kenya. This expansion of teacher training on inclusive education and critical disability studies promoted sustained school- and community-based discussions on inclusive education and sensitisation on issues related to disability. These practices also led to the development of inclusion committees, co-teaching practices, and stimulated the partial dissolution of the physical boundaries and categorical distinctions between ‘primary’ and ‘special’ schools. In conjunction, all of these factors ultimately led to an increase in the number of students with disabilities accessing any form of education for the first time. Furthermore, such approaches to the development and small-scale expansion of a sustainable inclusive education system led to the Kenyan government's consideration of the replication of such practices on a national scale. As a result of this work in conjunction with a growing inclusive network of governmental and non-governmental organisations, a national review on special education policy is underway.

Multiple methodologies: using community-based participatory research and decolonizing methodologies in Kenya

In this project, we examined the development of a sustainable inclusive education system in western Kenya by combining community-based participatory research (CBPR) and decolonizing methodologies. Through three cycles of qualitative interviews with stakeholders in inclusive education, participants explained what they saw as foundational components of how to create more inclusive primary school classrooms utilizing existing school and community resources. The combination of CBPR and decolonizing methodologies, along with other project factors ultimately led to more inclusive placements for primary students with disabilities. We highlight this increase enrollment of students with disabilities in primary schools with excerpts from qualitative interviews with participants. In addition to the increase of the number of students with disabilities accessing schools for the first time, we found many methodological tensions inherent in this research. Such challenges included: researcher positionality, researcher outsider status, decolonizing approaches to language, and disseminating results in meaningful, ethical, and culturally appropriate ways.

Effects Of Metacognition And Direct Instruction On Spelling Abilities Of Pupils With Learning Disabilities In Primary Schools In Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

This study investigated the effects of metacognition and direct instruction on spelling abilities of pupils with learning disabilities in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. Pre-test, post -test, control group, quasi-experimental design with 3x2x2 factorial matrix was adopted. Purposive sampling technique was used to select three public primary schools in Ibadan. Sixty primary three pupils with spelling disabilities were randomly selected from the sampled schools and randomized into metacognition, direct instruction and control group. Four instruments were utilized: Pupil Rating Scale (r = 0.76), Right Word Recognition (r=0 .91), Pupils’ English Note Book and Test of Verbal Ability (r=0.96). Those who met the inclusion criteria were treated, while those in the control group received lessons in spelling instruction using the conventional method. Six hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. Data were analyzed using Analysis of Covariance. Despite the fact that there was no significant main effect of the treatment, participants who were exposed to direct instruction had the highest mean score of ( x = 46.35), this was followed by metacognition ( x = 44.90) while the control group obtained ( x = 30.93). There was no significant gender difference as male and female participants benefited equally from the treatment packages. Based on these findings, recommendations were made which included that teachers of pupils with learning disabilities should adopt the two strategies in teaching spelling to pupils with learning disabilities because these strategies proved better than the conventional method.