Comparative study of the psychosocial functioning of children with visual impairment in integrated and Special school settings
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Date
2006-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to compare the psychosocial functioning of children with
visual impairment in integrated and special school settings. To conduct this study 32
children (M= 15, F= 17) were purposefully selected from German (integrated) and Sebeta
(pecial) school and in truments that measure their psychosocial functioning were
administered on them. Their teachers and caregivers (who were also purposefully
selected) filled the social skill scale and responded to interview questions with regard to
the children's psychosocial functioning. The T-test result indicated that at a =0.05 there
i significant difference in the psychosocial functioning of those children in the two
school. When specifically looking into the variables the significant difference is
obsen ed in four of the variables. Those children in the special school were found to be
better in their self confidence, psychological adjustment, social adjustment andfunctional
independence The interview made with teachers and caregivers was analyzed using
thematic analysis and the result indicated that what was found from most of the
respondents in the special School is in line with many of the quantitative findings
whereas what was found from those in the integrated school was different from it. This
strengthens the finding that the children in the special school are beller in their
psychosocial functioning than those in the integrated schoo!. From the result of the study
it can be concluded that educational set '
has an impact on the psychosocial
functioning of children with visual impairment. Finally it was recommended that before
integrating children with special needs in the regular class rooms some preconditions
must be fulfilled like changing the altitude of teachers and sighted children towards them,
•making the infrastructure of the schools suitable for them, availability of specially
trained teachers etc. The children should be integrated not only physically but also
socially and intellectually and their special needs must be fulfilled. Counseling services
should also be provided for the children to strengthen their p ychosocial jill1ctioning. It
was also recommended that it is beller for those children with visual impairment to join
special schools so that their psychosocial functioning would be enhanced. The
recommendation also highlights the need for further study and a revision in the current
trend in special needs education.
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Keywords
Comparative study of the, psychosocial functioning