Introduction With the passage of legislative mandate, PL 94-142, mainstreaming for special education has been a growing trend in educational placement. The law called for educational placement in the “least restrictive” environment for children with disabilities. For many exceptional children his meant placement in the regular class instead of the special class, which previously had been the practiced educational arrangement. The mandate was founded in a series of efficacy studies beginning in the 1930s, which suggested that the special class may be inappropriate for the education of exceptional children.
In 1960s, the growth of movement has been pronounced as special educational classes moved away from segregated self-contained practices (Dunn, 1968; Johnson 1962; Kirk 1964; Quay 1963). However, a marked decline in the growth of special class in the 1970s was seen as many have opposed the move (Kolstoe 1972; Roos 1970). Today, the legislative body has reauthorized the mandate of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). In the same, the concept of least restrictive environment (LRE) has been the cornerstone for understanding the current move toward ore inclusive environments for students with special needs.
In essence, living and learning in the least restrictive environment means that individuals with disabilities have the right to participate in environments as close to normal as possible. As we move closer to the beginning of a new century, instructional options for students with disabilities are becoming more prevalent in classes frequented by their typical peers. This reformation age in the educational system has stimulated a commitment by many general and special educators to teach learners with disabilities in natural environments.
The commitment to teach students entirely in general education classes is by no means universal, and debates rage on concerning the appropriateness of such options for all learners with special education (Cipani 1995). In this paper, the author explores on the growing movement to mainstream special children. The author discusses in particular the benefits and disadvantages of exclusion and inclusion of educational arrangements for special children. Furthermore, the author emphasizes on what would make the program for social inclusion of special children be successful. Project Rationale.
Societies have changed over the last decades and, as a result, schools are facing new challenges, such as avoiding exclusion through the promotion of more inclusive practices. Schools have become more multicultural (Cesar and Oliveira 2005), and students categorized as having Special Educational Needs attend regular classes (Freire and Cesar 2002). This means that schools must try to experience diversity as a celebration instead of a hindrance. Of course, none of this is straight forward, leading some educational agents facing fears, frustration, conflicts, and doubts.
Whilst it is relatively easy to articulate the ideals associated with inclusive education, it is much more difficult to turn these into practices. Furthermore, instructional options for students with disabilities are becoming more prevalent in classes frequented by their typical peers. Reformation in the last two decades in educational arrangements has stimulated a commitment by many general and special educators to teach learners with disabilities in natural educational environments.
This has sparked debates on the appropriateness of such options to all learners with special needs; however, the commitment to teach students entirely in general education classes has become by no means universal (Cipani 1995). The willingness, however, to determine if total inclusion is a viable option for students is now more prevalent than ever before. In this research on social inclusion for special children, we hope to provide prescriptions in effectively support and managing the needs of special children in a natural environment.
Our prescriptions would highlight the importance of involving key people in the process such as the children, administrators, and parents, focusing on how successful collaboration can be the key to the program. Project Aims and Objectives The primary objectives of this dissertation will be to review on history of social inclusion of special children in educational settings. The authors would discuss both sides of the debates on the appropriateness of inclusion in educational setting.
As the educational system is undergoing reformation, we discuss how an inclusion program can be effectively managed and support the growth and integration of special children within society. The following is a list of objectives which the author aspires to accomplish in the dissertation: 1. A discussion historical developments leading to inclusion 2. A discussion on the key principles of social inclusion and legislative mandate which gave rise to the opportunity for social inclusion 3. An exploration on the relevant theory on the collaboration framework in discussing how to effectively conduct an inclusion classroom setting
4. A proposal on how to effectively manage and support the needs of special children in a least restrictive environment Importance of the Study To the educational institutions, the results of the study will provide critical information on how to conduct collaborative approaches and strategies towards the success of inclusion program of the school. The present development in the legislation and key principles underscoring the need to reform the current educational arrangement will emphasize the need to shift the current system to celebrate diversity instead of hinder it.
Furthermore, we also emphasize the need for educational administrators to scrutinize its norms to be responsive to external social changes, and still maintain the professional competencies and maintain competitiveness in the educational market. The current study wishes to concentrate on what makes an effective inclusion classroom and highlight the important tasks in integrating the special students into the society. Methodology The focus of this study is to investigate the attitudes of the teachers, children, parents and administrators toward the inclusion program within the educational institution.
The qualitative style of approach will allow certain flexibility within the study, to take account of the collaborative framework used in understanding what makes an effective inclusion classroom? A survey is a means of gathering information about the characteristics, actions, or opinions of a large group of people, referred to as a population (Salkind, 2000). There are several ways of collating data; surveys are the primary means through which data is measured and captured. They have varied purposes, and encompass marketing surveys, opinion surveys, and political polls, among others.
Survey questionnaires that have been deployed for research have two specific objectives. One is the quantitatively depict certain facets of the group being investigated. The analysis of the questionnaires may be mainly focused on associations between variables or with making estimates in a descriptive manner to a well defined group of respondents. Next, it is also an effective means of gathering data by soliciting individual evaluations through predetermined items or questions. Their responses, which may pertain to their own views, compose the data set subject for statistical analysis (Salkind, 2000).
The familiarity with the subject and to explore initial constructs related to the subject is some of the objectives of undertaking survey research. In the current dissertation, this data gathering technique has been utilized to probe on the broad array of answers which may probably be given in some other similar population. Moreover, it has been used to fine tune the instruments along its psychometric characteristics. The main focal point of the exploratory survey is to assess which constructs to measure and the manner which is best fit for undertaking such measurement.
Finally, it is also utilized to uncover and define new avenues and categories for research of the population under investigation (Salkind, 2000). Numerous units of analyses are utilized in survey research; however, the counts for units in data gathering are conventionally “individuals”. By convention, their answers are cumulated for “larger units of analysis such as role, work group, department or organisation”. The objectives of the study, it may be adequate to utilize any of these units.
Nonetheless, it is usual for numerous respondents to be used since these individuals serve different functional units and occupy various levels of the organisational structure. In effect, they have peculiar views and evaluations on the topic at hand. Primary data collection is concerned with the gathering of data that is unique to the peculiar requisites of the study. On the basis of the goals of the research and secondary data collection, a questionnaire was drafted to allow the gathering of primary data for this research.
Questionnaires are often the only plausible means of covering a big number of respondents that will permit valid statistical outcomes. An effectively crafted tool that is utilized well can yield data beneficial for both the general performance of the test system in addition to data on its particular portions or components. Thus, this is the reason the researcher has selected a questionnaire a data gathering technique, particularly on gathering the demographic profiles of the respondents.
The questionnaire is a pencil-and-paper measurement instrument used when data is collected by means of self-reporting techniques (Chisnall, 1997). They are either mailed to the relative people, or used on physical level with the coordinator being present to aid the person responding with any queries or problems. The information received is limited to the respondent’s written responses to specifically constructed questions, designed prior to the meeting between the two.
Questionnaires either describe or measure individual/group characteristics such as values, attitudes, opinions, etc.and contain four types of questions: demographics, behaviour, knowledge and attitude. Finally, they can be classified according to the type of response required, or the type of questionnaire administered (Chisnall, 1997). Questionnaire Design The questionnaire has been self-constructed, dealing with the attitudes of parents, children, administrator and teachers. These close-ended questions had fixed options given for each, and the respondent simply checked which option/s is applicable for him/her.
Close-ended questions are questions that the researcher provides, and which may be accomplished by putting a check mark on a box or by encircling a response that corresponds to your choice. Oppenheim (1992) suggests these questions are straightforward and thus easier and quicker to answer; they are very useful in testing specific hypothesis. Most probably, they shall be utilized in the beginning of the investigation, since the unrestricted responses they attract create a better picture of the survey for the researcher.
The main advantage of this kind of question is its ability to obtain a summated value. As Chisnall (1997) suggests that mail questionnaire is a predetermined set of questions that is sent to a predetermined sample. Its advantages over other methods include its low price, reassured anonymity, confidentiality, its large target scope and its ability to keep certain standards. Mail questionnaires are advantageous when responses have to be obtained from a sample that is geographically dispersed, or it is difficult or not possible to conduct telephone interviews to obtain the same data without much expense.
Respondents can take more time to respond at convenience. However, the return rates of mail questionnaires are typically low. A 30% response rate is considered acceptable. Another disadvantage of the mail questionnaire is that any doubts the respondents might have cannot be clarified. Another disadvantage is the restriction to verbal behaviour; answers must be accepted as written without the benefit of additional explanations which interviewers could obtain by probing questions, and overall lack of control on the settings of the research.
Because of these constraints, the researcher decided to personally administer the tool to the respondents. It was finally decided that the self-administered questionnaire would be used for the purposes of this research. This was attributed to limitations in monetary funds and time, as well as the fact the entire preparation, administration and final discussion had to be solely assessed by the researcher. There are some strong advantages that set out the self-administered questionnaire over other data collection techniques (Bryman, 1992).
When compared to the mail questionnaire, the chosen method secures a higher response rate and costs less. The first of these advantages can be attributed to the fact that it is handed out in person, and that the interviewer is present. As a result, the overall atmosphere is warmer, friendlier and less impersonal. Additionally, because of the presence of the interviewer, the participants are accorded a wider scope of clarity. If anything is not clear in the questionnaire, the researcher can clarify a particular question, achieving a higher degree of accuracy and consequently more reliable responses.
With regard to the second advantage, the selected method can be followed at a comparatively low cost, as there is no demand for trained staff but solely the cost of printing the actual questionnaire forms. Interview Design It is suggested that personal interviews are capable of encouraging respondents and expounding on the meaning of questions, threshing out uncertain or indefinite areas and drafting more or additional items (Sekaran, 2001).
In contrast with the mail questionnaire, this is a form that is handed out by the investigator to the respondents – in person – who are then asked to complete it in his presence and return upon completion. The conduct of a pilot study is critical in the aspects of finalizing the sample size and instrument development. Chisnall (1997) points out that the value of a pilot study lies in validating the accuracy and consistency of sampling frames and planning the final sample size by measuring variability.
According to Hunt et al (1982), pilot testing pertains to testing the questionnaire on a limited sample of respondents to determine and eliminate potential problems. Therefore, the pilot test is done to 5 respondents in this research study. A pilot study has been conducted to ensure the clarity of the questions in both the survey questionnaire and the interview. The pilot study allows the proponent to countercheck the comprehension of the interviewees of the research topic and the interpretation of its items.
The respondents are asked to answer and comment on the questions. Based on their feedback, some changes are made to the questionnaire to improve the questions considered to be biased so that they would generate more honest and accurate answers. This piloting reveals that the duration necessary for accomplishing the survey shall not be over 10 minutes for each respondent. Finalizing the size of the sample to be used is critical from both statistical and economic perspectives (Ghauri et al, 1995). Thus, the size of the sample should be determined carefully.
Ghauri et al (1995) suggests that the necessary sample size depends on the sample design and variability in the population. This variability is measured by a standard deviation gained from the pilot study. Because 30 is the minimum number of respondents necessary for using parametric statistics, the researcher ensured that the total number of respondents exceeded this minimum requirement for the quantitative portion of the study. According to Chisnall (1997), validity is generally considered and established through the relationship of the instrument to the content, criterion, or construct that it attempts to measure.
A lack of validity can lead to incorrect conclusion. To ensure the validity of this research, the face validity test is employed as a measure for this questionnaire. The content of questionnaire after the pre-test is shown to marketing and branding experts. They confirmed that the questionnaire basically approaches the appropriate direction. The questionnaire was also shown to two friends of the researcher, who are familiar with the subjects as judges. Both of them consider the questions and layout are appropriate and pitched at the acceptable level.