Factors affecting learners behaviour in Gauteng Special School, SA - Research Proposal Example

? Research Proposal for For identifying factors affecting learners’ behaviour in Gauteng Special School, SA Table of contents Introduction 3 2. Keywords 3 3. Background 4 4. Rationale for study 6 5. Problem statement 6 6. Research question 7 7. Literature review 8 8. Methodology 9 9. Ethical considerations 10 10. Outline of the study 11 Reference 13 1. Introduction In the recent times, there has been extensive and wide ranging concern for issues relating to severe intellectual disability and other form of disabilities. The concern for their inclusion in the mainstream population through special provisions to include all round welfare programs has become part of developmental initiatives across the globe. Education has been seen as the most important facilitating factor that promotes equal participation in the socio-economic development of the country. Promoting the participation of the people with disabilities has made significant mark but a lot more needs to be done in the field of intellectual disabilities like cerebral palsy, autism, dyslexia etc. The challenges of such not so visible disabilities, especially in early stages have become priority because of the initial intangibility of the problems. Indeed, their multifaceted and multilateral aspects are not only complex by nature but they also need socio-psychological interventions to understand and interpret. Thus, the behavioural problem of pupils with intellectual disabilities is important issue that needs to be looked from the wider perspective of social development. While the special schools are doing commendable work for people with disability, the increasingly worsening behaviour of the pupils with developmental disabilities has become a major concern. Thus, this research would focus on identifying the factors that affect learners’ behaviour in the special schools, especially in Gauteng, South Africa. 2. Keywords: severe intellectual disability, special school, inclusive education, support system, learning disability, social model of disability. 3. Background Intellectual disability can be described as a ‘learning difficulty that is characterized by limitations in various skill areas. These may include limitations in self-care, daily living, social interaction, judgment and self-direction. Intellectual disability usually becomes evident during the developmental years’ (IHC Inc; Philosophy and Policy 1996: p 5). In the contemporary times, the concept of disability has moved beyond the constraints of the medical terminology and has embraced a socially relevant stance keeping their all round welfare as the main objective in all their policies and plans. Terzi (2004) believes that the social model is as a powerful and important reminder for people at large to face issues of inclusion vis-a-vis persons with disability, disadvantaged population as fundamental and moral issues. World Health Organization (2005) reports that people with disabilities are important contributors to society and that allocating resources to their rehabilitation would be an investment. Hence, measures that support their integration to mainstream society become highly pertinent issues within the develop agenda of nations. The inclusion of disabled students can be broadly described as efforts to increase the participation of children with disability in the school by expanding course curricula to incorporate their needs (Booth & Ainscow, 1998). Thus inclusion ensures that students with special needs are provided with opportunities to imbibe education and become capable of contributing t the society as a whole. The integration whereas is the inclusion of students with special need within the mainstream school without much changes within the school environment (Minto, 2007; Mittler, 2000). The special schools in South Africa have shown great determination to promote education amongst the children and adults with disability. There have been significant reforms in the education system with National Education Policy Act of 1996 and the South African Schools Act of 1996. Gauteng province in South Africa has come to limelight because many of the dysfunctional schools showing less than 20% pass results were turned around through effective reforms in educational environment (DOE, 2001). Special schools were also established to include all those children whose disabilities may hinder them from benefiting from education that they are entitled to. The special schools in Gauteng have been distinct in catering to the myriad needs of children with disability with emphasis on severe intellectual disability and other models of developmental disabilities like dyslexia, learning disability etc. But at the same time, it is found that the cognitive behaviour of pupils with various forms of developmental disabilities shows considerable changes when they are first inducted into the school curricula. Many scholars associate student behaviour with attentiveness in class and perseverance to pursue learning task. Thus, inattentive students are assumed to be more disruptive and maladjusted (Elkins & Izard, 1992; Cooley and Lohnes, 1976). The need for reforms within the school objectives and classroom goals has become critical factor for improved performance. The various paradigms of inclusive education to bring the disadvantaged population within the mainstream population need to be explored and analyzed. The evaluation and analysis of behavioural pattern of the children with special needs would go a long way in improving the outcome of the school. 4. Rationale for the study While there have been many studies that focused on improving linguistic, technical and strategic competence, there is dearth of information and research on factors that affect learners’ behaviour in special school. The socio-relational competence is intrinsically linked to the perceived social behaviour and therefore become crucial issue within the broader context of special education. Thus, in order to enhance the improvements in students’ outcome, identification, evaluation and analysis of factors affecting learner’s behaviour become imperative. Indeed, it is important that their socio-relational competencies be developed to the extent that they may start contributing to the socio-economic development of the society. The research would help to identify factors that affect learners’ behaviour and thereby greatly encourage in creating a supporting environment for intellectually disabled students when they undergo transition from mainstream school to special school or vice versa. The study would also fill in the gap in the research for students of special needs and focus on environmental factors like poverty, self esteem of the students, other students’ bullying etc which significantly influence their behaviour. 5. Problem statement The social model of disability broadly works towards the needs and requirements of the disabled population in order to provide them with requisite infrastructure and opportunities to become socially integrated. The various developmental disabilities are significantly different and encompasses a wide set of communication problem. Kwiotek (1999) asserts that disability needs to be looked from the wider perspectives of social structure, institutions, environment and attitude. It therefore, advocates the support system of existing environment as the vital enabling element for their integration within the mainstream society. The intellectual disabilities like cerebral palsy, dyslexia, autism are not easily identifiable in the early stage. They are therefore, often projected as behavioural problems of the students. A person with the intellectual disability is a very confused individual because despite being aware of its surrounding and the affects on others, the person is unable to control his responses which are inarticulate and uncoordinated. This places him in a very precarious position vis-a-vis his friends who make him a butt of their joke at his clumsiness and secondly, lack of understanding generates frustrations and depression in the person resulting in low self esteem and violent behaviour. Indeed, the behaviour of the students who might be intellectually challenged is difficult to predict as they are mostly influenced by environmental factors. Thus, identifying those factors need to become essential part of special education institutions so that appropriate interventional strategies could be evolved for better student outcome vis-a-vis social integration, skill development, education etc. Another important aspect is that support environment within and outside the school mainly includes psychological and learning support, physio-occupational experts, parents and community support and other such facilitating measures which can come together for successful inclusion of disabled child. 6. Research question 1. What factors influence learners’ behaviour within the wider context of social integration, especially in special school? 2. To what extent environmental factors impact learners’ behaviour, especially in severe intellectual disabled students. 7. Literature review Social scientists and psychologists believe that ‘changes in human behaviour may be possible when patterns of social and organisational relationships change, or the physical environment changes’ (Duncan et al., 207, p107). The various environmental paradigms like perceived concept of disability, lack of understanding and inadequate infrastructure become the debilitating elements that adversely impact on the behavioral attitude of the student in an new transition environment. Various studies have confirmed repetitive and ritualistic behaviour that gives no indication to child’s intelligence or lack of it (Kanner & Eisenberg, 1956; Rutter, 1978). The children and people with intellectual disabilities are often prone to exhibit hyperactivity, repetitive behaviour, lack of response to social interaction, aggression or even self injury. Many a times, students who are shifted from the mainstream school to special school experience negative self concept resulting in behavioural anomalies that are difficult to recognize. Scholars believe that new environment that is less supportive during the vertical transition adversely impacts the self esteem so that the student is filled with anxiety and stress, resulting in bad behaviour (Greene and Kochhar-Bryant, 2003). It is felt that Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices are important intervention measures that help the process of inclusion. Lloyd & Kangas (1994) argues that AAC intervention can reduce the pressure on the individual for speech production, thereby reducing stress and indirectly facilitating speech. This results in better communication and helps adapt the person into new environment with ease and positive frame of mind. Skinner (1958) was also of the view that changes in the behaviour of students are primarily due to their responses to the changing events in the environment. Goldman (2004) is emphatic that when schools serve as facilitator of social-emotional learning to promote developmental processes, students are more inclined to adjust and imbibe social skills. Most pertinent are the views of Williams and Robinsons (2000, p298) who state that ‘people with learning disabilities (intellectual disability) are constantly surrounded by others who are judging them, and their whole life can seem to them like an educational journey, with intermittent progress reports sent to their parents’. This is a highly distressing fact that needs to be taken into consideration while evolving innovative measures of intervention for their improved behaviour. Thus while the proactive participation of intellectually disabled students is important, their consent for intervention measures becomes equally relevant factor for the behavioural outcome. 8. Methodology The proposed research study would be qualitative in nature and would encompass comprehensive literature review. Qualitative research is a very important tool for evaluating and analyzing behavioural pattern of the people who have the capacity to influence a set of defined parameters or vice versa (Denzin, 2000). It is based on ‘grounded theory’ where the qualitative analysis of the data is used for generating theories that reflect the realities of life. Social scientists are therefore more inclined to use this type of research so that social changes and real life situations could be predicted with relative accuracy at unpredictable and unexpected circumstances. The qualitative research based case study methodology would facilitate in gaining important clues to transition within the given context (Henning, Gravett & Van Rensburg, 2002; Babbie and Mouton, 2001). The case study would have a more holistic approach with myriad perspective of transition of the participants. Efforts would be made to decipher and interpret the meaning of transition vis-a-vis his experiences and socio-psychological frame of reference. The data collections would be through observation of participants in real life context. The information would be collated and interpreted against the circumstantial evidences of environmental factors. The observation schedule would be made according to predetermined criteria of the behaviour of the subjects. This alleviates the fear that participant may get confused with hordes of other issues that might clash with his primary objective. With specific categories to observe, reliability is enhanced and the chances of misrepresentation is also reduced. The sample would primarily comprise of children with special needs in the age group of 10 years to 23 years in the special school of Gauteng province in South Africa. Case of few students in the age group would be taken as special cases who would be studied for a period of 6 months to one year for their behavioural changes vis-a-vis transition from mainstream school to special school. 9. Ethical consideration Ethical consideration is most prominent part of the qualitative research. The wide ranging parameters and dimension of the clash over the ethical issues, especially where the participants’ right to privacy and the public’s right to know become critical issues. The delicate line between the two is often contentious and it is important that the researcher does not transgress his ethical boundary to commit any serious offence that might lead to criminal proceedings. The researcher must at all times, remember that confidence building and mutual trust are foundation for the generation of an authentic and socially relevant theory that must stand the test of time. As Dean (1954, p. 233) says that ‘a person becomes accepted as a participant observer more because of the kind of person he turns out to be in the eyes of the field contacts rather than because of what the research represents to them. Relationship building and mutual trust become intrinsic part of researcher’s methodology that must ensure that the research worker is a 'good guy' and can be trusted not 'to do them dirt' with what he finds out’. It is also true that the present study is focused on the study of the behavioural attitude that is changing due to external factors. Hence, various stakeholders like parents, teachers, NGOs working in the field also become crucial part of research who need to be taken into confidence during the various stages of observation and interaction with the participants who are intellectually challenged. Therefore, informed consent of all stakeholders involved in the research becomes highly ethical aspect and must be incorporated within the larger scope of research criteria. 10. Outline Introduction The behavioural problem of pupils with intellectual disabilities is important issue that needs to be looked from the wider perspective of social development. Keywords It has list of keywords that are intrinsic part of the topic. Background The part discusses the context of the study and where it would be taken up. Rationale for study It discusses the importance of the study and the contribution that it would make in the field. Problem statement It discusses the nature of problem and why is it a problem. Research question The research question is raised so that the research can answer as to what makes special need children behave differently in special school. Literature review This part delves into various perspectives of scholars on the issues so that research can use their perspectives and incorporate salient points within its findings to identify factors for changes in learners’ behavior. Methodology The methodology that would be used for data collection, analysis and interpretation of the fndings. Ethical considerations This is important segment that would be intrinsic part of research so research is carried out with high ethical considerations. (words: 2439) Reference Babbie E & Mouton J. The Practice of Social Research. Southern Africa: Oxford University Press, 2001. Booth, T. and Ainscow, M. (eds.) From Them to Us: An International Study of Inclusion in Education. London: Routledge, 1998. Cooley, W, W and Lohnes, P. R. Evaluation research in education. New York: Irvington, 1976. Denzin, N. Interpretive Interactionism. London. Sage, 1989. Department of Education. Education White Paper 6: Building an Inclusive Education and Training System. Pretoria: Department of Education, 2001 Elkins, J and Izard, J. Student Behavior Problems: Context, initiatives and Programs. Hawthorne, vic: Australian Council or Educational Research, 1992 Henning E, Gravett S & Van Rensburg W (2002). Finding your way in Academic Writing. Pretoria: Van Schaik Publishers, 2002. Duncan N, Bowman B, Naidoo A, Pillay J & Roos V. Community Psychology: Analysis, context and action. Cape Town: UCT Press, 2007. Goldman, D. Working with emotional development. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2000. Greene G & Kochhar-Bryant CA. Pathways to Successful Transitions for Youth with Disabilities. New Jersey: Pearson-Education, 2003. IHC. IHC Philosophy and Policy. Wellington: IHC New Zealand Inc, 1996. Kanner, L. & Eisenberg, L. Early infantile autism 1943-1955. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, (1956), 26, 55-65. Kwiotek , Rita G. The need for disability equality model: A new critical theoretical approach to disability. University of Dublin, 1999. Lloyd, L. L., & Kangas, K. Augmentative and alternative communication. In G. H. Shames, E. H. Wiig, & W. A. Secord (Eds.), Human communication disorders (4th ed., pp. 606–657). New York: Merrill/Macmillan, 1994. Rutter, M. Diagnosis and definition. In M. Rutter & E. Schopler (Eds.), Autism:A Reappraisal of Concepts and Treatment (pp.1-25). New York: Plenum Press, 1978. Minto, J. Exclusion of Special Needs children a disgrace. Christchurch Press, 2007. Mittler, P. Working Towards Inclusive Education. Social Context. London, David Fulton, 2000. Skinner, B, S. Some factors involved in the stimulus control of operant behavior. Journal of Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 1958: 138 (3330), 969-977. Terzi, Lorella. The Social Model of Disability: A Philosophical Critique. Journal of Applied Philosophy, 2004: 21 (2), 141–157. WHO. 58 World Health Assembly. 14 April 2005. 30 January, 2011. Retrieved from: Williams V, Robinson C. Tick this, tick that’: the views of people with learning disabilities on their assessments. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 2000: 4(4): 293-305. Read More