Research and Development of SEN Students in Secondary Mainstream School

Introduction

Children with special needs are those children that have mental development disorders, deaf children, children with speech and language impairment, blind children or those that are partially sighted, children that have learning difficulties, children with the autistic spectrum disorder, children hard of hearing and children with behavioral and emotional disorders. Today, these children are normally at liberty to attend special schools or special classes that are attached to mainstream schools or could be integrated into mainstream classes (Lewis, Wheeler and Carter, 2017). It is worth noting that the mainstream setting of education is not suitable for all children and those with severe levels of disability could need to be sent to special classes or special schools entirely. There is no one who likes to be excluded. In line with this, adolescents and children with disabilities have a right to participate in regular classroom programmes and also to have individual support measures. That could only be achieved in environments that maximize social and academic development, consistent with inclusions goals (Fakolade, Adeniyi, and Tella, 2017).

There are different reasons as to why including special education needs into mainstream classrooms could be important, and these are;

1. Integration of children with disabilities would add to the classrooms diversity (Cool, Klein and Chein, 2015). All our lives are enriched by diversity.
2. Children with disabilities have also been observed to bring with them new strengths into classrooms. The main problem is that we often tend to focus on what such children lack and ignore what they strive in. There are numerous strengths possessed by children with disabilities, and these include high spatial abilities especially in children with dyslexia, systemic capabilities, for example, computer excellency and this is especially in those kids with autism spectrum disorders, creative thinking amongst ADHD students and the human warmth and personal charm common among most of the students who have intellectual abilities like down syndrome (Rujis, 2017).
3. A climate of giving is promoted by children with disabilities. Roy Gichard Grinker`s daughter, Isabel, who was autistic was included fully in the Smithsonian Early Enrichment Centre that was in Washington D.C, and her teachers commented that she made her other classmates who did not have disabilities less selfish. It was observed that whenever Isabel was not present, the other students would be more competitive and irritable and would return to a more giving attitude whenever Isabel reported back. Through sending messages to other students that we all need to do something to help one another in life, students with special needs can humanize educational environments.
4. Children with disabilities have been observed to do better whenever exposed to settings where there is more expected from them (Bryant and Smith, 2015). In classrooms that are inclusive, children who are disabled are given the opportunity to experience what it is like to be considered normal enough to learn in regular classroom environments, their peers' positive performances influence them, and with such, they get to rise to rise to the higher expectations their teachers have placed on them.
5. We are all challenged by students with disabilities to come up with better ways of educating everyone. To effectively create inclusion classrooms, educators would have to provide learning environments that provide a variety of ways through which learning content is engaged with, represented and even engaged. All learners would benefit from this process because it has been proven that different children possess different learning patterns.
6. The brains of children with disabilities have been observed to develop stronger neural connections when in learning environments that are rich (Bossaert et al., 2015). Young children are in a development period that is quite sensitive in regards to their openness to neural imprinting from external stimuli, as such, all children, including those that have special benefits, in a big way, get to benefit from learning environments that are optimal.

Methodology

Observation will be used to collect data systematically. In this, I, the researcher will use my different senses to examine the student T B, who suffers from ADHD in classroom setups. Direct participant observation will be applied here, where I will directly participate in the life of the student to ensure that observations are adequately done and data is recorded accurately. The observational notes collected by me, the researcher will be coded, and this will be done to identify any prominent themes. Ground theorists refer to the act of discovering themes as open coding, while content analysts refer to it as qualitative analysis or latent coding (Glaser and Strauss, 2017).

Observation is an approach for data collection that is quite systematic. Observation requires researchers to use their different senses to do an examination of individuals in situations that are naturally occurring or in their natural settings (Quinlan et al., 2019). In a field setting, observation involves; 1) prolonged engagement in a social situation or a setting, 2) clearly expressed and self-conscious notations of how to carry out observation, 3) tactical and methodological improvisation aimed at development of full understanding of the setting of interest, 4) imparting attention in ways that are standardized and 5) recording what has been observed.

There is a distinction drawn between observation and participant observation. Participant observation involves participation in the lives of those people that are being observed while at the same time maintaining a professional distance that would give an opportunity for observing adequately and further recording of data (Jorgensen, 2015). In participant observation, the participant's role in the social setting they observe is normally underscored. It is necessary that any individual who plays the role of a participant observer must be adequately learned in the field.

There exists a variety of reasons advanced for collecting observational data, some of which include; 1) when the focus of the research question that needs to be answered is focused on answering what-or- how type questions, 2) when the topic being researched in unexplored relatively and there is little that is known for explaining people`s behaviors in particular settings, 3) when it is valuable to understand the meaning of a setting in a manner that is detailed, 4) when studying a phenomenon in its natural setting is important and 5) when there is a high likelihood that self-report data would be different from actual behavior, that is, when there is a likelihood that asking people what they would do would be different from what they actually do.

There are quite many methods that could be used by participant observers in the gathering of data. Writing field notes is one such primary approach (Borich, 2016). When writing field notes, the researcher could consider creating or using a template as a guide. Observational coding sheets and templates are normally useful whenever observers that are inexperienced seek to collect data. Observational coding sheets and templates should only be used after observation in the field which is not inhibited by such a template in any way.

The grounded theory approach, is made up pf a set of steps which if executed carefully would be a guarantee of a good theory as the outcome. This is as it was developed by Strauss. According to Strauss it is possible to evaluate a theory`s quality through the process through which it is constructed (Glaser and Strauss, 2017). This contrasts the scientific perspective which posits that how a theory is generated is irrelevant; whether through dreams, analogies or luck: the ability to explain new data determines a theories quality. The techniques that were used for working out themes included; identifying repetitions, looking for themes in written material, looking out for missing data and use of the constant comparison method, which will involve looking out for differences and similarities across data units.

The population of this study is made up of one pupil T.B. To pick the classes to observe; I used simple random sampling techniques.

Literature Review

Mainstreaming Education

Within the context of education, mainstreaming involves placing those students that have special education services in general education classrooms during specific periods entirely based on the skills they possess. According to Young (2015), what this implies is that students who belong to a special education classroom are given an opportunity to join regular education classrooms at certain times that are fit for students with special needs. Such students could be allowed to attend physical education or art classes in regular education classrooms. The thinking behind mainstreaming is that students who have special needs and who cannot possibly function in classrooms offering general education to a large extent belong to special education environments.

Most children who have special needs together with their parents strongly wish that they could remain within the mainstream system. The inclusion of children with special needs into mainstream schools has been argued to improve their educational performance, quality of life and development socially. It is widely believed that mainstreaming also increases the other children exposed to included children`s social awareness. Sefotho (2015), posits that inclusion also relieves the financial strain on most of the supportive external agencies like health, educational and psychological services. According to Fakolade, Adeniyi, and Tella (2017), even though there are different definitions of inclusion, the central concept involves identification of children with special education needs and educating them in the same setting as their mainstream peers.

Socially, inclusion has been observed to improve the social behaviors of special education needs children. Children who were included were observed to exhibit more pro-social behaviors when they were compared to their counterparts in special schools.

Special Education Needs

Across the UK, the generic term of special education needs has been widely used for social and emotional development to cover all children who are faced with difficulties in their development. Cai and Richdale (2016), posit that these difficulties affect their social and behavioral development, learning, communication and their abilities to gain independence and further take care of themselves. There are however critics to the labeling of children as having special education needs. In the past decades, it has been observed that psychologists have been using derogatory labels for purposes of describing individuals who failed to conform to the societal norms. The most commonly used terms have been retarded, stupid and imbecile (Böhme, Heppt, and Haag, 2017). These are terms that are geared towards excluding individuals with disabilities from activities and facilities that ordinary people, that is, those without disabilities enjoy. That has led to exclusion, isolation, alienation and institutionalizing of people with disabilities.

Proponents hold the view labeling has the capabilities of communicating the weaknesses and strengths, which would help in establishing a diagnosis, suggesting interventions, raising financial support and further providing a foundation for research on prevention and etiology. Additionally, labeling is embedded in the law and as such recognizes differences that are meaningful and this leads to responses that are proactive. Mukuria and Bakken (2010), however, hold the view that it is essential that labeling is assigned professionally with common sense and cautiously so that it can stand by itself. Individuals who have disabilities need to understand themselves and further appreciate themselves because through understanding their weaknesses and strengths; they could be able to set high goals for themselves that are also realistic. Through labeling, students who have disabilities get to realize that out there; some individuals are like them, which goes a long way in eliminating isolation. Through this, such children also get to create better self-images of themselves, get some consolation and also develop even higher self-esteem.

Bossaert et al. (2015), further cautions that it is necessary to use SEN cautiously. According to Ballard (2016), the SEN term may perpetuate the binary divide between ‘special' and ‘ordinary' systems and students. Additionally, labeling may also act as barriers to the development of practices that are inclusive. Labeling does very little in pinpointing the learner's difficulties. The opponents of labeling like Schwab et al. (2013), argue that disability labels have outlived its usefulness in terms education even though the origin of these labels is connected to the medical model of identification where diagnostic medical disability criteria are generally useful in disciplines like psychiatry and medicine. In education, they have little meaningful instructional application even though they are used persistently in both individual and general education.

Social and Academic Outcomes of SEN Children in Inclusive Settings

Often, the inclusive educations outcomes are normally elusive and difficult to measure. According to Garrote, Dessemontet, and Opitz (2017), the challenge here regularly is using broad indicators of outcome and impact to measure success. Presently, there exists a large body of research that addresses the question of how inclusion affects the achievement of students with and without special education needs. A study that was conducted in the UK that sought to compare the outcomes for adolescents suffering from Down syndrome but educated in special schools or mainstream schools. From the results of this study, there was no evidence of educational benefits for those students in segregated settings despite the higher ratios of teachers to students in such schools. Other Down syndrome students in neighborhood mainstream schools were observed to make significant gains over their peers on special schools in academic achievement and expressive language. The most important predictor of student achievement as seen in different studies is not placement but the quality of instruction. The most outstanding features of quality placement were regular and extensive reviews of materials, supportive teachers, positive classroom environments and direct instruction.

There exists evidence that children in mainstream schools can make progress if specific teaching and curriculum differentiation strategies are used. Planning for everyday tasks and small group learning that requires individual accountability, co-operative behavior and responsibility are all factors that have been observed are the most successful methods of promoting inclusion. According to Hornby (2015), special alterations to the curriculum delivery facilitates academic inclusion. That is in addition to collaboration amongst the teaching team and further involvement of peers.

Discussion

Learner X was described to me by members of staff as an intelligent pupil. That was demonstrated to me through his ability to answer questions successfully and engage productively with his teachers. His main barrier to learning is his difficulty in staying focused and on task for the entirety of an hour-long lesson. However, this additionally depends on factors such as the time of day and his relationship with the teacher and his classmates. One teacher commented that Period 4 is the most difficult lesson for Learner X, as this is the one during which the effects of his morning medication begin to wear off.

For inclusion to succeed it would be necessary to address the classrooms social environment. Each and every teacher should be able to draw sociograms for all their students or at least for each disabled child, that indicate antagonistic relationships, positive friendships, and connections that are potentially supportive both within and without classrooms (Rexroat‐Frazier and Chamberlin, 2015). Through this, relationships that are destructive can be identified and subsequently dealt with. The same way, connections that are potentially constructive could also be established. The maximization of the positive interpersonal contacts of the student should be the main focus.

The United Nations Charter requires that environmental modifications that are reasonable should be made as a component of the implementation of inclusive classroom programmes. This could possibly involve ease-of-access modifications and ramps for the children who are physically disabled. For example, a child who has ASD and with acute sensitivities to sound, headphones with capabilities of blocking out extraneous noises would have to be indicated. Additionally, for students with ADHD, being made to sit on chairs instead of stability balls would make them uneasy. It is possible to make each and every one of these modifications without extra training, undue expense or any significant implementation difficulties (Van Hees, Moyson and Roeyers, 2015).

To improve the experiences of these learners, it would also be necessary to present them role models who are also disabled in a way could go a long way in normalizing the experience of being different (Rangvid, 2019). That should be coupled with a focus on positive careers that are specifically tailored towards representing an all-class solution and strengthening persons with disabilities. Getting to know about other individuals who had limitations like Frieda Kahlo, billionaire businessman Richard Branson who has dyslexia, Temple Grandin who had autism spectrum disorders, Stephen Hawking and Chris Burke a television actor who had Down syndrome would motivate these students. When they get to know of these people, they begin to understand that the totality of a human being is in no way determined by disability; being disabled is only representative of one of the aspects of their lives and are in many ways not as crucial as their interests, preferences, wishes, and strengths.

Exclusion is the exact opposite of inclusion and if the experience of exclusion is in itself painful, then conversely, inclusion is an experience that is quite delightful. This fundamental human truth is recognized by the United Nations when it says that all people deserve to be included in cultures social institutions. Through practicing full inclusion in the course of a student's secondary school education, we help form attitudes of tolerance, acceptance, human possibility and generosity (Rubin, Storeygard and Koile, 2015).

The transition to secondary school from primary school is always difficult for children and even more difficult for special education needs children. Secondary school structures and routines are entirely different from the primary school ones as such more transitioning is required. For example, individuals who have ASD are observed to rely more on routines while struggling with transitions. Additionally, the secondary school needs a student to be able to manage themselves well, be more independent and possess social skills that are more refined. For example, because of the susceptibility of ASD secondary school students to bullying, they can quickly get withdrawn. It would be necessary for parents of children with disabilities to acquit themselves to their children`s stressors. When they have acquitted themselves with the stressors, they will be able to work with different school staff to adequately prepare them.

Teachers should assess the previous assessments of students with disabilities both within and outside classes while also talking to specialists (Chao, Forlin and Ho., 2016). A students profile before they join secondary school contains their language knowledge, age, gender and what gets them motivated. The teachers who previously taught the student would also attach more information about the student, for example, their learning speed and habits, and observations from different specialists on the learning needs of the child. These learning needs could either be speech and language delay, attention deficit disorder and dyslexia. The teacher would then need to have a conversation with the special education needs child to get to know their interests while also observing their behaviors whenever they are free. With this, the teacher is then able to tailor their teaching in a manner that matches the needs of each child and further writing about the kind of assessments and modifications they could use in their weekly lesson plans.

Teachers should also strive towards finding common ground because even though we all are different, there is something most of us have in common. Teachers should encourage their students to ask questions. Asking about the experience of a peer with a disability is okay. One only needs to be considerate and respectful whenever asking such questions. Because each and every human being has a desire for being understood, through talking, students are able to see beyond their mysteries of disabilities. Students should also be encouraged to show responsibility and even get involved by working with peers. Teachers should pair students with disabilities with other ordinary students and give them hands-on assignments which they would be required to complete in unison (Kurniawati et al., 2016).

A teacher is always required to lead by example, as their words and actions would tell other students how to interact well with other students, communicating with them, and responding effectively to them. Instead of just discussing the student's weaknesses, teachers should endeavor to talk about strengths as this would encourage the students to respect one another while looking out for others strengths that are unique (Radford et al., 2015). Secondary school students in mainstream schools should attend sessions for orientation that are manned by a school psychologist and a special needs coordinator when each year begins. Such sessions provide an opportunity for explaining the different needs students may have and how they can be supported. These students should also attend special classes with SEN students throughout the year. That would help them appreciate each other even better.

The judicious use of new technologies could also help students with disabilities succeed in regular classrooms. For example, students who have articulation or communication difficulties can use alternative or augmentative communication applications like Proloquo2Go which has the capabilities of translating icon-labeled buttons that are related to specific requests and needs (Meyer, 2016). Also, applications that can convert text on the screen into spoken word could also be of use to children with sight impairment. Speech-to-text software like Dragon Naturally speaking could also be used by students who face difficulties in either writing or reading to bridge the gap between written language problems and oral language strengths.

Generally, schools should provide adapted bathrooms and ramps that are accessible for those students who are not able to physically assess the places they need to be in. Teachers could also dedicate their time to work one-on-one with special education needs students (Bryant and Smith, 2015). Additionally, there are also things that could be done to make things for all students easier whenever within classrooms, for example, teachers could wear microphones so that those students who have hearing impairments can be able to hear in an even more explicit way.

Conclusion

Educational practices that are inclusive could only succeed if educators invested time and effort into creating classroom settings that are optimal (Rubin, Storeygard and Koile, 2015). To accomplish this aim, the most important thing would be establishing the abilities, strengths, and talents possessed by children with special education needs. A teacher should always view any children with disabilities in their classrooms as assets. When they do this, their willingness to put more effort to see the child succeed would be higher than if they were to perceive the child as a liability who only added to the teacher's burdens (Parish, 2016). After the identification of the strengths, teachers should then embark on developing learning strategies that would go a long way in ensuring that the child succeeds socially, behaviorally and academically. For example. In the event a class has a student with an autism spectrum disorder who has an absorbing interest in a specific knowledge area, to help the child develop even more, a teacher should endeavor to provide such a student with time in the course of a class session to share that interest with classmates (Montague and Jitendra, 2018).

Finally, inclusion should also not only be limited to classrooms; it is also necessary to include extra-curricular activities (Hammel and Hourigan, 2017). This would require all students to be involved in acting, singing, and dancing celebrations and performances. Students should always be encouraged to rehearse together and further support one another.

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