Status of Special Units and Integrated Classes for Children with Mental Retardation: Study on Selected Schools in the Amhara National Regional State
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Date
2004-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The study tried to explore and describe the functioning of special units and integrated
classes for children with mental retardation at schools in the Amhara National Regional
State.
In the study four schools with special unit and integrated class based educational
provisions were selected. As the participants for the study four directors, four special
units heads, seven and thirteen teachers teaching children with mental retardation at the
special units and regular classroom, respectively were selected. Interview guide,
questionnaire, and data collection form were used as data collecting instrument. The data
collected was then presented in a descriptive form and analyzed qualitatively.
The results of the study showed that there is lack of well-formulated identification
technique, appropriate instrument and trained professionals for assessing chi ldren with
mental retardation at the schools. Moreover, the study also found out that children are
roughly identified as mentally retarded on the basis of some observable developmental
patterns and physical features.
In the special units, special educators and a regular classroom teacher provide instruction
to children with mental retardation. As it was revealed in the study, there are 8 teachers
teaching children with mental retardation in the special w1its out of which 7 are trained as
special educators and I is a general education teacher. In terms of additional training they
received, it was identified that such trainings were arranged for limited instances since
the beginning of the special needs educational program at the schools.
With regard to integrating children with mental retardation into the regular classrooms,
the study noted that the procedure is conducted based on the measurement of the
children's ski lls in the academic, communication, social, self-cru·e and independent
functioning areas. After that, the regulru· classroom teachers take a full responsibility of
teaching the children. However, the results depicted that the teachers did not get enough
training that enable them to teach the children in the regular classroom. Furthermore, they
also did not receive assistance from the special educators as to how to provide instruction
more effectively to these children.
Concerning the challenges the regular classroom teachers faced, the result revealed that
teachers encountered problems related with children behaviors and on teaching different
subj ects to the children.
On top of this, the study also found out that there are no resource rooms in each of the
sampled schools. To offset these deficiencies, the special educators and regular classroom
teachers render educational SUppOlt to the children as on need bases.
Regarding the support the schools provide to the special units and integrated classes, the
study found out that the schools give assistance such as material support and tutorial
services. The schools also arranged trainings for the teachers. The training for the special
educators was given on self-contained instruction. Where as for the regular classroom
teachers the school arranges training to be given by the special educators.
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Keywords
Children with Mental Retardation