ABSTRACT
The study evaluated the implementations of Special Education Curriculum (Programme) in Special Junior Secondary Schools in Plateau State, Nigeria. To study the level of special education curriculum implementation, five research objectives were raised which were to evaluate, whether there are adequate provision of instructional materials, the teaching methods used in the implementation of special education curriculum, the qualification of teachers, the roles of parents of children with disabilities, the contribution of the host community in the implementation process. The study raised five research questions and five research hypotheses in line with the research objectives. Appropriate literature of both conceptual and theoretical frame work for the study was built on theory Context, Input, Process and Product (CIPP) model of curriculum evaluation. The research adopted descriptive survey research design which involved the use of questionnaire. The target population was four hundred and thirty six (436) while the sample population was two hundred and nineteen (219) made up of teachers and students. The research questionnaires were collected and analysed using two statistical tools, descriptive statistic and inferential statistic. At descriptive level, frequencies and simple percentage were used for the demographic characteristics of respondent while mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions. The hypotheses were subjected to chi-square statistical test. The outcome of hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance revealed that the five (5) null hypotheses were rejected. The study revealed that there are inadequate instructional materials in the schools, special teachers used the appropriate teaching methods in the implementation of special education. Parents of children with disabilities preferred to provide education to their children without disabilities; the host community supported the implementation of special education. The study recommended that the regular teachers should be encouraged for better service delivery through workshops, seminars and conferences, instructional materials be made available to special schools to cater for all categories of students living with disabilities, parent of children with disabilities should be sensitized on the causes of disabilities, benefit of special education and the right of a disabled child towards education because most parents especially the illiterate have negative attitudes towards the exceptional child. The community should know that giving education to the disabled is a right and not a privilege and they should get rid of rejection, stigmatization, stereotyping, and labeling towards persons with disabilities.
|
|
TABLE OF CONTENTS |
|
|
Title Page |
|
|
|
Declaration |
|
|
|
Certification |
|
|
|
Dedication |
|
|
|
Acknowledgements |
|
|
|
Abstract |
|
|
|
Table of Contents |
|
|
|
List of Tables |
|
|
|
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION |
|
|
|
1.1 |
Background to the Study |
|
|
1.2 |
Statement of the Problem |
|
|
1.3 |
Objectives of the Study |
|
|
1.4 |
Research Questions |
|
|
1.5 |
Hypotheses |
|
|
1.6 |
Significance of the Study |
|
|
1.7 |
Scope of the Study |
|
|
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE |
|
|
|
2.1 |
Introduction |
|
|
2.2 |
Conceptual Framework |
|
|
2.2.1 |
Concept of Curriculum |
|
|
Curriculum needs for children with special needs |
|
|
|
2.2.3 |
Concept of Evaluation |
|
|
2.2.4 |
Concept of Implementation |
|
|
2.2.5 |
Concept of Special Education |
|
|
2.2.6 |
Attitudes towards Persons Living with Disabilities |
|
|
2.2.7 |
Attitude of Parents of Children with Disabilities |
|
|
2.2.8 |
Attitude of the Host Community toward Persons living with |
|
|
|
Disabilities |
|
|
2.3 |
Theoretical Framework |
|
|
2.4 |
Empirical studies |
|
|
2.5 |
Summary of Reviewed Relevant Literature |
|
|
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY |
|
|
|
3.1 |
Introduction |
|
|
3.2 |
Research Design |
|
|
3.2 |
Population of the Study |
|
|
3.4 |
Sample and Sampling Techniques |
|
|
3.5 |
Instrumentation |
|
|
3.5.1 |
Validity of the Instrument |
|
|
3.5.2 |
Pilot Study |
|
|
3.5.3 |
Reliability of the Instrument |
|
|
3.6 |
Procedure for Data Collection |
|
|
3.7 |
Procedure for Data Analysis |
|
CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
|
Introduction |
|
|
|
4.2 |
Demographic Data of Respondents |
|
|
4.3 |
Hypotheses |
|
|
4.4 |
Discussion of Findings |
|
|
|
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND |
|
|
|
RECOMMENDATIONS |
|
|
5.1 |
Summary |
|
|
5.2 |
Conclusion |
|
|
5.3 |
Recommendations |
|
|
5.4 |
Contribution to Knowledge |
|
|
|
References |
|
|
|
Appendix |
|
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Education liberates, raises class status regardless of one‟s family or home background. It makes someone economically buoyant, politically upgraded and socially adjusted. Education also is a tool for national development for every nation. However, the plight of the number of people living with disabilities is increasing especially in the developing countries. This is because high level of malnutrition, diseases, accident, crises and ignorance are persistent in developing countries. Nevertheless, it is obvious that disabilities exist throughout the world without respect for nationality, ethnicity, races, social status or cultural boundary. (Lere, 2007).
In Nigeria today, and elsewhere in the world, there are large numbers of children and adult who differ so markedly in mental, physical, emotional, sensory or behaviour characteristics from their normal peers as to require special help in realizing their optimum potentials. This has taken the form of provision to serve persons living with disability in regular classes of the school or provide instructions appropriate to their abilities if that served their needs more effectively.
Policies and programmes in special education close tie with the existence of man from time immemorial, cultural and religious beliefs are the current trends in the contemporary society. Historically, the roots of the field of special education and programme implementation could be traced to the beginning of human existence. They could be traced to the primitive time when human beings first became aware of those whose appearance and behaviour differed significantly from what was typical of the majority. Those who were different were destroyed, tortured, exorcised, sterilized, ignored, exiled, and even considered divine. (Hewelt as cited in Lere, 2007). According to him, over the years, they have been pitied and cared for and given the benefit of education, they had to cope with survival in the world where the harshness of both nature and those around them threatened their very existence. By the estimation of people living with disability, there are about 600 million people with disabilities worldwide and two third of them live in developing countries, including Nigeria. According to the world benchmark, 10% of a country‟s population has disabilities. Based on Nigeria‟s current estimated population of 140 million, 14 million people have disabilities. (Quteng as cited in Lere, 2007, National Population Commission, 2006).
The declaration on the human rights of disabled persons by United Nations General Assembly made persons living with disabilities become functional, acceptable, and respectful as members of the society. Among the declaration on the right of disabled persons by the United Nations in year 1975 are;
(1) The term person living with disability means any person unable to ensure by himself or herself wholly or partly the necessities of a normal individual and/or social life as a result of a deficiency either congenital or not in his or her physical or mental capacities.
(2) Persons living with disability shall enjoy all the rights set forth in this declaration. This right shall be granted to all disabled persons without distinction or discrimination on the basis of race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinions, national or social origin, state of wealth, birth or any other situation applied either to the disabled person himself or herself or to his or her family.
(3) Persons living with disability have the right to medical, psychological and functional treatment including, prosthetic and orthotic appliances, to medical and social rehabilitation, education and vocational education, training and rehabilitation and, counseling, placement services and other services which enable them to develop their capabilities and skills to the maximum and hasten the process of their social integration or reintegration.
(4) Persons living with disability have the right to economic and social security to their capabilities to ensure and retain employment or to engage in useful, productive and remunerative occupations and to join trade unions.
(5) Persons living with disability shall be protected against all forms of exploitation, all regulations and all treatment of a discriminatory, abusive or degrading nature.
The World Conference on Special Needs Education and network for action in access and quality, Salamanca, Spain 7 – 10 June, 1994, asserted that;
1. Every child has basic right to education.
2. Every child has unique characteristics, interest, abilities and learning needs.
3. Education services should take into account those diverse characteristics and needs.
4. The person with special needs must have access to regular schools.
5. Regular schools with an inclusion ethos are the most effective way to combat discriminatory attitudes, create welcoming and inclusive communities and achieve Education for All (EFA).
6. Federal, state and local governments shall fund these programmes within their area of jurisdiction.
7. Architectural designs of school buildings shall take into account the special needs of the handicapped.
There was earliest evidence available on legislation in Nigeria for provision of special education to persons with special needs. According to Brooke as cited in Lere and Yakwal, (2005) “education ordinance” which states that grants may be paid to local authority or an approved voluntary agency for among others, provide special education purpose which may come from time to time regarded as calling Financial Support. Additionally, the Lagos Education Act of 1957 was also devoted to special education. Article 61 of the Act clearly calls for provision for children requiring special needs education. Besides, the law of Northern Nigeria (Education Law NN43) gave Authority to the Minister to provide special schools for handicapped children to ensure an adequate supply of trained teachers by providing sufficient fund for their training. Again, the education law of western Nigeria cap 34 (1962) was enacted.
The universal primary education was introduced in 1977 where, it gave a legal status to the education of the handicapped in Nigeria. It gave the handicapped right to demand education along with non-handicapped, for the first time in Nigeria. History, government made a policy statement on special education and included it in the National Policy on Education (NPE) in 1977. In the revised 4th edition, section ten was devoted to special education (NPE, 2004). The policy documented a lot of promises with regards to the provision of appropriate education and relevant services to citizens with special needs in the country. Available records also revealed that the defunct Plateau State House of
Assembly under the then speaker Mr. D.G Shown, passed a bill in favour of special education in 1981 entitled „„Handicapped Education Law‟‟. More so, the Plateau State Rehabilitation laws of August 2001, and the Plateau State Disability and Community Integration Agency bill of 2003 were promulgated. Finally the bill to establish Plateau State, Indigenes with disabilities rights law was first presented from 1981 and passed into law in December 2005 24years later by Governor Joshua Dariye. The law makes provision for free education, free medication, rehabilitation, employment and civil rights for Plateau state indigenes with special needs (Lere and Yakwal, 2005, Unachukwu Ozoji, and Kolo 2016).
1.2 Statement of the Problem
In an attempt to provide equal educational opportunities for persons living with disabilities, the educational sector globally has proffered solutions for their educational attainment by enacting laws and policies that can enable the disabled persons to restore to the fullest physical, mental, psychological, social, vocational and economic usefulness. As contained in the National Policy on Education (2014), and in line with the World Conference held at Salamanca in June 1994 at Spain, by 2015, special education might have fully been implemented at all levels of education among the nations and Nigeria is one of the nations that signed the agreement. (UNESCO, 2005).
The study therefore sought to ascertain whether children with special needs in the Special Junior Secondary Schools have access to special education or not. The study examined adequacy of assistive technology, instructional materials; educational qualification of teachers, and the role of parents and the host community in the implementation of special education programmes.
The study was guided by the following objectives; To
1. find out whether there are adequate provision of instructional materials used for the implementation of special education curriculum in Special Junior Secondary Schools in Plateau State, Nigeria;
2. examine the teaching methods used in the implementation of special education curriculum in Special Junior Secondary Schools in Plateau State, Nigeria;
3. determine the qualification of teachers used in the implementation of special education curriculum in Special Junior Secondary Schools in Plateau State, Nigeria;
4. examine the roles of parents of children with disabilities in the implementation of special education in Special Junior Secondary Schools in Plateau, Nigeria;
5. find out the contributions of host community in the implementation of special
education curriculum in Special Junior Secondary Schools in Plateau, Nigeria;
1.4 Research Questions
The following research questions were raised in the study;
1. How adequate is the provision of instructional materials used in the implementation of special education curriculum in Special Junior Secondary Schools in Plateau State Nigeria?
2. What are the teaching methods used in the implementation of special education curriculum in Special Junior Secondary Schools in Plateau State, Nigeria?
3. What are the qualifications of teachers used in the implementation of special education curriculum in Special Junior Secondary Schools in Plateau State, Nigeria?
4. What are the roles of parents of children with disabilities in the implementation of special education curriculum in Special Junior Secondary Schools in Plateau, Nigeria?
5. What are the contributions of the host community in the implementation of special education curriculum in Special Junior Secondary School Plateau, Nigeria?
1.5 Hypotheses
The following hypotheses were formulated to be tested at Alfa value of 0.05 significant levels.
|
H01 |
There is no significant difference in the adequate provision of instructional |
|
|
materials used in the implementation of special education curriculum in Special |
|
|
Junior Secondary Schools in Plateau State, Nigeria; |
|
H02 |
There is no significant difference in the appropriateness of methods used in the |
|
|
implementation of special education curriculum in Special Junior Secondary |
|
|
Schools in Plateau State, Nigeria; |
|
H03 |
There is no significant difference in the qualification of teachers used in the |
|
|
implementation of special education curriculum in Special Junior Secondary |
|
|
Schools in Plateau State, Nigeria; |
|
H04 |
There is no significant difference in the roles of parents of children with disabilities |
|
|
in the implementation of special education curriculum in Special Junior Secondary |
|
|
Schools in Plateau, Nigeria; |
|
|
20 |
|
There is no significant difference in the contributions of host community in the |
|
|
|
implementation of special education curriculum in Special Junior Secondary |
|
|
Schools in Plateau. Nigeria. |
|
1.6 |
Significance of the Study |
The findings of this research work would be of immense benefit to students, teachers, ministry of education and SUBEB, institutions of higher learning, educational planners, parent/communities, legislative bodies and national associations: Students can directly benefit from this study because any designed curriculum is for the consumption of the learners first and at large to the society. Students as part of the curriculum implementation, must have their areas of needs and dislikes as factual information to curriculum planners. Students also from this study would know what the parents, community, teachers and government are supposed to do for them for their educational attainment as a right. Low self esteem among students with special needs will reduce drastically and the disabled students can also form students‟ Union Associations to pursue education with all vigor. Being it a law inclusiveness as a law and a right in special schools and regular schools will reduce discriminatory attitudes in schools and in the communities. It is the right of children with special needs to compete with the so-called normal students from all fields of endeavors.
Teachers would benefit greatly from this research findings as they are directly involved in implementing educational programmes in our school system. This could challenge them to work in line with the national/international goals/objectives of inclusion (special education) by making sure that they accommodate all children without segregation.
21
It would also awaken special teachers to hold on to their responsibilities in educating special students that cannot receive education in the normal class with regular students.
From this research finding also, state school boards would benefit immensely from the outcome of this research work as they may use some of the information obtained in this research work to address specific and general problems facing the implementation of special education curriculum in the state. Areas such as provision of instructional materials, facilities, buildings/structures, emphasis on training teachers in the field of special education and organizing workshops seminars, conferences among others can be effectively addressed. More so, the findings also would benefit teachers training institutions like Colleges of Education, Faculties and Institutes of Education in various universities in Nigeria to draw out practical approaches for training and re-training of teachers in terms of content coverage, pedagogies Information and Communication Technologies. (ICT) and other contemporary approaches in the field of special education.
Curriculum planners such as Nigeria Research and Development Council (NERDC), National Teachers Institute (NT1), National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), National University Commission (NUC), would be attracted by this research findings as an evaluative means for them or by deeply carrying the evaluation at all stages to ensure the success of the implementation of special education curricula.
This research finding would also help the parents of children with disabilities and the communities with the provision and support for the implementation of special education. It would help them to have positive attitudes towards persons with disabilities and to also help them to know that there is ability in disability and that persons living with disabilities can still maintain normal standards of living, raise families and contribute immensely towards the progress of the community if given opportunities in education. Effective implementation of special needs education, requires the role of parent. Apart from the need of feeding, clothing medical care and education, parents must meet certain responsibilities which also involve psychological needs of the child. Parents of special needs children are expected to make necessary contacts with specialists such as physicians, special educators, counselors, optometrists, audiologists, social workers and other personnel in training, assessment and treatment of children with special needs. The research would also help parents of children with special needs to know that the children have fundamental rights to life and requires consistent love so that they should not develop feeling law/rejection or low self-esteem.
In addition government policies and programmes can come through bills, edicts, and legislative discussions. The members of the legislative house of the local government, state house of assembly, federal houses of representative and the senate, can acquire relevant information from the findings so as to make them formulate laws for the implementation of special education programmes. The enforcement of the rights of persons living with disabilities by lawmakers will make the implementation of special education successful.
The various National Associations for the disabled would benefit from the research work by initiating more ideas leading to programme implementation. They can press on the government to come up with certain programmes and services for the welfare and well being of their members. These associations include National Association for Learning
disabilities, National Association of the deaf, National Association of the Blind, National Association of the physically impaired, and National Association of Autistic children.
1.7 Scope of the Study
The study evaluated the implementation of special education curriculum (programme) in Special Junior Secondary Schools in Plateau State, Nigeria. The study investigated, teachers and students, this is because they are both agents of curriculum implementation. The study particularly investigated JSS 2. This is because they have already had knowledge of the state of things in the school. The study looked into the following variables; adequate provision of instructional materials, teaching methodology, teachers‟ qualification, the roles of parents and the roles of host community towards the implementation of special education curriculum. It is hoped that the findings of this study will fill the gap created by other researchers.
0 Comments