Current intervention practices of schools in enhancing adaptive Skills of pupils with intellectual disability:
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Date
2010-07
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Addis Ababa Universty
Abstract
This study focuses on current intervention practices of schools in enhancing adaptive
skills of pupils with mental retardation at kokebetsibah, Belay Zeleke,Sibste Negasi
primary school's special unit and integrated cl assrooms, and Yekatit 23 primary special
school.
The subjects of the study are 41 teachers and 40 pupils with mental retardation. They
were selected from the special unit and integrated classroom through random sampling
techniques. Four data collection instruments, which are questionnaire, interview guide,
observation checklist and document analysis used. In order to analysis the data, both
quanti tative (simple percentage) and qualitative analysis method were used.
The findings of the study shows that teachers from the special unit tries to assess current
functioning level of the child with intellectual' disability they give training personal
independence ski lls of motor, social- personal, communication, self help and functional
academic skills. For instance, they train to deve lop their motor skills through jumping,
running by change speed and direction. The findin g also indicates that currently, the
intervention services of schools are wi th different human and material resource
limitations and pupils in the integrated classroom are more deprived because of large
class size, subject matter knowledge limitations of teachers, low family participation and
late enrolment of the pupils with mental retardation. This study conclude that late
enrolment of pupils with mental retardation, absence of assessment tools and
professional support in the assessment process, low partici pation of family, limitations of
resources and absence of continuous evaluation techniques of the progress of the child
are the main determinant factors of educational intervention.
At last, this study recommended that upgrad ing of teachers professional competencies,
increasing of parents participation, early involvement of children, support and
cooperation of educational professionals are mandatory to enhance adaptive skills of
pupils with intellectual disability.
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Keywords
Disability