Special Schools Research Articles

An online survey of educators’ views regarding iPad practices for enhancing the social communication and emotional regulation of pupils with autism in special and mainstream schools

An online survey of educators’ views regarding iPad practices for enhancing the social communication and emotional regulation of pupils with autism in special and mainstream schools

Inclusive educatoin and game-based learning for learners with disabilities: Perspectives from teachers in Bulgaria

The aim of this study is to explore the role of game-based learning (GBL) approaches when utilised for the needs of learners with disabilities. The research explores the strategies and practices employed to make teaching and learning more inclusive and accessible for learners with disabilities and discusses educators’ perspectives and attitudes on the affordances and constraints of educational games for learners with disabilities. From a theoretical point of view, our study is based on the social model of disability. Data were gathered and analyzed through 51 in-depth interviews with educators and specialists across all educational levels in Bulgaria, including general and special education schools, as well as universities. The key findings following thematic analysis include: a common systemic framework highlighting the interactions between the school, teachers, and parents, the diversity in the strategies and educational procedures employed in the country; skills gaps and training needs for educators; more proactive approach to using educational games by special educators compared to general education; and constraints stemming from strict curricula, regulatory policies, and technological challenges. The paper identifies key aspects that need to be considered for leveraging GBL towards more inclusive educational practices for learners with special educational needs.

Analysis of the Behavior of Primary School Students with CES during Physical Education Lessons

In Romania from 2021, any child, regardless of health status, has the right to enroll in any school unit in the area where they are located. We make it clear that until now these children attended special schools. The study highlights, through the intentional recording of behavior, the manifestations of students with CES during physical education classes that were the basis for the formulation of action recommendations. The analysis finds its usefulness by informing future physical education teachers about situations for which they were not prepared.

Spectrum of Visual Dysfunction Detected by a Novel Testing Protocol Within a Special School Eye Care Service

Spectrum of Visual Dysfunction Detected by a Novel Testing Protocol Within a Special School Eye Care Service

Представления педагогов о реализации педагогического процесса в условиях инклюзивного образования детей с ОВЗ в России

<p>The paper presents the results of the analysis of the empirical research of teachers' opinion about the status of inclusive education in the Russian Federation. The comparative analysis was focused on the answers of teachers of special (correctional) schools (N=192), teachers working in an inclusive format (N=210) to the questions of the author's questionnaire regarding professional training and work experience, ideas about the compliance of inclusive education with the special educational needs of schoolchildren with disabilities, existing problems in the implementation of the pedagogical process and ways to overcome them, the prospects for the implementation of inclusive education. It was revealed that the opinion of teachers working in educational organizations with different models of education for children with disabilities have both common positions and specific ones. Differences to a greater extent concern the expediency of spreading inclusive education for a number of psychological and pedagogical categories of children due to the presence of significant psychological difficulties and low performance of the educational process at high cost.</p>

Challenges of Alternative Teaching-Learning Faced by Indian Parents of People with Autism Spectrum Disorder During Pandemic Emergency.

The COVID-19 pandemic stretched between 2020 and 2021 and witnessed impactful changes in the education system inclusive of the special education sector. The special education sector selected online teaching-learning to continue the studies of their students with the help of the parents. The study aimed to find out the challenges faced by parents of people with autism enrolled in special schools who attended online classes along with their children and supported their teaching-learning. The mixed method study (sequential explanatory design) opted for quantitative phases followed by a qualitative phase for further in-depth exploration of the focus area. The quantitative phase consists of 100 participant parents and the qualitative phase consists of 15 participant parents recruited from phase one of the study through purposive sampling based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The data were collected via web forms and online interviews were recorded. The univariate analysis was used for the quantitative phase whereas thematic analysis was used for the qualitative phase. The parents had to manage office work, childcare, assisting in online classes, handling the psychological and behavioral issues of the child. Even challenges like learning new technology, managing additional expenses and personal stress were reported. The enormous efforts of the parents helped to overcome many of the challenges and achieve positive learning outcomes. Nevertheless, some recommendations like arrangement of parental workshops, increase in tech education and occasional hybrid mode of learning is suggested.

"Gobak Sodor", Indonesian Traditional Game to Improve Agility of Children with Disabilities

The traditional game of gobak sodor is a small game whose rules can be simplified according to the conditions of the players. Agility is very important for students with disabilities as it improves their physical abilities and social interactions. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of traditional gobak sodor games on improving the agility of students with disabilities. This research adopts a quantitative with experimental methods. The experimental design applied in this research is PreExperimental Design with one group pretest-posttest model. The intervention was conducted 16 times within 2 months. The samples of this study were 20 students with intellectual disabilities from grades 4, 5, and 6 of State Special School (SLB). The measuring instrument used to collect data in this study is an agility test, which is measured by a 4 x 10 metre alternating running test (Shuttle run) for students with disabilities. The data obtained were statistically analysed using the t-test formula. Based on the calculation of the t-test that has been carried out, it is obtained that Tscore is worth 2.239173 and Ttable is worth 1.832937. So it can be concluded that there is an effect of "Gobak Sodor", a traditional Indonesian game to improve the agility of children with disabilities State Special School (SLB) of Wiradesa, Pekalongan Regency. Based on the results of the study between the pretest and posttest, there was an increase in the agility test results of students with disabilities at the State Special School (SLB) of Wiradesa.

Teachers’ noticing in inclusive and special school systems: the same or different?

ABSTRACT The quality of teachers’ noticing in the inclusive classroom is supposed to depend on teachers’ expertise. As part of professional development in video clubs, we compared Austrian and Swiss teachers’ noticing of inclusive teaching. While, in Austria, teachers worked in an inclusive setting, in Switzerland the participating school ran special educational needs (SEN) classes. This led to the interesting question of whether there were differences in teachers’ noticing between the two forms of special needs education. We conducted a video club with mainstream and SEN teachers four times locally and twice cross-nationally. A qualitative content analysis was carried out and the frequencies of categories were compared quantitatively between the groups and over time. Overall, the two groups did not differ in their noticing, which is somewhat surprising but can be explained by their generally high level of expertise in relation to heterogeneous teaching. Lesson content was the only significant category where teachers in inclusive classrooms showed higher frequencies of noticing. It appears that teachers with experience in either setting were able to assess meaningful heterogeneous teaching, but that opportunities for development of inclusive teaching practices are not yet being used fully.

Developing the KATAKU Mobile Application to Enhance Vocabulary Acquisition for Deaf Students

This study presents the development of the KATAKU (Kata untuk Tunarungu Interaktif dan Unik) application as an educational tool designed to support vocabulary learning for deaf students. Deaf students, who have the same educational rights as their hearing peers, often attend Special Schools (SLB). The integration of visual aids and technology in learning has proven effective in increasing their engagement and interest. This study employed a mixed-methods approach, including vocabulary assessments for deaf students, classroom observations, and teacher interviews for a needs analysis to identify the specific requirements of schools and students. Results from the vocabulary assessments revealed that deaf students face significant challenges, particularly with academic terms and word categorization. Classroom observations at three SLB schools in Jombang highlighted engaging but challenging learning dynamics, reinforcing the need for accessible and efficient teaching tools for educators. Teacher interviews indicated that using the paper dictionary provided by the Ministry of Education can be time-consuming and lacks efficiency. This study concludes that deaf students in Jombang face substantial obstacles in vocabulary comprehension, especially with academic vocabulary. The findings underscore the need for targeted vocabulary interventions using modern technological tools to better prepare students for advanced educational demands.

Job satisfaction, occupational stress and self-efficacy of Greek mainstream and special school education teachers

Job satisfaction, occupational stress and self-efficacy of Greek mainstream and special school education teachers

Traumatic dental injuries and oral health-related quality of life in children and adolescents with special health care needs in Eastern India: A case-control study.

This matched case-control study aimed to investigate the prevalence of traumatic dental injuries (TDI) and its impact on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in hearing and/or visually impaired children attending government special schools in Eastern India. A two-step cluster analysis was performed to define cases and controls based on the Parental-Caregivers Perceptions Questionnaire (PCP-Q) scores from the 228 parent/guardian responses. The cases included children with a higher negative impact on OHRQoL (89 subjects), whereas the controls were those with a lower negative impact on OHRQoL (139 subjects). Groups were matched for age and gender and researchers were blinded to case/control status. Binary logistic regression was performed. The prevalence of TDI among the study subjects was 24.12%. Compared to subjects in the control group (16.5%), a significantly higher proportion of cases (36%) reported a history of TDI. Children with TDI had considerably higher OHRQoL scores across all P-CPQ sub-scales. Falls were the most common cause of TDI, primarily at home or school and none received treatment. TDI significantly impacts OHRQoL in these children. Lack of treatment highlights the need for caregiver awareness and improved dental access for children with special needs. Further research with larger samples and specialized OHRQoL tools is recommended.

Hubungan antara Gratitude dengan Subjective Well-being Guru Honorer Sekolah Luar Biasa (SLB) di Kecamatan Koto Tangah Kota Padang

This study aims to explore the connection between gratitude and subjective well-being among honorary special school teachers in Koto Tangah District, Padang City. Special education plays a crucial role in supporting the development of children with special needs, where special school teachers significantly contribute to their educational progress. Many challenges faced by honorary teachers, including an income that does not align with their workload, often lead to stress and fatigue, affecting their subjective well-being. Gratitude is one factor that may positively influence subjective well-being. The study employs a quantitative approach with a correlational design, using a sample of 50 honorary teachers selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using a Likert scale and analyzed with the Pearson product-moment correlation test. The findings indicate that: a) the average level of gratitude among honorary special school teachers falls within the low category (42%), followed by moderate (40%) and high categories (18%); b) the average level of subjective well-being among honorary special school teachers is also low (62%), followed by moderate (34%) and high (4%); and c) the correlation analysis shows a Pearson coefficient of 0.740 with a significance level of 0.000 < 0.05, demonstrating a positive and significant relationship between gratitude and subjective well-being. The results suggest that a higher level of gratitude correlates with higher subjective well-being among teachers.

Overcoming the Challenges of Including Learners with Visual Impairments Through Teacher Collaborations

In this article we report on a study undertaken with 255 teachers working with learners with visual impairments. The focus of our discussion is teachers’ implementation of inclusive education policies with learners with visual impairments in full-service schools in South Africa. We foreground the ways in which the teacher participants relied on teacher collaborations to overcome some of the challenges they faced as a result of limited resource provisions in schools in this country. We implemented an instrumental case study design and followed the approach of participatory reflection and action (PRA). The sample included teachers (n = 255) from seven full-service and ten special schools from five provinces in South Africa. In addition, 50 expert stakeholders who work in the field of visual impairment were involved. For data generation and documentation, we utilised PRA-based workshops, the observation-as-context-of-interaction method, audio-visual techniques, field notes, and reflective journals. The findings of our research confirm that full-service schools face distinct challenges regarding limited resources as well as teachers that are inexperienced to accommodate learners with visual impairments. Even though the teachers in our study were initially reluctant to implement inclusive education practices, their collaboration with fellow teachers and other informed stakeholders enabled them to address some of the challenges they experienced and implement inclusive practices. They subsequently formed a team and learnt from one another to facilitate positive changes through the implementation of inclusive practices, thereby following a socio-ecological approach to inclusive practices in full-service schools in South Africa.

Treating the Psychological Distress in Children with Adventitious Blindness

Less than half of those who need mental health counseling receive it globally, underscoring the urgent need for psychology-focused intervention. According to data, 30.9% of Nigerians experience psychological anguish. This study investigated the efficacy and moderators of group cognitive behaviour therapy in psychologically distressed schoolchildren with adventitious blindness in Nigeria. A total of 98 students with adventitious blindness were recruited and participated in this study. The participants were assessed at three points using Perceived Emotional Distress Inventory. A mixed model ANCOVA with repeated measures shows that the CBT treatment had a dependable significant effect in decreasing psychological distress. The results showed that sociodemographic factors do not significantly moderate the efficacy of CBT treatment on the reduction of psychological distress in schoolchildren with adventitious blindness. In conclusion, the effect of a group cognitive behavioural therapy had a consistent significant reduction in psychological distress and none of their sociodemographic characteristics moderated the effects. Therefore, cognitive-behavioural practitioners should collaborate with special schools to diagnose and provide CBT treatment to schoolchildren living with adventitious blindness.

Effect of Institutional Resources on Student Academic Achievement in Kakamega County, Kenya

The school environment has a substantial impact on the quality of education. A well-resourced, supportive, and positive environment can result in enhanced student outcomes, both academically and personally. This study sought to investigate the effect of institutional resources on student academic achievement Kakamega County, Kenya. The research employed the production function theory. The study was conducted using a descriptive correlational research design. This study took place in Kakamega County, which has thirteen sub-counties. The study focused on 423 secondary schools, which included 2 national schools, 2 national special schools, 28 extra county schools, 45 county schools, and 346 sub county schools. The target population included 423 Principals, 5514 teachers, and 182,893 learners, for a total of 188,830 respondents in Kakamega County secondary schools. Purposive sampling was used to choose special and national schools. The Yamane formula was used to determine a sample of 440 respondents. The study gathered data through interviews and questionnaires. A pilot study was conducted in Bungoma County to test the instruments' validity and reliability. Cronbach's alpha was employed as a statistical tool to assess reliability. The study analyzed quantitative data using Regression analysis. Qualitative data was analysed thematically. The results indicated that most of the institutions have resources that included classrooms, laboratories, libraries and others however they were not adequate. The results further revealed that most of the schools have adequate number of teachers while a sizeable were still struggling with fewer teachers. On the study’s hypothesis, H01 that states that there is no statistically significant effect of institutional resources on student academic achievement in Kakamega County, Kenya was rejected at p=0.003. The study concluded that there is a significant positive relationship between institutional resources and student academic achievement in Kakamega County, Kenya. The study thus recommends that the Ministry of Education and other stakeholders to enhance funding for school infrastructure, learning materials, and teacher training to improve student achievement. Implement strategies to boost student achievement and optimize teacher-student ratios like recruiting more teachers and teacher interns to fill the gaps.

A Digital Media-Based Learning Transformation Strategy in an Effort to Implement Differentiated Learning at the PGRI Kamal Madura Special School

This community service that aims to improve teachers' ability to use technology in Special School PGRI Kamal. In the initial observation, the results were obtained that there were various challenges faced by the teacher council at Special School PGRI Kamal in the implementation of learning for students with special needs such as the deaf and speech-impaired. The limited number of teachers which causes an additional workload for teachers. Community service activities are needed by providing workshops. The workshop activities held included the use of audio, visual, and audiovisual media which were carried out offline. The workshop held in this service program is expected to improve teachers' skills in the use of digital media platforms to support learning activities

OPTIMALISASI PEMBELAJARAN BAHASA INGGRIS DI SEKOLAH LUAR BIASA (SLB) YAYASAN BIF MELALUI KURIKULUM MERDEKA

This research investigates the implementation of the Merdeka Curriculum in teaching English at special schools (SLB) in Mojokerto, specifically focusing on students with special needs. The study aims to identify opportunities and challenges in optimizing English language learning for students with disabilities. Employing a descriptive qualitative approach, data was collected through interviews, observations, and documentation. The findings reveal that the Merdeka Curriculum, which emphasizes independence and diversity in learning, plays a crucial role in enhancing the quality of English language education in SLBs. It fosters an inclusive learning environment that caters to the unique needs of each student, empowering them to become active participants in society. However, the research also highlights challenges, such as the need for adequate teacher training, resource availability, and effective implementation strategies. Overall, this study provides insights and recommendations for improving English language instruction in special schools, advocating for a more inclusive and equitable educational framework.

특수교육 분야에서 살펴본 고교학점제: 질적 메타분석 연구

Objectives The purpose of this study is to provide policy implications based on the implementation of the high school credit system in the field of special education in relation to the high school credit system that will be fully introduced from 2025. Methods This study conducted a qualitative meta-analysis on eight qualitative studies conducted on special schools and special classes in general high schools that have been designated and operated as high school credit system research and leading schools. Results First, it was confirmed that teachers, parents, and students agreed on the purpose and significance of in-troducing the high school credit system, but were negative about the curriculum, organization, and support sys-tem for those eligible for special education. Second, regarding the implementation of the high school credit sys-tem in the field of special education, education providers and education consumers proposed the establishment of specific systems and guidelines according to the type and characteristics of disabilities and the expansion of administrative and financial support. Third, while social awareness and environment regarding disabilities are changing, there appears to be a demand for a paradigm shift in career and vocational education for students eligi-ble for special education following the implementation of the high school credit system. Conclusions Based on these results, the high school credit system curriculum, support system, and awareness in the special education curriculum that will be implemented from 2025 were discussed and future tasks were presented.

The effectiveness of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on information processing speed in children with intellectual disability

PurposeThe speed of information processing is known to play an important role in mental disorders; This study investigated the effect of the transcranial direct current stimulation on information processing speed in children with intellectual disabilities. MethodAn experimental design with a pretest- posttest control group was used. The study population consisted of 8- to 14-year-old children with intellectual disabilities attending special primary schools in Urmia, Iran. 36 children were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups (18 for each group). The experimental group received 10 sessions of tDCS with anode positioned over the F3 electrode (left DLPFC) and cathode over F4 (right DLPFC) The control group did not receive any intervention. Trail Making Test (TMT) was used to assess information processing speed. Data were analyzed using MANCOVA. ResultsThe results revealed that tDCS led to a significant increase in information processing speed in the experimental group compared to the control group. ConclusionThis study demonstrates that tDCS applied to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) is effective in enhancing information processing speed in children with intellectual disabilities. These finding have important implications for the development of interventions aimed at improving cognitive functioning in children with intellectual disabilities.

The effect of positive and negative reinforcement to increase motivation of basic locomotor movements in children with mild intellectual disabilities

The provision of good treatment can increase various positive things for the growth and development of children with disabilities, one of which is Positive and Negative Reinforcement. This study aims to determine the influence of positive and negative reinforcement on enhancing motivation for basic locomotor movements in children with disabilities. This study uses a pre-experimental, one-group pretest-posttest design. The research was conducted at Kendungkandang State Special School with a sample of 20 students. The data collection technique in this study uses tests and measurements. The results of the study showed a significant influence of Positive Reinforcement on the increase in basic locomotor motivation in children with disabilities. This result was confirmed by a significance value of 0.000 < 0.05. Negative reinforcement also had a significant effect on improving basic locomotor motivation in children with disabilities, with a significance value of 0.000 < 0.05. Although both had a significant influence on improving basic locomotor motivation in children with disabilities, Positive Reinforcement was found to have a stronger effect. This result can be seen from the basic locomotor motion test, where the mean value for Positive Reinforcement was 72.50, while the mean value for Negative Reinforcement was only 63. Therefore, this research concludes that Positive Reinforcement has a greater influence on enhancing basic locomotor motivation in children with disabilities.