Expanding the Methodology - Essay Example

? 4. Research Methodology The research provides a well organized research methodology and it largely consists of literature review and the research exemplifies its conclusions from a large number of literatures that is evaluated in this entire study. For this, the literature review includes books, magazine articles and online resources. Literature review is developed through some previous studies and researches conducted in Britain about the current status of education policies for autistic children and teaching methods and strategies for children with autism. The book also discussed various problems that which mentioned the study report about the issue of Autism Spectrum Disorder, various education programs for autism affected children, physiological and psychological treatments and therapies and special programs for improving the life style of autism affected children. Many children suffered with defective communication because of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In this literature review researcher put forward some teaching methods and special strategies that are in favor of the teachers who worked in the field of educating children with special education needs. Qualitative research approaches help the learner to keep reliability and authenticity. As Deborah Padgett rightly comments; “For all their demands, qualitative methods can provide the most rewarding experience a researcher will have” (Padgett, 1998, p.1). The research makes use of secondary data which include various strategies and approaches on teaching autistic children with the help of diagrams, study reports tables, survey reports, and so on the qualitative approach for the reason for the study as it best ensembles for the aims and objectives of the research. 4.1 Literature Review Beginning session of the research (2, 3, 3.1, and 3.2) includes information on autism and an overview about the current education status which practiced in Saudi Arabia. Then it discuss about available interventions and form of inclusive education for children with autism. Dr. Julie A. Buckley made notable researches in the field of autism spectrum disorder and its treatments. According to her autism spectrum disorder is strictly psychological disease and it needs appropriate medical treatments and behaviorally based therapies. In their joint venture entitled; Healing Our Autistic Children: A Medical Plan for Restoring Your Child's Health, Julie A. Buckley and Jenny McCarthy remark; “As your child progresses through his treatment plan, make sure not to underestimate the skills he may will be acquiring and becoming able to use” (Buckley & McCarthy, 2010, p. 192). The study provides plenty of information about various behaviorally based therapies for autistic children to ensure structured development in learning. Researchers and social activists often identify the problem of misunderstanding in diagnosing and healing of children with autism. Social interactive approaches prove its effectiveness in promoting better education for children with special needs. Martyn Long et al have conducted the UK based study entitled The Psychology of Education: The Evidence Base for Teaching and Learning and the study gives variety of teaching methods and strategies for children with autism and other kinds of developmental disorders. The problem of lacking teaching methods and strategies creates obstacles in the way which providing better education facilities both Britain and Saudi Arabia. Studies prove that Britain current education system in Britain keeps better improvements in providing education for children with autism. Owners of the study remarks; “Another approach to teaching children with autism, particularly those with severe and profound learning difficulties has been through social interactive approaches” (Long, Wood, Littleton, Passenger and Sheehy, 2010, p.306). Elaine Fletcher-Janzen’s study suggests variety of teaching strategies and techniques for autistic children to achieve knowledge acquisition. The study reveals that the absence of a well planned curriculum and effective teaching methods create barriers in the way to provide education for autistic children. “School adjustment is fostered through special education classrooms in the public school that include four to eight children with a teacher and an assistant teacher” (Fletcher-Janzen, 2007, p.1965). This section of the study mainly concentrates various medical treatments related to the classroom procedures of autistic children. As secondary data based research, learner collects vital information and data from the study entitled Neuropsychiatry Randolph B. Schiffer et al. Motor disabilities among the autistic children creates obstacles in their way to seek better education. “Many autistic children have a variety of motor delays and implements and may benefit from physical and /or occupational therapy” (Schiffer, Rao and Fogel, 2003, p.535). Researcher gives equal importance in various teaching approaches and learning strategies which promote structured outcome in education programs for autistic children. Researcher makes use of number of secondary data for the study. As an important way to collect data, secondary level researches are capable of providing accurate information having specific evidences. As per the views of David Crowther and Geoffrey Lancaster, secondary level data collection ensures accuracy, dependability, validity, reliability, and above all its usefulness (Crowther, Lancaster, 2008, p. 104). The need of individual based teaching programs play a vital role in special education programs for children with autism. It is significant for a reader to accept the fact that previous studies have suggested that individualized teaching sessions should be practice through a predictable timetable. Inclusive classrooms in Britain highlight the effective use of individualized teaching sessions. “Each child’s program must be based on a detailed appraisal of his or her current developmental level and existing repertoire of skills and responses” (Westwood, 2009, p.32). Current education system in most of the countries especially Britain and Scotland require more involvement and support from the part of local authorities. Similar way education programs for autistic children in Saudi Arabia face problems in educating autistic children. Learner in this research accepts this area as an important way to reach a structured conclusion for the study. Here, one can compare current education strategies for autistic children in Britian and Saudi Arabia. An important part of the research discusses the issue of the role of government and non government agencies in sponsoring education for disabled children. Learner in this research uses the study report of Great Britain: National Audit Office as a significant source of data collection. The study recoded that “Seventy four percent of Local Authorities responding to our survey said they and their NHS Partners did not have such a strategy, only 50 percent reported having a strategic planning dealing with the needs of adults with autism” (Great Britain: National Audit Office, 2009, p.16). Researcher makes some conscious efforts to give information about the possibility and usefulness of inclusion programs for children with special needs, especially autistic children. In the introductory session, learner explores the relevance of inclusion programs in the process of educating children with autism. In a study which conducted by Ruef, explains inclusion programs give chances for autistic children to share classroom activities in general classrooms. The study makes available useful data about the structure and procedure of inclusion classroom. Providing education for both gifted and disabled children is considered as significant objective of education policy in Saudi Arabia (Gaad, 2010, p.20). Children with autism generally show difficulties in communication with others. So, personal emotions and responses play a vital role in the process of developing communicative skills among the autistic children. Colwyn Trevarthen says; “The autistic child should be encouraged to develop and communicate about personal experiences and memories of life events of importance to them” (Trevarthen, 1998, p.159). JoAnn Belk’s views clearly underscore the issue of admitting children with special needs in his study entitled; Inclusion in Early Childhood Programs: a Kaleidoscope of Diversity. The study enriches the necessity of inclusion classrooms and it also underlines the possibility of integrating children with special needs and children without special needs in regular classroom settings. Authors’ comments clearly highlights the way which handle disabled children including autistic children by remarking; “The children should consider the classroom a community in which each student is important and contributes to the success of the community” (Belk, J, 2005, p. 1). Absence of a well organized and developed education policy is essential for Saudi Arabian children to meet international competency. Existing system of education in Saudi Arabia lacks universal features and innovative incentive and education policies are essential for providing better education for children. Regarding the educational needs of children with special needs, one can find the importance of making a new education policy for children with autism and other types of developmental issues. Researcher makes use of the book entailed The Greenwood encyclopedia of children's issues worldwide, Volume 6 written by Irving Epstein and Leslie Limage for making the discussion more relevant and authentic. The book describes about the current status of public education and the role played by social, cultural, religious and ethnic factors in Saudi Arabia. As an attempt to find methods for providing better education among the children with autism, understanding current education status of the nation reserves better attention. Here, researcher adopts a secondary level approach in data collection and its presentation. Irving Epstein, Leslie Limage and identify the real problem by explaining; “Lack of facilities combined with lack of awareness of the importance of kindergarten has resulted in only percent of Saudi children being enrolled in kindergarten” (Epstein, Limage, 2008, p. 243). Existing education system in Saudi Arabia demands the service of experienced teachers and instructors with the background of effective teaching strategies. 4.2 Designing and Sampling Here the researcher clearly informs that the designing and the sampling of the study have direct relations to the topic and it leads to measurement and analysis which become the elite part of the research. So, as to keep up the quality of the research the researcher has used a particular order or the sequence of events for the study. Design and sampling of research not only consists a step-by step procedure but “It is a planning stage of research which is usually made logically visualizing its practicability” (Singh, 2007, p.129). Here researcher provides hypothesis of the study in the introductory part and one can consider the hypothesis is the base of research design. This particular order in this research is as follows: design – sampling-ethics-coding/measurement-analysis. The designing of the study bears the primary importance and so it has placed at the beginning of the paper. The proposed research has mainly two parts: (1) the priority of design choice; that is, here in this study, the priority is various special education programs for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), (2) Dictatorship of the problem or study. In this section the researcher states the real problem underlying in the field of educating children with autism and promotes different strategies for teaching children with special needs. The researcher is on the attempt to get hold of the despotism over the topic, which may not always be probable in the study. 4.3 Ethical Issues In the area of ethical consideration, researcher suggests significant guidelines and assurance about entire research process. The contributors who exerted with the study must be eagerly protected from any form of harm related to social, cultural, religious and ethnic fields. The web article entitled Ethical Guidelines underlines the relevance of ethical issues in research process by saying “Many social researchers work in fields such as economics, psychology, sociology, medicine, whose practitioners have ethical conventions that may influence the conduct of researchers and their fields” (Social research foundation, 2003, p. 9). All the information about the effectiveness of teaching methods and approaches for teaching autistic children will be composed from books and other sources will be set aside highly confidential. It is a part of common knowledge is that, Islam religion plays a pivotal role in the life of people who live in most of all Arab nations. Here, researcher describes the study entitled The Experience of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Mainstreaming Students with Special Educational Needs in Public Schools conducted by The Arab Bureau of Education for the Gulf States for understanding the religious backgrounds. The study reveals that Saudi Arabia gives primary attention for the needs of people with disabilities by mentioning; “In Islam, persons with disabilities are, firstly, human beings, and then they are secondly, disabled persons who have rights to enjoy, and have duties to perform as any member of the community” (Nasser, n. d ). It is crystal clear that education programs for autistic children will get maximum exposure from the religious side of the nation. The research is based on a public issue and it will ensure that the participants must be aware that they have the right to pull out from the study at anytime. The official documents are available from the researcher and that will be helpful for all participants to avoid issues. Researcher keeps serious attention in handling the information and all collected data should remain highly secret. More than this learner also informs that whole study ensures the right of the people to engage will not be troubled. Another considerable matter is that throughout the study the researcher must explain the real purpose and aims of the study and a intended endorsement must be make clear how the unruffled information will be used and who will have access to the research. Finally the researcher ensures that all activities that include in these studies are free from cultural, ethnic and religious considerations. References: Buckley, J. A., McCarthy, J. (2010). Healing Our Autistic Children: A Medical Plan for Restoring Your Child's Health: Palgrave Macmillan. Belk, J. (2005). Inclusion in early childhood programs: a kaleidoscope of diversity. National forum of special education journal. Mississippi state university. 16 (1). Crowther, D., Lancaster, G. (2008). Research methods: a concise introduction to research in management and business consultancy. Edn 2. Illustrated: Butterworth-Heinemann. Fletcher-Janzen, E. (2007). Encyclopedia of Special Education: A Reference for the Education of Children, Adolescents, And Adults With Disabilities And Other Exceptional Individuals, Volume 2. Edn 3. Illustrated: John Wiley and Sons. Epstein, I., Limage, L. (2008). The Greenwood encyclopedia of children's issues worldwide. Vol. 6: Greenwood Publishing Group. Long, M., Wood, C., Littleton, K., Passenger, T. & Sheehy, K. (2010). The Psychology of Education: The Evidence Base for Teaching and Learning. Edn 2, illustrated: Taylor & Francis. Padgett, D. (1998). Qualitative methods in social work research: challenges and rewards. Edn. Illustrated: SAGE. Schiffer, R. B., Rao, S. M., & Fogel, B. S. (2003). Neuropsychiatry. Edn 2. Illustrated: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Singh, Y.k. (2007). Research methodology: techniques and trends: APH Publishing. Social research foundation. (2003). Ethical Guidelines. Retrieved 14 May, from . The Experience of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Mainstreaming Students with Special: Ethical issues. Retrieved 14 May, from Trevarthen, C. (1998). Children with autism: diagnosis and interventions to meet their needs. Edn. 2. Illustrated: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Read More