attitudes towards individuals with an intellectual disability - SAVAP ...

Academic Research InternationalISSN-L: 2223-9553, ISSN: 2223-9944Vol. 2, No. 1, January 2012Would you allow a student with In. D. from a specialschool play in the school yard with your class students1.002.003.403.280.5580,6311.589 238 0.113Would you ask from a student of your class invite tothe birthday party a student with In. D. ?1.002.003.523.330.6100.6712.365 238 0.019Would you let your child sit down with a student withIn. D. ?1.002.003.583.460.6190.6571.428 238 0.115Would you allow a student of your class help a studentwith In. D. with the lessons?1.002.003.783.460.5100.8423.475 238 0.001Would you visit a special school/institute with yourclass to meet with students with In. D.?1.002.003.803.700.4950.6131.444 238 0.15Do you believe that the inclusion of a student with In.D. will influence the school progress of the reststudents ?1.002.002.592.960.8940.990 2.981 238 0.003According to you would the various bodies informmore the public about the abilities of the individualswith In. D.?1.002.003.853.880.4660.3530.599 238 0.549According to you can the individuals with In. D. betrained ?1.002.003.773.660.4620.4931.792 238 0.074Notes: *1= Has been improved, 2= Has remained the same or has worsened. **1-No to 4-Yes.DISCUSSIONIndividuals with an intellectual disability are one of the most numerous groups with specialeducational needs, which are integrated in education and need specialized attention as well as dealing.These individuals, both in the open community and in the educational system, are facing withperceptions and stereotypes concerning their abilities and their inclusion in the above groups, whichpotentially could end to social exclusion (Azizi-Kalantzi, Zoniou-Sideri and Vlachou 1996; Dimos1996; Hannah and Pliner 1983). Characteristically, in our research the teaching staff state that theyrather agree that these individuals meet with difficulties in the educational system because ofdiscriminations, prejudices and there is lack of specialized state service for their information and theirservice. A basic mover of facing the difficulties which arise in the school life of these individuals isthe teaching community. In the present work we have tried to focus our interest to the teachers of theSecondary education, because there is not an extensive bibliography in Greece referring to theseteachers in relation with the subject of special education.Teachers interact both with the students and their families in the frame-work and with their colleaguesand the administration of the educational system. From within these systems they receive feed-back,influences, solidarity and they are led to initiatives and innovations, developing their social identity,their social capital as well and, what is more, their social trust. The development of supportingnetworks and the certainty for their future acts assist them in their educational task and, most times,dispel inhibitions, insecurities and fears, which could confine their social activity and theireducational effectiveness. So, from our results it was shown that teachers who enjoy higher levels oftrust, feel that they can possibly deal with educational challenges, caused by the entering of anindividual with an intellectual disability in their class and state, more eagerly than the others that theywould proceed with such an act. Relating to all the rest, too, they seem to believe more in theapproaching activities and behaviors of individuals with an intellectual disability and their inclusion inthe community.Copyright © 2012 SAVAP Internationalwww.savap.org.pkwww.journals.savap.org.pk362

Academic Research InternationalISSN-L: 2223-9553, ISSN: 2223-9944Vol. 2, No. 1, January 2012Consequently, we can state that there is a majority of teachers in the Secondary education which arewell-disposed towards individuals with an intellectual disability, as well as the inclusion policy whichis in practice both in the E.E. level (E.U., 2003; Venieris, 2002), and in Greece (L. 2817/2000 and L.3699/2008). The development of social trust seems to improve the level of understanding andsupporting of the individuals with an intellectual disability and creates a protective cover contra thesocial exclusion. So it is demanding : a) that the pedagogical training of the teachers of the Secondaryeducation should be developed in university, as far as the special education is concerned, so that theycan be sensitized and informed on subjects relative to learning difficulties and disability, b) a cultureof solidarity and participation should be developed in school units, through procedures based on localinitiatives of the community, the headmasters of the schools, the educational administrations as wellas from the Ministry of Education, so that a sense of collectiveness and support to be signaled,necessary for an effective educational work and c) so that it will be understood that the exercise of theeducational policy, aiming at the inclusion of the individuals with an intellectual disability in thesocial evolution, it is necessary that the existing structures should be transformed, that the educationalstaff should be professionally improved, and the whole population to be rendered sensitive in subjectsof respect and acceptance of differentiation.REFERENCESAzizi-Kalantzi,A., Zoniou-Sideri, Α. & Vlachou , Α. (1996). Stereotypes and Prejudices. Creationand confrontation. Athens: Greek Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs, GeneralSecretariat of Popular Adult Education [in Modern Greek].Baron, S., Field, J. & Schuller, T. (Eds) (2000). Social Capital - Critical Perspectives. Oxford:Oxford University Press.Behraman, R., Kliegman, R. & Jenson, K. (2000). Textbook of Pediatrics. New York: W. B. SaundersCompany.Booth, C. R. & Tusson, J. R. (1998). Proceedings of the International Symposium on EnvironmentalResearch in the Antarctic. Memoirs of National Institute of Polar Research, 52, 42-56.Bourdieu, P. (1985). The forms of social capital. In J. G. Richardson (Ed.), Handbook of Theory andResearch for the Sociology of Education (p.p. 241-258). New York: Greenwood.Brehm, J. & Rahn, W. (1997). Individual-Level Evidence for the Causes and Consequences of SocialCapital. American Journal of Political Science 41(3), 999-102Bronfenbrenner, U. (1977). Toward an experimental ecology of human development. AmericanPsychologist, 32, 513-531.Coleman, J. (1988). Social Capital in the creation of Human Capital. American Journal of Sociology,94, 95-120.Cox, E. (1998). Promoting Social Capital. Shifting Ground Conference, NCOSS, 3-4 October 1998,Sydney.Dimos, G. (1996) Deviation-Stigma: Theoretical approach of differences in school. Athens:Gutenberg [in Modern Greek].Copyright © 2012 SAVAP Internationalwww.savap.org.pkwww.journals.savap.org.pk363

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